New-York tribune., 1908-04-08
A TRACTION TEMPEST
WILD NIGHT 1T MEETING.
People's Institute Makes Nezo Tur-
bu!ence Record at Cooper Union.

Used as it is 70 turbulent scenes. the Peoples
Institute surpassed itself last night in meet
ing at Cooper Union devoted TO discussion OF
the rapid transit solution and addressed by
William NJ Wins. Assemblynan William Nj
Bennett and Charles Sprague Smith. the di-
rector.
The officers early in the evening placed under
arrest l.. S Bedford, printer, OF No 63 Grove
street. a single taxer, who sought to introduce
a resolution denouncing the building of subways
bv private capital and to distribute in the hall
a cryptogram on the back of his printed reso-
luton denouncing Mr.. Wins the tool Of the
traction thieves" On the complaint of Direc-
tor Smith, and amid intense excitement, Mr.
Bedford was led away
When Bedford first insisted the circulation
of his dodger Mr.. Wins said at the beginning
of his address THE man who comes here with
this denunication in cipher is q sneak, a coward
and q cur
Mr. Bedford, from the aisle replied that ne
was none of these and insisted on his right to
introduce his resolution, but further utterances
were drowned in cries of Put him OUT! Free
speechr' and general disorder Half dozen
lusty members of the institute seized Mr. Bed
ford and put him out OF Cooper Union.
He was arraigned before Magistrate Moss IN
the night court on a charge of disturbing d
public meeting Reprimanded by the nlagls-
tratc Mr. Bedford returned to the hall, and at
the end of the addresses again sought to have
his resolution passed upon. \ scene OF the Wlio-
est disorder followed.
The resolution included an invitation to Gov
ernor Hughes TO address a mass meeting OF
the Peoples Institute the traction question
Distinctly out of order, a motion to adjourn
was entertained and carried. Standing in the
centre of the aisle, indeed were nearly all
of those present at the time, Mr.. Bedford in
sisted upon the adoption of his resolutions, and
finally succeeded in getting almost unani-
nous vote in their favor, putting the question
himself. Mr.. Smith, however had in the mean
time put a motion to hold the asked for gather
ing on the 2Sth, providing that the expenses of
the hall be paid by some outside the
ganization.
Mr. Bedford and his followers were collective
ly under the impression that Mr.. WINS and the
other speakers were in favor of the proposed
amendment to the Elsberg bill. On the con-
trary. Mr.. WINS said that he favored the Els
berg bill as it now stood believing that by rea-
son of the panic and other conditions it had
never had fair The resolution offered
by former Judge Cohen asked for a reduction Of
the life of franchises from fifty to twenty-five
years.
In his address Mr.. WINS said that profit of
from 50 100000 to $1,O0O,0O0 had been made by
the Belmonts in building the tunnel, and. after
discussing the citys debt limit. which he in
sisted was beyond the knowledge of Controller
Metz he declared that East and West Side
and Fourth avenue (Brooklym tunnel could be
completed without intruding upon the borrowing
capeeity of the city. He insisted that the city
was in position not only to construct new
subways but if necessary. to operate them as
well.