Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-07

|
them and have Director Twining reply 10
them"
Mr.. Taylor: 81 stand on the statement
that have Just made
Mr.. Ganpey took some newspaper clip
pings and read one OF the charges made by
the former Director.
| Now, Mr.. Taylor. where do you find the
basis for this?" he asked.
The former Director, amid a scattering of
catcalls. again declined to enter into an
argument.
II demand an answer to my charges" he
replied firmly.
| There was a murmur Of applause when
MT carney insisted that he answer. Se-
| lect Councilman Seger, however. suggested
that there was no need to ask further
questions and Mr.. Taylor leaned back in
his chair.
II move that when we adjourn it will
be until September a." said Mr.. Seger,
| Theh motion was carried.
LEWIS PROMISES REPLY
Chairman Gsffney then turned to Doctor
| Lewis.
Il ask you" he said. ito answer Mr..
Taylor's charges through the newspapers
and not here"
| II will do so gladly" replied Doctor
Lewis. And 1 want to say that the worst
| traitor to democracy is the man who rushes
into print with wild assertions relating to
| such important subjects as this lease and
| who holds up its authors TO condemnatio ton.
Let him treat this lease fairly and submit
| his inquiries to us"
| II accept your proposal with pleasure
| said Mr.. Taylor. rising to his feet in an
| instant "It is a fair one"
| Before the tilt between Mr.. Taylor and
| Mr. Gaffney former Senator John O. Sheath
| suggested that an entirely new lease be
| drawn up because of the serious criticism
1 directed against the present proposal He
proposed that board of a few men be ap-
| pointed, consisting OF two business men, a
| corporation attorney and competent en-
gineers, designated to write new lease.
Mayor Smith arose at this point.
II had not intended making any remarks
| today" he said. But I am prompted to
| do so by the statement of Mr.. Sheath.
N"The responsibility for drawing up
| lease rests with me. l want to say that
| one Of the greatest difficulties that have
had was to find a lawyer without corpora
| tion influence to advise me-
II propose to stand sponsor for this
lease. 1t is a duty that belongs to me and
| will face It,"
ANSWERS TAYLOR ONLY IN FART
Mr.. Lewis, after presenting an elaborate
seventeen-page printed argument support
ing the proposed lease, answered in part
MIR. Taylor's charges. Taking the former
Directors assertion that fares must be
boosted to pay the cumpany's per cent
dividend. cumulative, as his cue, Doctor
Lewis pronounced this argument as 'ab-
solutely false" The remainder OF Mr.. Tay-
lor's charges and arguments, he said were
so confusing that it was difficult to answer
them, although Mr.. Taylor has made two
analyses of the proposed lease and uttered
specific charges that the lease would drain
money from the people of the city.
MIR. Lewis suggested that Mr. Taylor
a. h.
next meeting, questions that he himself or
Director Of Transit Twining would answer
verbally and later reply to in full writing.
He further offered. on behalf of the authors
of the lease, to have the wording amended
as to be perfectly clear to all.
LEwIs's PERoRATIoN
"Nine-tenths of the criticisms of the pro-
posed lease are based on the assumption
that under its terms the Public Service
Commission in. fixing the rates of fare,
will have to fix the rate high enough to pay
per cent dividend cumulative, to the
transit company. This is absolutely false.
The intent Of those who drafted the pro-
posed lease was:
First. To leave the determination Of
the rates of fare entirely to the Public
Service Commission, where it belongs,
without any requirement that they
should fix rates sufficient to pay any par
ticular rate of dividend or any dividend
at all.
Second. That when any question OF
readjustment of rates comes before the
commission the city will concede the
fairness of per cent dividend, but
be left free to oppose, IL it then so de-
sires, any rate Of fare which will give
the company's stockholders a dividend Of
more than per cent
1.-The question of vital importance to the
citizens of Philadelphia is whether lease
producing these results should or should
not be adopted. believe that the lease
is correctly worded to carry out the intent
of the authors. but I desire to assure the
former director, or any one else who has
been opposing the lease because he thinks
it guarantees a per cent dividend or any
other rate of dividend to the company. that
IL Investigation shows that the language
used should be changed to make the intent
clear we will be the first to urge Councils
to make the necessary changes.
"In regard to the former Directors other
criticisms, they are so confused so full or
repetition and SO interspersed with denun-
ciatory adjectives that in the majority of
instances it has been impossible to ascer-
tain the exact points to which reply should
be made. Generally where the point he Is
trying to make Is at all clear the criticism
Is based on a misstatement OF the results
of the provisions Of the proposed lease.
Reckless and confused public statements
alleging tnaC the lease provinces tninBs WHICH
II does not provide will never get us any
where. 1t is not fair to tho people that
a discussion Of a matter Of this Importance
should be carried on in this manner. In
order that we may clarity the points at
issue 1 suggest that the former director
be asked to submit at the next meeting
a series of inquiries, each one Of which
will ask definite question--does or does
not the proposed lease provide thus and
SO. Either Director Twining or i will
make a verbal reply and afterwards, in
order that the general public may be clearly
informed, make a written reply. BY this
process the former director will probably
discover that the authors of the lease had
no intent to produce the results In regard
to which he so violently complains.
SHOULD 1t appear that there is reason
able doubt concerning the exact meaning of
the provisions, as previously stated, the
authors themselves will be the first to sub
nit amendments.
"On the other hand, IL in regard to any
one or more of the inquiries We reply that
what the former Director regards as an
obnoxious result was intended, we shall
have at least arrived at a clear-cut issue,
which may be debated before this commit
taa nd In thA nuhlic rrAas