New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-18
B.R.T.WON'T COMPROMISE
is. Williams So Tells CroWo dl
Brooklyn Mass Meeting.
RESOLUTIONS FAVOR OFfth
1nterborough Has Branch once
in City Hall Park, Head OF
Rival Company Intimates.

Colonel T q Williams. president OF ths
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company saio
emphatically and finally last night thd'
his company was not In the conpromisihs
business. and that a compromise oet"een
the two subway offers at this time "ouio
mean a breach OF honor and loyalty 10 tne
people as we'll as an indefinite delay OF me
solution Of the problem.
There was q large gathering Of people
interested in the subway question at the
BROOKLYN Academy of Music last night
under the auspices Of the Brooklyn League,
the Transit Conference and the Allied
Boards Of Trade Of that borough Mr..
Williams. who was one ~ the numerous
SPEAKERS. made an appeal 20 the people OF
Brooklyn TO unite and 10 support ener-
geticsliy the acceptance Of the Brooklyn
rapid Transit proposal, which he described
az far beyond any plan heretofore sug-
rested or dreamed ~"
His explanations and the raps he ad-
minstered 70 the Interborough were re-
ceived with much applause, and the meet
ing adopted a resolution protesting against
any concession that would partition the
city between the two traction corporations.
and advocating the acceptance Of the
BROOKLYN Rapid Transit offer as the best
now before the city authorities.
THE latest word on tho transit situation
is compromise" said Mr. Williams. who
was introduced by George w. Brush.
chairman Of the meeting. But, OF
course, this does not come from No l65
Broadway. the headquarters OF the Inter
borough company. only two public utter
ances have come from that source during
the last siy months-the two offers made
by that company All the other communi-
cations 10 the public seem TO have emsnated
from the branch office a little further up
Broadway. Whatever the sources Of these
compromise rumors OF the last few days,
they seem to have their origin IN that part
Of Manhattan known as the city Han
Park
4 want to say now, emphatically ana
finally. that we are not in the compromis-
ing business. and I want 10 make this
statement not only 20 this audience but
10 our friends in the five boroughs.
Compromise in certain situations means
betrayal From our point Of view II would
mean that IT, even with official approval
and announcement. We should enter mo
an arrangement with the marlborough for
division of territory we could not honor
ably hold I'D our heads in this community
He continued.
| do not understand that there was any
| thing in the Board of Estimate resolution
which authorizes the McAneny committee
70 adjust any selfish differences between
the New York company and the brooklyn
company
mittee or the Public Service Commission
have any such conception Of their responsi-
bilities and duties. That committee mas
taken evidence. received the best onets
which either company feels disposed 10
make. and the jury is now out. and the
people are awaiting its verdict.
| To urge compromise now certainly means
an indefinite pOStponement Of the solution
OF the problem. Do the people want that?
II Is the last gasp Of desperation II Is
likely To deceive some good citizens VINO 90
not fully understand the situation
| have said to them. and have said 10
the diplomats who have carried more con-
crete messages, that we could not, IN honor
10 ourselves or 10 the city's representatives
with whom we have conferred, consider
any question of compromise.
The two subway proposals were COM
pared by Mr. Williams in their most inn
portaut aspects. and he then drew paral-
lei between the open manner in which the
p K Z conducted It's negotiations and the
attitude OF haegling pursued by the Inter
borough. He said
Now 7 do not Ike TO crticise men in the
same line OF business with having sought
20 deceive the people or with injecting IN
their proposals so many antiquities ana
uncertainties as 10 make II likely that II
adopted the city would not be getting what
Il might think IL was getting. But | DO
say that so far as the public can get any
impression from the Interborough's deal
ings with the city. that impression does
rot Justify confidence in either the sin
certify of their motives or the directness or
their methods
That kind Of bargaining belongs 10 an
old fashioned era. Frankness. straishttor-
vardness and direCtness are the requisite
essentials nowadays in dealing either with
individuals or with the public Whatever
may he the verdict Of the city upon the
PROPOSALS now before them, We shall at
least have the satisfaction, and YOU people
II Brooklyn may have the satisfaction. OF
feeling that not IN our proposals ror IN our
negotiations has there been any lack or
candor any indisposition 10 meet the city
more than half way. nor any exhibition or
corporate senshness.
We NAV not have offered n plan Whlc'
makes so good bargain for our stockhold-
e-= hut we have AZ least presented n nlan
which Is better for the city and ITS people
and We have done this in m open. straight
forward wav frUstinc 10 it's merits ~ pro
,do,ficn and tfpcn p0lltiCdl or