New-York tribune., 1908-05-25
THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSIT BILL.


The failure Of the Robinson bill through the
Governors refusal to sign the measure leaves
the rapid transit situation in this city in as
bad q mudde as it when the legislative
session began The only action that has been
taken which looks toward making the construc-
tion of subways possible in this city is the pre-
liminary passage of the constitutional amend
nlent exempting so-ca1led "self-sustalnng bonds
from the operations Of the debt limit provision,
and that will have to pass the Legislature again,
and then will have TO be referred to the people
at the general election in the fall Of 1909 before
action under it is possible. If it Is finally sue
cessful. it will be year and half before tne
cffy's extended credit caZ be put TO the use Of
subway building IL TIE mean time the con-
struction of subways by private capital under
the law as il stands is impossible. BY the
failure of the Robinson bill the defects IN the
Elshery law. recognized by the Governor in his
message remain incurred and with the short
lease provided for under that law 1t is unlikely
that any company would undertake the opera
ton of a subway if could be built by the
municipality.
1t will be said. Of course. that the city can
still 30 ahead and build subways in sections
having for as much work yearly the debt
limit will allow. but it has no money now, and
in the opinion of the administration no money
will be available next year for the construction
of even q section Of the proposed suhways. Even
if there we're the Board of Estimate and Ap-
portionment. carrying out the foolish bluH OF
Mr. Coler and his allies, has put sectional con-
struction out Of the question by voting for the
building of both the New York and Brooklyn
lines as whole Under these conditions Inc
Tribune felt and still feels that the city ought
TO have the right to invite private capital INTO
the field by granting limited franchises for the
or1d n
Governors memorandum shows that the objec-
ton which had controlling influence on his
mind was that the ffty-year franchise made
nossihIe under il was too long. Fifty years was
fixed as the maximum. and II was not expected
that the Public Service Commission would grant
franchise of that duration. but il was felt
that private capital would hold back and de-
mand the longest possible franchise, and that
therefore. making a ffty-year period legally
possible practically tied the hands of the Public
Service Commission in securing a contract for
any shorter period. There is much force also
in the Governors suggestion that no real sou-
ton of the rapid transit problem can be found
until some order Is brought out of the chaos or
the city's finances. though we fear that the
more the people learn that subject the less
will be their hope of city built subways
The lease of municipality owned subways
under the Elsberg law is too short. and in
the present grave uncertainty over the citys
ability TO build additional subways the public
ought to have the right of relief through private
capital If it can have it upon reasonable terms.
The topic is one of such vital interest to this
city that the Governor may appropriately bring
il to the attention of the present special session
of the Legislature. 1t ought to be practicable
still to make such alterations in the details OF
the Robinson bill as the Governor deems neces-
sary and not leave the city's hands tied rs they
nt