Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-10
Philadelphia win Not Be Buncoed


DUBLIC OPINION scored two great VIC
\ tories yesterday 1t drove Senator Nc
Nlchol halfway into the open; It forced from
his lieutenant John p. Connolly an agree
ment to permit the Finance Committee Of
Councils to meet.
II is only halfway into the open that Sen
ator McNichol comes. Publicity has wedged
Connolly and seger apart, and behind them
their master Is revealed But he fears to let
his opposition be seen in its naked ugllness.
| He draws before It the curtain Of economy,
raising an issue where there is no Issue, con-
fusing where there is no excuse for any con-
fusion, clothing in subtle but weak verblage
his master plan for perpetuatlng the inade-
quate transit facilities Of this city and the
scandalous exchange ticket abuse
To amend the pending constitutional
amendment is to kill it. Yet Senator Nc
Nchol declares that It must be amended or
100 millions Of Philadephia's funds will be
tied up in transit and port development to
the detriment Of other public needs.
The argument does not hold. OF the 80
millions to be authorized at the special cleo
ton but a small part will be charged against
the city's present borrowing capacity. Money
will be appropriated only as 1t is needed and
all funds for transit appropriated after the
passage Of the amendment will be charged
against the loan capacity given by the
amendment.
The margin of legal credit will be more than
40 millions after appropriations for transit
work this year made. AS the new lines
earn interest, corresponding proportion of
the capital investment is longer to be
charged against borrowing capacity.
These men, who parade fictitious poverty
of the city, who moan and groan about It's
financial incapacity slander Philadelphia, for
in truth its untapped resources are enormous.
No other city in America is now ever was
SO well fixed for undertaking comprehensive
transit program. To belle that situation, to
make 1t appear that the contrary is the case,
is to traduce the municipality to scar and
muddy its good name.
It is not Philadelphia that IS worrying
about the money; It is sordid interests OPP
posed to the we'll being Of the city that have
the money lust, will be amply demon
strated before this fight is over unless there
are some quick changes in policy. In an
other matter now before Finance Committee,
the Mayor referred to mysterious influences
which seem to be at work" Mysterious in
huences, so far as transit is concerned, may
well beware the hashght.
Finance Committee will meet. It's mem
bers are known. Those who are for transit
do not hide the fact. They are proud of It, 1
Those who refuse to state their position are
probably against transit. They are not proud
of it.
Let public opinion drive them into the OPEN
Write them, telephone them, buttonhole them
on the streets. You are straphanger; make
them tell you face to face If they insist on
your remaining one. Your Councilman may
try to hide behind the economy plea. Tell
him that Councils is not asked to decide the
financial question. That is what the election
Is for-to let the people say whether they are
for the project or against it. Make him
stand up like a man. Each and every one Of
them has had ample time to study the plans;
each, 1t may be surmised, has the capacity
to understand them. II any pleads ignorance
he should be cleaning the streets instead of
egislating for the city. There is no place
n this crisis for the mentally unemployed.
The time has come for the citizens Of Phil
ldeIphia to fight and that is what they in
end to do.