The Detroit times., 1916-03-01
Ambition to A G a j n
Head EstimatOrs
Causes Trouble
OPPONENTS HAVE
KNIVES READY
Say He's Menace Be-
cause of Political
Activities

pAere are prospects OF row
when the board Of estimates con
Venes next Monday morning 20 elect
n successor TO President Edward 4
Nichols.
Edwin c. Bolton, former president
of the board, is seeking reelection.
He claims 10 have 80 ont of the A.
votes pledged Some members OF
the board, who object to Bolton g
candidacy because OF his political
activities. have approached him witt
request that be withdraw tor the
good OF the city and the board ol
estimates"
Last Saturday a delegation com
posed OF Arthur L. Gordon, Peter A
.idebottom, William Parrish anG
President Nichols called on Bolton
in his ofice TO sound him out.
They offered 20 les him name the
candidate, IL he would step out. Eol
ton gave the committee a-cold re-
ception, and announced his inton-
ton To stick for election TO the
presidency.
Tuesday afternoon 10 estimators
met in the Office of Estimator Cor
don. Estimator Milton r. H. Pal
mer. former deputy controller wa
selected as the candidate 20 oppose
Bolton \ vote OF confidence wa,
taken Three OF the estimator
present refused ,o vote, saying i'
would be a violation Of the pltdsf
they had made 10 Bolton Of the iU
that voted. one member of the dele
cation declares that only five vii
really support Palmer. thc other
FIVE being safely pledged TO Bolton
Wewant 20 abolish politics IN
the board Of estimates aud give tht
reoplc eooI honest. businesslike
review OF the budget" said Charlie
l.. Clark. estimator at-largp. There
has been so much talk about The
board and some OF IT, members in
the past that the very life of the
board Is endangered M the present
time. The board OF estimates will
surely he abolished if the coming
session Is not different from some
OF the previous ones.
"Mr. Bolton. good fellow person
nlly. il menace to the board be
rause OF his political activities He
admitted on the floor a year ago
that he was attorney for several
blacklistod salonnkeepers. and had
spoken to Mr. Dingcman. then chair.
man OF the iquor committee. iu
their behalf. He H. not the Kind of
man We want for chairman of The
board
"He secured his pledges of support
right after the session closed last
year, before ANYBODY else had q
chance 10 get into the field. He was
clever enough IN tyinr up the newer
members. Estlmators who were NOT
friendly 10 Bolton were not invited
10 the caucus that nominated him 20
In every annual session OF the
board there are some members who
trade appropriations involving thou
sands OF dollars OF the taxpayers
money for personal fayors from va
rlous departments.
One estimator used his office 20
secure lucrative positions for his rel.
atiyes In the board of health and
poor commission He Is sold to have
obtained position as nurse In the
board Of health for woman friend.
Health Officer Price recently order.
ed the woman transferred for the
good of the nursing division, but she
refused to accept the transfer Her
friend, the estimator, had three.
hour session with Or Price He de
manded that she remain at her old
post when Or. Price refused to ac.
commodatc him. the estimator went