Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-01

millions are required to complete the entire
tecfed against any scheme 10 make it pSnIi-
able for other purposes later, and the COM
plete transit program should promptly be
ratified
TNHE Mayor and his advisers are consider.
i ing the items to be incorporated in the
May loan They have already succeeded in
arriving at definite conclusion as to the
borrowing capacity of the city BY far the
greater part of that capacity, SO millions out
of S5 millions. is available only for transit
and port improvement, under the Consttu-
ton.
Improvements already authorized, but for
which no loans have been provided amount
to 30 millions, which Is not included i'm the
borrowing capacity of S5 millions, for the
reason that, under recent decision of the
courts, the said 30 millions must be consid.
cred outstanding obligations. Since these
30 millions are already charged against the
city, it is obvious that it will be wise to pro.
vide the actual funds as rapidly as money
can economically be used on the projects Any
other course would be mere waste of time.
These projects to which the city is already
dedicated include the Parkway, the Free
Library, removal of grade crossings, sewage
disposal park extension. street openings and
condemnation of land for squares and play.
belt line along the two rivers to meet the de-
mands of commerce in the development Of
the port Every of them is urgent and
should be pressed to completion at the earliest
possible moment.
There remains the borrowing capacity of
60 millions for transit and port Improvement.
With this capacity the city was endowed at
the election in November, by vote of the peo.
pie of the whole State, at the request of Phil.
adelphia. Is the grant of power to be used
or not?
The sum of so millions additional is re.
qured to put the entire Taylor program into
effect. To provide the money for that very
purpose was the chief object of the constitu-
tional amendment. Yet year ago there was
movement on foot to amend the amend.
ment making the money borrowed available
for any purpose, thus deprlving the transit
program of the strategic advantage which it
holds and removing the preferential in it's
favor. There is no reason to suppose that
the opponents Of transit have ever abandoned
their scheme. There are whisperings of a
plan whereby the 60 millions will be opened
for general use.
The work under City Hall has been tenn
porarily abandoned Director Twinng re-
ports that some structural changes are neces-
sary. That is quite likely. Mr.. Taylor antici-
pated such a contingency and would doubt
less have been guided by the actual expert
ence in construction But there are also
rumors to the effect that some change of
route Is contemplated that will enable the
city to make a far more advantageous con-
tract with the P. r. T. than the tentative
agreement entered into between Mr.. Taylor,
representing the city and the company.
We have no disposition to be querulous II
a Pt fav m fIa ~ ha
got, this newspaper will support it loyalty
and energetically But any proposal to vacate
the understanding already arrived at would
naturally be viewed with suspicion, and the
burden of proof as to it's excellence would
rest on the proposers
1t is imperative that the city dedicate itself
to the whole rapid transit scheme, and thus
tie to 1t the funds already within reach for
this specific purpose Otherwise there is the
constant danger of some changes in the situa-
ton which would expose this sacred treasury
to other uses and postpone to the distant
future the relief which Phlladelphians have
fought for and to which they are entitled
1t is proper to point out to the Mayor that
there is no subject in which the masses are
more vitality interested than transit, and no
project on which they have SO earnestly
rested their hopes. The opportunity for serv-
ice to Philadelphia in providing the public
with a comprehensive and thoroughly ade-
quate system Of transit is a great one. To
push the undertaking to a successful con-
clusion will rebound more to the honor and
lasting praise of the Administration than any
other single thing it could do. We believe
that the Mayor realizes this.
There has been great deal of talk about
cooperation in the upbuilding of Phiadel.
phia. There is a real get.together spirit In
the air. Captious criticism has been conspic-
uously absent in the last few months. There
has been little questioning of motives. The
press and private citizens have been prone to
pull together instead Of TO pull down. We are
exceedingly hopeful, in view of these condi-
tions that the Mayor will take a stand
transit which will win the cordial support of
all worthwhile elements But 1t is just
well to recognize that the city has suffered
so much from infamous franchises for the
use of its streets that people are wary of any
new leases. They want to be shown and they
must be shown. They satisfied with the
kind of transit Mr., Taylor proposed to give
them and any substitute would have to stand
the acid test.