The Detroit times., 1915-10-20
THE STREET CAR ISSUE

Although more important issue has ever been sub
mtted the voters of Detroit than the street railway
plan which will be voted Nov the principal dis
cusson that has been heard has been minor points be-
logged with personal attacks of who side
who the other, bitter contention between
newspapers s therefore. the purpose of The Times to
take the principal points in the proposed purchase plan
and review clearly possible and entirely without pref
udce the both for and against in the hope that
such review assist in making clear to the voters what
the issues involved
Any man who starts to review the present argument
for and against the acquisition of the properties of the De-
trOt United Railway in the onefare by the city in
cOrdance with the plans laid out by the street railway
mission if he is Detroit of many years residence.
be struck first by the curious alignment of forces
gagged in this campaign.
The men directly responsible for the presentation of
the purchase proposition not the who have been
actively campaigning for municipal ownership in Detroit in
the past Equally, most of the who bitteres in
their campaign against the present proposition
ncipa ownership of long standing and much
paigning.
True, Mayor Marx who is the tituar head of the pro-
paganda has been accounted mild advocate of the prin
cpe of municipal ownership for campaigns past He
in the council representing the old Fifteenth
ward when Pingree was mayor and while never carrying
any of the burdens of leadership for Pngree account
ed friendly to the "Old man."
But the three members of the railway commission, as
well the two lawyers who have helped to frame the
proposition, who have been heard Of in
nicipal ownership battles. The is of of
the who campaigning for the purchase proposition
administration measure.
On the other hand, the head and front of the oppos
tion are men who have talked and dreamed municipal own
ershp, morning. and night in and of
for many that their nvoluntary
to mind whenever NJ O. is mentioned thought of. This
list includes F. F. Ingram, George William Moore John
McVcar and several Others not forgetting exMayOr Will
liam B. Thompson, who a municipal ownership man
with the O. K brand his shoulder right back to the old
Pngree days. lot of people took pleasure in reminding
him when he presented street railway settlement that
cluded further license to live for the d. u. r. and
this proposition kicked all the lot by the voters
These NJ o. men justify their opposition to the first
definite municipal ownership proposition made since the
days when the supreme court told Pngree that municipal
ownership not possible under the old constitution by
city down with debt that successful municipal operation
will be impossible and the city will have let the lines
go back to private ownership and probably stay there
Beyond their objections to the feasibility and legality
of the method under which 1t proposed to acquire the
lines the opponents Of the plan have made little
lection to the purchase proposition except the
Dor proposition Here they claim that civil service and the
right it Is proposed to confer the street railway
mission to hire and discharge all employees will necessarily
result in wreckng the street railway mems
that point they stirring up union labor opposition
the plan.
On the other hand the administration pushing the
purchase plan that the typical O. who have been
talking about municipal ownership for many years have
produced anything that looked like definite
ment toward the end they constantly recommending
while the hackers Of the pending plan have produced
thing that will enable the city to take the street lines
into its hands if ii so desires
(The Times Thursday will discuss the price feature
Of the purchase plan.)