New-York tribune., 1908-03-09
ETTERE STRM4Y BTILDLNG

Metz wants more SubwayS is statement
which is put forth from the Controllers office
The watchdog of the city treasury does not
enjoy the position in which he is placed before
the people as the sole impediment in the way
of rapid transit construction. Labor Snarls at
him during the hearings. The Bronx lowers
upon him as its enemy, and even Brooklyn,
which had fond notion thar ne was opposed
TO ali subways but subways 10 Brooklyn is
beginning 10 have its doubts if Metz is. after
all. as true and tried friend Bird Coler.
The Controller doesn't like his position and he
shastens TO make il known that, far from being
an enemy of subway construction. he lies
awake nights devising ways Of getting around
the debt limit. He plies the Corporation COun-
sci with figures. inquiring every day or so II
such and such items included in the debt limit
may not properly be omitted. He is fertile in
expedients that don't expede. H stops whom
he meets and begins: Ten per cent of the
assessed valuation is s624.o4s.o60. The gross
funded debt on January 1 STS5.014, $50.
Then he subtracts this and adds that and sub
tracts something else and adds still another
thing. and. if he can keep his listener. he Will
show that the city has so little money to spend
that il cannot build subways.
His arithmetical apology is most convincing.
The city has no money TO build subways
There is only one respect in which his explana-
there is no money to build subways. The city's
borrowing capacity increased $260o0000 in
1904 S20.000.0eO in 1905. S51,eo00o0 in 1906
and s50oe0oo0 in 1907. and on July !. 1908 it
will increase S40.opG,oe0, or a total Of $751;
600. 600 in five years. Why out of this vast
sum was nothing aside for rapid transit:
The city administration knew that the existing
subway was obtained only by the use OF city
credit. II knew that the law was so drawn as
Hone 4f~ n
transit system except by municipal construc-
ton Is il any excuse now for ii 10 throw up
its hands and protest its powerlessness to re
Iieve the existing situa ton when its impotence
is the result of its own prodigal lack of fore
sight:
The Controllers device for the relief of the
existing situation is release of rapid transit
bonds from the restraint OF the debt limit
That will take three years. Can the city wait
three wears more before beginning work on
additional subways which will require five
years 10 construct: If il has to wait that
length of time it Will have the present city adj
ministration 10 thank for its discomforts in
travelling with the existing facilities. But
those who favor municipal construction should
consider whether this plan Of Controller MetZs
affords any real promise of relief IF the con
stitu1ion is amended sum about equal To the
cost Of the present subway will he available.
and that VIII be enough 70 bulid another SUD
way: but will one more subway lie enough 10
serve tho needs of this overcrowded city eight
wears from now: After the second line is con-
structed the bonds issued 10 pay for it will not
be at once deducted from the gross city debt.
II will have 10 he in operation for period
until the courts satisfied that II X paying
Investment. 50 thai again there would he con
Sidera bic delay before additional funds could in
this way become available for further transit
construction. This proposed amendment TO the
constitution would be a slow and incomplete
remedy II is 40 solution Of the problem of
providing an adequate rapid transit system 10
distribute the crowded population throughout
the undoveloped buroughs. If the people OF
New York want rapid transit they must he
prepared 10 offer such terms 10 private capital
as will attract il into the field. If they con
tinue 10 be So afraid that investors building
StIFwavS viii make profit out Of them rs they
were when the Elsher- law enacted they
must he prepared for continued overcrowding
and for long delays in the development of the
outlying districts. unless some form Of rapid
transit cheaper than subways may he found so
that the sInaIl sums the city is likely - nave
at its command viii suffice for the construction
of many rapid transit lines.