New-York tribune., 1911-12-24

would have two parallel u uiin i'hNS
ming right through Brooklyn, Manhattan
and The Bronx. one On the East Siuc anu
one on the West Side people TO be car
ried all over that system for Ave cents.
The system is to extend the present East
Side line right on north beyond ia
street. through Lexington avenue ana
into The Bronx. where ii prongs on III
three directions That would give
straight East side line right from The
Bronx downtown 10 the City Hall and
thence down under the present tunnel
and over 10 Brooklyn. where II now
runs.
Then II we 90 over to the West Side
the system was to continue the West
Side route down south from 42d street
! through Seventh avenue and so on under
tunnel over into Brooklyn, aud thence
out through Fulton street and Flatbush
avenue to Prospect Park. and thence out
the Eastern Parkway indefinitely.
The system also embraced the Lafay-
I etto avenue route in Brooklyn. which
comes into Flatbush avenue. 1t also en-
braced the Fourth avenue subway which
is now being built. 1t also embraced the
Belmont tunnel over into Queens. with
two great prongS through Queens
County.
Just take piece Of paper and draw
this and see what fine system 1t is.
But l fear it is gone. The operating
company offered to put UP about SlOO,
100000 10 help the city build it. fear
that S100,000,000 is gone. There is a
scheme afoot now TO get the money TO
be put up by the company, provided the
city guarantees dividend of 0 per cent
on all the past investment OF the COM
pany and also 8 per cent on its future
! investment To do this the city's money
has to remain without drawing even the
interest on the bonds issued 10 raise it
for probably fourteen years.
do not know what effect this will all
have Oh the city's credit. 1t destroys
the theory on which we were going TO
build the subways. We had a constitu'
tional amendment passed by which the
money put into a subway could be re-
leased from the debt limit as soon as IL
became self-sustaining; then we could
take that amount and put it right into
another subway. and SO on indefinitely.
This scheme that is being now talked
Of would knock that in the head for
good. What money we put in would be
locked fast for years, may9e for gen.
Grafton. If the city has to build the sub
ways with its own credit exclusively
many think ii should in that case op-
crate them also ] would not wonder If
they were entirely right. If the city
builds them at its own expense II could
as we'll operate them and have done with
it, and have no more OF this dickering
with private companies.
Would Reduce p. S. C.'s Powers.
Should any changes be made in tho
public service law?"
l think that the Public Service Com
mission should have nothing to do with
selecting routes or building subways
here. 1t is a state board that was estab-
lished 10 regulate corporations and brinS
them to book. and given ample powers
for that purpose The Public Service
Board up the state is confined TO the eX-
ercise Of these powers. The one down
here had conferred on it the additional
power of acting with the Board of Esti-
mate in selecting routes and building
subways here. l think that is mis-
take. The subway authority is now
divided among the Public Service Com
mission. the Board of Estimate and the
Mayor. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
II is Il mere executive matter, and ought
to be brought down TO q narrow COM
pass.
What changes would YOU suggest in
the public school system" you ask.
Well. 1 expressed myself lately to the
effect that we should not teach our chill
dren in the public schools in a way that
makes them think that to work with
their hands is dishonorable, and l stick
to that Nothing is more honorable than
to work at honest work with ones
hands. Our common schools ought to
educate our children to be willing and
able to work If they do not do this
they are a failure.
| did not say that we "overeducate"
our children, as some newspapers said.
| never used tho word. On tho contrary,
l suggested that we were trying TO teacb
them SO many things that they were not
we'll taught and did not learn much OF
anything That is 10 say, that they
were "undereducated" in place of being
"overeducated. l think the thing re-
auires serious consideration
Corporations Now Under Control,
should the city furnish light as well
as water"
This matter bears a very different as
pect now TO what il did few years ago
!. must be remembered that all public
service corporations are now under tho
control of the eovcrnment-namely, of
the Public Service Commission. All of
their doings are under the supervision
o. that board. They can be made to do
right They can be made 10 furnish
good article at a proper price. They can
be prevented from oyerca apitaliZing or
watering their stock. The price can be
reduced by the commission a. earnings
and dividends go up. This is very DIFF
fCrent TO what It was a few years ago.
The arguments in favor OF the city run
nlng it's public utilities have been large
N taken away by this public service law
We now have the public service corpora
tions under our control.
should it operate the ferries"
I suppose the city must operate un-
profitable ferries. Otherwise We would
not have them at all
Nnnr noXt question is. "What are the