Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-03


higher taxes. Had the city built Its own
traction lines In the beginning n handsome
revenue and debt would have resulted
l. The Taylor plan means the retention by
the people of part of the value OF
their franchises. 1t will add not n cent OF
II permanent debt to the city, and will eVentu-
II ally put money annually into the treasury.
The Twining plan, the contrary would
II fasten a debt the city for the benefit
nIRECToR WEBSTER has announced the
- leasing of municipal pier number 16 to
she Pennsylvania Railroad at yearly rental
" $4,000.
The city does not own inch of wharf or
nsllkhead that is not producing revenue
Director Webster is. in fact, refusing long
yerm leases, on the ground that even better
tsrms for the city virtually certain. Yet
nlready the annual gross rental paid the city
~ s1s1,s22, and the advantages accruing to
,khe city from the municipal pier facilities
ssised for the handling of business is meal
Salable.
AS each port improvement yields a revenue
kud becomes self-supporting, the cost is de-
sfncted from the city debt and is no longer
charged against borrowing capacity.
The point is this: We have in the municipal
nser system an example of the sort of public
utility which supports itself, for the construc-
ton of which the city's credit is merely bor-
ruved utility which is obtained without any
burden whatever upon the taxpayers.
New Orleans, for instance, has one of the
best pier systems in the nation, built under
! 7ne direction of a Port Commission. The sys-
4 Gem has not cost New Orleans one dollar, we
$ are informed. It has been selfsustaining from
i me beginning.
The municipal gas works here, badly man
Ased though they were preceding the lease to
! the u G. l., did not, in fact, cost the tax
0ayers of Philadelphia one nickel and today
she city. in addition to some free lighting. is
recetving one-ffth all the money paid for gas
BY citizens
There is revenue of almost two millions
annually which comes to the city treasury
merely because the city in the distant past
lent its credit to secure a municipal gas
supply.
gTlHE construction of the Taylor system of
~ i rapid transit does not. the obstruction
~ lists argue, contemplate the imposition on tax
payers of vast debt.
The Taylor plan, the contrary proposes,
by the use of the city's credit. to return to
the people themselves part Of the enormous
value of traction franchises. Heretofore such
franchises have been grabbed by private cap
ttaI ard have been utilized for the enrichment
= lDf jndviduals.
A list of 100000 names is marketable
bmmodity, Bring 100000 people together,
~ 3 II on a prairie site, and instantly new
alues are created. Land mounts in cost
The grant of the right to furnish these 100000
- people with light becomes franchise of great
worth The privilege of furnishing them with
their daily transportation becomes most
valuable franchise.
The accumulation of franchises under
which the p r. T. operates in this city repre-
sents right to serve, say, population of
half the present population of the city. The
:. growth in the number of inhabitants has, in
effect, created new franchises for the exist
ing system is overtaxed and the right to serve
the surplus becomes new right. valuable
now and Of extreme potential value.
The Taylor system proposes that instead
= turning these new franchises over to a
private corporation to make what it can out
Il them. the city shall lend its credit for
construction purposes. lease the system, as
It does its piers, under reasonable conditions
and receive itself some part Of the profits
resulting, both in cash and in the form OF
superior service to the public.
sHE Taylor plan is based on a most care
ful census OF riders. The amount Of travel
sry section of the city was determined, at
1 hours Of the day, and the minimum
70 for each Of the proposed lines was
and eonservatively determined.
that wculd pay from the begin
oked to the lines that win not
.aiyidend producers, in order that