The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-11

40 you think three Commissioners
instead OF Ave could take care OF the
work with proper despatch?'
Certainly" flashed Mr. Cram, "if you
got ccrrrAtArt men, hut 7 doubt II YOU
could. because YOU don't pay enough. \
man who is worth appointing can do bet
ter outside
What" exclaimed Mr.. Hayward
you think $4,000 is not enough
We'll. this is an expensive city and
the talent must he high class. However,
! don't think | advocate raise in
salary"
Yes. I'd like TO see an efficient COM
mission" he went on, answering ques-
ton "But ! know we won't have one,
because II would require hAed tenure
| with no politics affecting it
Then you don't think the present
commission is Efficient"
Mr.. Cram showed a little irritation
81 won't give opinions. shall testify
only to facts and YOU can't compel me
to do otherwise You have not proved
/ that | am a Judge OF efficiency"
| MIR. Hayward laughed. Mr.. Cram
| blinked with the air OF a man who has
| scored Then he gave his opinion as
( to the enlargement OF the commisslon's
jurisdiction. IL the law was changed he
/ thought Nassau and SUFFOLK counties
should be included in the first district
! as to transit lines and water compa-
/ MES. AS to telephone rates he SAID
! there was a persistent denial OF JUS
| tice" by the companies and that one
commission should have supervision.
'If telephones were put into the fret
district could the Commissioners get a
! five cent rateg' asked Senator Lawson.
'If they didn't I'd remove en- was
the emphatic reply.
Mr. Cram was not so happy in his
replies to questions intended TO show
/ his knowledge of Just what the commits
sion's jurisdiction Is.
Don't any OF the Commissioners
know" demanded Mr.. Hayward, that
all street railways coming into this dis
/ trict from outside are under your Juris-
dictlon?" Mr.. Cram, after hesitating
said he did.
And you can't make rules over rail-
roads outside the district
NO"
well. here's what the law says" and
! Mr. Hayward read a clause saying that
the commissions control extends outside
the district on lines lying partly
within it,
How much time do you give to your
work each day"
Mr.. Cram said he stayed in the Office
/ until his work was finished. lie eN-
planned that in May last year his knee
and nose were broken In a fall. which
! injuries interfered somewhat, but that
he returned to work almost Immediately
although he might well have stayed
away six months. Before that period
lie sometimes worked until Z, NJ
But not often" he said. II assure
you / never worked II didn't have to
lie told Mr.. Hayward he always at
tended stated meetings of the commits
sion, which last only few minutes
usually. lie called them "a joke"
scorn for secret Sessions.
Mr.. Cram expressed scorn for the
meetings of the committee OF the whole
which does the commissions work II
secret
They're a farce star chamber
yes, dress rehearsal" he said. u
never attend them"
How may the business methods o
The office he reorganized?'
II haven't the faintest idea II ! hat
- do it all over again ! shouldn't change
my habits. have no regrets
ouldn't do more than l have the eapao
.ty for
Mr.. Hayward was assured that Mr.
CRAM had attended to every complain
rccevcd by him, and had also sent GU
orders
To-day, he said win CONVICTION
mot an order is being violated, eXcep
possibly in Brooklyn. Last fall the In
tarhorough put or more cars, giving thu
public 30 Ou0 more seats every hour"
Mr. Hayward wanted TO know why
Mr. Cram voted recently to order {
mandamus sui, against the Inter
borough IL he knew 1t was violating NJ
order.
{ Il simply responded 10 popula
Ihysteria--beins human, | yielded, Goo
railroad sevrice means that q compan!
is doing all IL can. Violations for al
hour or two are inevitabl Ny duty il
| TO get safe and adequate service, ant
that's what / have been trying TO DO