New-York tribune., 1902-05-22
CONDEMN r. T. BOARDS ACT
MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY DEMANDS PRO
HlBlTiON OF ADVERTISING IN
BROOKLYN SUBWAY

The committee on public advertising Of the
Municipal Art Society of New-Yor has sent
a letter to Alexander i. Orr president of the
! Rapid Transit commission. saving that the COM
mttee has been informed that the contract for
tho Brooklyn rapid transit subway shortly to
he advertised for bids virtually hands over to
u private company for term Of fifty years and
possibly seventy-five Years, entire control over
the posting Of advertisements in the subway V
and property connected herewith The com
mtttee wished 10 condemn this action in the
! strongest terms. and urged that this action he
immediately reconsidered. and that the rights Of
the public he adequately safeguarded.
The letter says in part
The rapdity With which YOU amended the con
poratOn working for It's own pocket suggests sev-
eTal queries Is the subway for the convenience and
COMPANY to make large profits? Is your desire 10
ionH II citizen were to ppear before you and re
queSt the restoration Of the provision stricken
would YOU restore IL quickly as YOU removed il
at the request of the private corporation?
Your action seems all the moro peculiar when
cGntrasted with the reasonabenoss Of the request
which we made Although believing that adver-
nr6bibit srond b - ,Mtr !" r"gnlaIg restrict and
,issi s,oua M % oI e%pIcSsy reserved 20 the com
city's property"should he controII@d Sv the oitv'
This suggestion YOU have repudated apparently be-
nevlnE thai public property is safe IN the hands Of
This experience. Instructive in many wavs. leads
us now to insist that provision be inserted I'm the
contract prohibiting all advertScm. in the sub
way. the entrances. the exits tho and the
cars lest YOU, TN" guardians ~ public welfare
interested.
DR.. Milo r. Maltbie. chairman of the com
mittee. said yesterday TO a Tribune reporter.
We have for some time been in correspond
enCe with the Rapid Transit Commission and a
committee OF the commission which has the
matter in charge. We have been informed til
recently that the commission thought well of
the proposition that the city should restrict the
advertising in The subway. and that a proper
provision would 10 inserted iu the proposed
contract. Such told. was actually done
and then. AT the request Of Mr. Belmonts COM
pany. tn" pTOvisiO" stricken out and fun
power 10 deal with advertising virtually given
over TO the privat" corporation.
Under the contract at present drawn the
private company could make the subway even
more hdeous than the elevated stations. which
are so rapidly becoming huge hillhoa rds. The
Boston subway is free from posters. except on
the neWsstandS, and the act prohibits their in
PRODUCTION. In fact. there s Instance 81 a
subway constructed under municipal manage
ment, where such powers have been given TO a
private corporation the Rapid Transit Com
mission proposes to give to the operating COM
pany. The committee Of the Municipal Art So
ciety believes that the Rapid Transit Commits
sion will rec onsiLer its action when the matter
is carefully considered. for fly in the face
OF public opinion. which is strongly in favor Of
the socety's plan, would he to call down upon
the commission severe condemnation.