New-York tribune., 1907-07-02
PROD UTILITIES BODY.
SINGLE TAX OR4TIONS.
Police Haze to QueH Wrangles at
Cooper Union Meeting.

Just TO speak q step lively, there" to the
members Of the Public Utilities Commission and
to bid them get busy at building subways
throughout the various boroughs, the Manhattan
Single Tax Club planned a big mass meeting last
night IL Cooper Union. They expected a big
crowd and had a band as reinforcement to lure
il on hot night into the auditorium but al
though the musicians tried hard with Why
Don't You Try" there was scarcely half hall
ful when T. c. Lcubuscher. president of the club,
began the exercises by urging the Public Utili-
ties Commission to be up and doing.
Ii there were many vacant chairs in the audi
toTium. however, there was abundance Of
oratory, fervid the night itself. on the plat
form Most fervid and dramatic Of the orators
all Of whom have often been heard in defence of
the common people. was c N. Sheehan, of
Brooklyn He was the most tcrse of the takers
also, but so earnest that he almost broke UP the
meeting.
Mr.. Leubuscher and several other members Of
the club said that all they knew of Mr.. Shcchan
Is that he has naughty little way OF just
going around and making q fuss At a serious
meeting. However that may lee, Mr. Sheehan
evidently knows what he wants, and wants il
when he does want II very, very much. Last
night he wanted Z subway built in Broadway
IN BrOOklyu-he is member OF the Broadway
Board of Trade-and as he didn't see it men,
TONED in the list given in the resolutions pro-
posed by the president, but on which the meet
ing did not act. he raised his voice in short but
angry protest
The unlimited platform guest from Brooklyn
would not be quieted until Borough President
Coler attracted his attention. and the audience
had SCI up howl for a policeman Mr. Sheehan
finally went bur. like the cat, came back again
and bobbed UP in the middle of the house when
Mr.. Coler finished his speech, ready to ask
more questions \ policeman who happened 10
he convenient saved the Borough President from
explanations
Though Mr.. Sheehan's denunciation Of the
gross discrimination against Broadway in Brook
lvn was the feature Of the meeting. there We're
others. The Public Utilities Commission got
few Of them from ex-CongressWan Robert Baker,
Of Brooklyn who was opposed TO passes before
they passed out; from Justice John Ford, and
several Of the other speakers. Some more We're
aimed at Controller Metz by his fellow wrangler,
President Coler, by Mr. Baker and Mr.. Leu
buscher.
The general sentiment Of the speakers seemed
70 be that the Public Utilities Commission was
an undemocratic institution, and its appointment
a violation Of the primary principles OF home
rule. Congressman Baker went 50 far as 10 say
that like ali other commissions that ever existed
in this country il would go on and do nothing.
With all that, the speakers urged upon the COM
emission the immediate advertising Of bids for
the construction OF al the subwsys approved
by the late Rapid Transit Commission. for which
body and its serviity 10 the traction trust the
speakers reserved their bitterest words
Mr.. Coler, in ''puncturing Controller Metz's
flop on the subway construction question: as
the chairman said in introducing the Borough
President said that if the city's financial officer
feared that the debt limit would not allow the
early construction OF new subways the easiest
and quickest way TO get around the difficulty
would be to assess property at its proper value
That would give S15000000o or more, plenty TO
60 ahead with all the subWays at once
Justice Ford praised Governor Hughes, and
said he had demonstrated that "he IS fearless
honest and Embossed" That. he added, could
not be said Of any other Republican Governor
within his recollection. He said. however. he
did not approve of all the Governors policies.
and urged particularly that the tri-borough sub
way be started At once.
Register a. J Boulton. Charles Frederic
Adams and William A Coakley, Of the Press
Feeders Union also urged their hearers TO in
sist that the Public Utilities Commission get
right 10 work at building all the subways
planned by its predecessors