Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-02
SOME INSIDE FACTS ABOUT
TRANSIT

SOME INSIDE FACTS ABOUT
TRANSIT
IN THE mayoralty campaign of 1915
political agreement was entered into
30 the effect that, in the event OF the
election Of Thomas b. Smith, Director
Of City Transit acceptable to the =. r. r.
would be appointed. When the time
came to carry out the agreement there
was a division among the officers Of the
company. One body Of opinion favored
the retention OF Director Taylor on the
ground that his views were well known
and that he was advocating fair
and square operating agreement. The
other and dominant body Of opinion IA
vored Mr.. Twining, for reasons rejecting
in no way on his attanments, integrity
Or character.
We believed at the time that the COM
pany had tricked itself when It put its
~ n VII lWlHlIEt Nlbot btutl ~ Nbll-
potency was obviously far greater than
that OF any politician and whose profes.
sional abilities were pronounced and we'll
known We felt that the incorruptible
honesty OF the new Director would more
than compensate for any deficiency in
his vision.
The Mayor did not know Mr.. Twining,
but he summoned him to a conference at
the Adelpha Hotel. At that conference
Mr.. Twining pointed out that he was
neither a public speaker nor politician.
and he acqulesced in an agreement to the
effect that as Director he would concern
himself solely with engineering problems
and would leave to the Mayor himself all
matters Of financial or political nature
that might arise.
EvEN before Mr.. Twinings appoint
ment p. r. T. engineers had pre-
They hoped to put It through by intro
ducing a red herring in the form Of
hue and cry that City Hall would col.
lapse il subways were built under it. This
company plan reached the Mayor He
summoned Mr.. Twining who was SYM
pathetic toward 1t. He changed 1t in
some particulars before offering it to the
public. But the important point is this:
Il did not originate in the Department Of
City Transit. II was labeled Twinlng
plan, but II was a p. r. T. plan. At that
time the Mayor announced his irrevocabe
decision that no subways should go under
City Hall. Public opinion compelled a
change OF mind. He was driven to cover.
The May loan then came along 1t had
been the intention Of one faction to knife
It. but the necessary funds were not
forthcoming and there was little organ
ized opposition, except in Dave Lanes
back yard.
BY october nothing had been done.
Prices were rising and conditions becom-
ing more and more unfavorable, but no
bids for new work were published, The
patience OF the public was exhausted.
Accordingly the Mayor instructed Mr..
Twining to draw up lease and offer it
70 the company That was the Mayors
lease Of October, 1916 The administra-
ffnn has sinca admitted tbat 4, 49,. . s..,.-
and had no sincerity behind IL. 1t was
offered. we are now told, to fool and quiet
the people few weeks ago. however,
ths company was about to accept it.
wbereupon the administration rushed
peil-mell into a councilmanic committee
and had it killed
IF TO November OF last year, then, Il
is plain that every move -sssade by the
Mayor was a move favorable to the p
r. T.. dictated in two out OF three cases
by that company, There was nothinp
dishonest about IT, we believe, there beinp
more evidence OF stupidity. due to an
hlAci AoOh Va uhuei eiStahulhB OF the Sltua'
tion, lack Of understanding that still
exists.
LNoLLoWING the disastrous reception
accorded its previous moves and re-
alizins that II, could put nothing over OF
the public while Taylor was on guard. tn,
p r. I. then opened negotiations with
the former Director in the hope that I
lease could be formulated which would
meet with his approval Conferences
were begun. They ended quickly becaus'
apparently irreeoneilable differences O
n,Irea appeared NJ Taylor had beer
n@.s rbe-. = - iss ,,neslss alz,,