Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-09

housing law was intended TO bring about
their complete removal But selfish men arc
seeking to preserve them, to protect the dirty
income OF their owners Are the decent peo.
pie Of the city and the State willing that they
should succeed?
"How Will Ever Explain II to Jim7"
open boasts were made at the previous
~ session of the Legislature that rapid
transit in Philadelphia would be held UP until
1916. When Finance Committee of Councils
plgeon-holed the Taylor ordinances for
weeks, it was clearly apparent that the OBJ
structionsts were relying on dllatory tactics
to accomplish this purpose.
Public sentiment forced them to show
down and they sought to muddy the waters
by captious objections to parts of the Taylor
plan while at the same time Offering to pop
| uous Frankford and North and South Phila-
! delphla wlll-o'-the-wisp sort of transit,
which, they anticipated, would serve to d-
vide the transit forces and so permit months
more of delay.
The original Connolly -seEer- Costello sub
stItute ordinance was, presumably intention
ally faulty in two respects First, the ordi-
nance was to be stamped with probable IL
legality by specifically basing It on personal
taxabes. John G. johnson exposed the trick
in this clearly, being supported by City
Solicitor Ryan, that not even Mr.. Connolly
dared retain the Objectionable words and an
amendment to strike them out was permitted
The second dilatory device was to make the
loan ordinance provide for program in part
utterly impracticable, namely, the extern
sion to Rhawn street, that no public official
with conscience would accept It. It ap-
parently expected by the obstructionsts
that the situation would be saved for them
through this subterfuge. even II the ordl-
nance was permitted to be passed in legal
form. So sure were they of this that the
word was passed to vote for the amended
measure. Rapid transit seemed to be tied
up in hard and fast knot which no human
being could unite.
But the pullbacks were too sure of their
ground Mr. Taylor found that he could use
the funds provided under the ordinance and
yet not spend one cent for any plans but his
own The Frankford elevated obviously must
be begun in town and gradually be built out.
The funds will be exhausted long before
Rhawn street is reached, and no other funds
will be available until new Councils speaks.
That Councils specify what Sec
tions of the system the specific funds shall
be used for. The elevated will be built with
Rhawn street as the ultimate terminal say,
but Bridge street must be reached first. How
long after that will it take to get to Rhawn
street Councils subsequently to be elected
must say So, too Just because the present
Councils will not provide funds for the loop
is why later Councils will not.
The electors in November will decide that
question Meantime, available funds can be
wisely and conservatively expended in dig
ging on Broad street, where under any plan
a subway is certain.
So. all that Councils has been able to do is
to delay an Endorsement of the Taylor plan as
whole, while providing funds for the ac-
complishment of part of that program and
a very important part of 1t.
Mr.. Taylor, in other words, takes a broad
minded view and expresses by his action COM
plete faith in the electorate on which he
throws the burden of his fight by calling on
it to decide in November whether it is for
the fake" plan or the real plan
The obstructlonsts have blundered into a
blind pit from which they cannot extricate
themselves without qualification and certain
political reputation. They have been check
mated by the skilful tactics of the Director,
whose vision is of quick transit. quickly got
unwarped by selfish political ambition He
is not trained in playing the game. but these
men compelled him to play IT, and with what
cards are on the table he has turned the trick.
They did not make quite so hideous a crea-
ture as they thought they had constructed.
Instead of the impossible ordinance they I'M
agined they had written, they are amazed to
find that IT can be used to good advantage
There is a good deal of humor in the stu
alton The friends of transit can afford to
laugh at the pulbacks. How readily the
duckling takes to water! How will ever
explain 1t to Jim?"
The inefficient always insist that the
charge OF ineficiency is unfair.
When baby swallows bchloride of mer-
curry tablet some one is TO blame for leaving