The evening world., 1911-06-05
NO SECRECY IN
PUBLIC SERVICE
B0ARD,SAYS CRAM
New Commissioner a Man of
Ideas, but First One Is
"Start the Digging"
DELAY NOW A CRIME.
His Personal Views Can Wait
Till "Intolerable Condi-
TORS" Are Relieved.
NOW A CRIME.

INC return OF John sergeant Cram
OF Tarmany Hall to public life as n
Public Service Commissioner brings
back into the iinelight one OF the most
interesting characters IN the polltl,al
history of the city. As a hedging Pub
lie Service Commissioner this million
aire Democrat talks good" He has
declared for those reforms In rapid
transi, which are near to the heart OF
the whole people.
To-day Mr.. Cram Is comforting at his
town residence. No. East Thirty
eighth street, with state Engineer John
A.. Bensel. They were associated from
1889 TO 1895 in the Dock Board, where
Cram as the presiding commissioners
proposed the construction of the Chel-
sen Docks and other West street i'm
provements. of which the city is now
so proud.
Il sent for Bensel, because Of all en-
gineers | know he has the best general
IDEAS upon any big public improve
ment." said the new Public Service
COMMISSIONS to a reporter from The
Evening World. w worked together
years ago in whipping I street into
aiAA q IA htAh '''
chat with him about the 81 y ques-
ton"
A nearly bald headed. sandy man of
fifty-elght years, with a cuss word now
and then to emphasize his main points.
the new Public Service Commissioner
talks as II he means to inject ginger
into the commission which has been
promising more subways TO the people
Of New York City since Its creation in
July. 1907. four years ago. MIR. Cram
10 not the Beau Brummel he was In his
younger days when hobnoboing with
his friend, the late Mayor Hugh Grant,
but he dresses neatly in black. and
when out OF doors wears a SLOUGH ram
anna hat.
II am opposed to secret sessions OF any
public body" he replied when asked IL
he was going to abide by the present
rules OF the commission. These pubic
officials now transact all of their real
business In private. only holding their
public sessions at the stated Intervals.
when public questions that have previ-
ously been decided upon In private by
the Commissioners are brought up for
open discussion.
~
Guilty getting the Information they
want after the meetings OF the COM
mission which I attend I Will be
pleased to see their representatives at
my uptown oface here, and tell them
has taken place downtown. ] hoid
that the public IL entitled to all infor-
nation with respect TO rapid transit
HAS STUDIED TRANSIT abroad
AND HAS IDEAS"
Mr.. Cram said he had studied the
transportation question In practically All
of the large cities of Europe. lie was
particularly impressed, he said. with the
way the authorities of the commercial
centres I'm the British Isles look ont 10"
the welfare o: working girls. Singulariy
enou,h MIR. Cram differs from the en-
perts whom the Public Service Commits
cion has sent abroad, for he believes
that municipal operation OF public utili-
ties abroad is an unqualified success,
MANY times | have stood in Kings
Cross, london, watching the parliament
tary trains come in, carrying hundreds
of work girls from the suburbs said
the new Commissioners. Every one is
provided with u seat; no hanging bS
straps, no iam.liuS on the front ana
rear platforms. The GOvernmr nj -occeS
the railroads to provide seats for these
sirls.
Recently ! had a talk with several of
the Magistrates Of New iorh, ami what
they have told me OF the conditions IN
the Subway and upon the Il roads
during rush hours, as reflected in cases
before them. is shocking and almost IN
belieya.le. II the railroads here were
compelled to furnish seats to American
work girls, AS is being lone all over
England, scotland and Ireland for the
female toIlers OF those countries We
would have advanced "A long way In the
direction of the transportation mIllen-
ium.
1T have always held that tho trans
portation facilities Of . city should
not he used to enrich a few overr!eh
men. The streets belong to tho peo-
pie, and not to groups of men who get
I'D traction companies, and the people
should be vol paid for their private
use.
II don't object TO wealth, but 1t
seems to me that enterprises built up 10y
public credit. with money raised by taN-
alton, should not so to the benefit of
private individuals. | sincerely believe
' that money raised upon public credit
should be used for the public and by
the public. | am not alone in this view.
for In the principal cities of Europe this
idsa has arrived. | fear they are in adj
vance OF us over there. not only In this
matter, but in other public benefits.
has had employers liability for
some time, while we are just taking
hold Of that subject.
I'm time the people of this country
will rise up and deman these benefits,
They are entitled to them, and private
interests will not always be able to hold
public utilities to their own exclusive
profit.