Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-08

bill specifies the to which the transit
money Is to be put, for this Is o method
of preventing any additional attacks on the
integrity of the comprehensive program.
11HB "red herring" transit plan stands re
4 pudiated and none so poor as to do i
reverence Not in years has there beer
such run to cover as there was yes
terday. The puny weakling has been left
alone in the desert, unmothered and without
a friend It ought never to have been born
Some people have been learning a lesson in
national patriotism down in Washington
during the last week, and it is just possible
that here in Philadelphia also some obstruc.
tionists have discovered what it means to
trihe with the hopes of an earnest people.
The Mayors reputation of the red her
ring" plan is surprising; but perhaps it is suf-
ficient that he refuses to recognize the imp.
Last week he was not so sure. In fact, it
was stated last Saturday that smith has Di-
rector make public revised and APPROVED
routes" The new scheme was supposed to
be that of the Smith administration and only
Of Director Twining incidentally, it having
been understood, we believe that Mr. Twinins
was interested chiefly as an engineer to
carry out such WORK as Councils should au.
thorize. But now the city is told that the
plan is not the Administrations at all, No,
indeed! Who ever thought of such n thing!
The idea! Isn't the Mayor on record as
favoring the Taylor plan and were not the
routes specifically named in the loan and
other ordinances? How, then, could the Mayor
be for some other plan?
So far as we can see, it is nobodys baby
now but Mr. Twining's He is left holding the
bag. The buck has been passed to him. Talk
about Secretary Garrison and the Presidents
reputation of formerly approved plans Why,
they have placed Mr.. Twining in a mon
strously more false position. They won't
even give him shawl to wrap the brat in
not even kind word. No, they are all out
of it and ready to throw their hats into the
air and yell their heads off for the Taylor
plan.
That perhaps is good. 1t is a fine thing
that leaders have enough sense to know when
they have jumped into the wrong pool. After
ALL what the city wants is rapid transit, and
it welcomes all converts to the cause, no mat
ter how inmcal they may formerly have
been. But it is time they understood one
thing: There must be no more monkeying
with the plans. The people are not looking
for lukewarm support of the great under
taking. They want it directed by men in full
sympathy with the whole enterprise who
will guide it with their eyes single to the peo.
pies benefit.
The Wares seem to be in some doubt They
are pursuing a course of watchful waiting.
We surmse, nevertheless, since they are de-
voted to the interests of South Philadelphia,
that they think South Philadelphia ought to
have rapid transit. We should not be sur
prised to see them boldly say so when they
have had a chance to make up their minds.
There were rumors that they had approved
of the plan to have the subway stop at Spruce
street, but no proof of this offered.
and it may be assumed that they did not
sanction such blow to the interests of their
own bailiwicl Indeed we confidently expect
to see both of the Wares among the enthusi-
aStlC supporters VI Lllt NliOIS i''S -Ol pl''h'
outside of South Philadelphia there is no
feeling except that South Philadelphia should
have this facility.
The Mayor can avoid further misunderstood
ings by seeing to it that the loan ordinance
provides specifically the routes of the Taylor
plans and names specifically the lines to be
built, as was done in the former loan ordinance,
1t is Just as we'll to be exact and careful. Nor
is there a disposition among the people to
leave matters to chance They want to know
that they are getting the real thing.
On the whole, it is probably just as we'll that
the opponents of rapid transit showed their
hand so soon. 1t did not take them long to
convince the people that their scheme meant
an end to real rapid transit for fifty years
and the dissipation of sacred transit funds
for other purposes. Now the eyes of the
community have been opened and we imagine
that before any other make-believe systems
are offered there will be a whole lot of think
ing. Meantime the manner in which public
spirited citizens from all sections have rushed
to the rescue of the threatened program is
positively inspiring It means that they know
what they want and intend to get it, and this
applies to some other things as much as it
docs to transit