Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-11
LEWIS MAKES REPLY
TO TAYLOR CRITICISM
Mayors Legal Advisor Offers
Reasons for Acceptance of
New Transit Lease
HOLDS DISPUTE TRIVIAL
Main Point at Issue IL Time, Not
Terms, of Operation,
He Asserts

DR.. William Draper Lewis, the Mayor
legal advisor in transit matters. has is.
sued statement answering the state
ment Of 4. Merritt Taylor. former Di-
rector OF Transit. who urged that the
city should not accept the Smith -M1ten
lease owing to the war aud at the same
time suggested u temporary lease with
the =. u. r. Company for the operation
II the F'rankford "L" Mr. Lewis's
statement in fuil follows:
"f have read Mr. Tayior's statement
In this mornings papers.
"The fundamental differences between
Mr.. Taylor and the Administration re-
lates not so much to the terms of the
lease as TO the time when IL is 10 go
into effect and the manner in which its
provisions are TO be administered. The
points raised by Mr.. Taylor have
already been given careful consideration
and the reasons which have prompted
the Offering of this lease at the present
time, and In its present form, are as
follows:
"Firs'. The contract should be made
At present.
"Mr Taylor claims that this is e bad
time to negotiate u lease. because the
times are abnormal.
There is not the slightest reason
why the controversy should be dragged
along. The real question Is. ls the pro-
posed contract q good contract for the
peope?
ITO be a good contract II must be
eoou .onNac' ~ eonoi "s wen =
horHiai ''hieS' ~ Is 10 iast ior's years
FOR IMMEDIATE. ACTION
1.-THE very fact that the times are
ahnormai has enabled the Adm,n,e,r,.
tion to present lease on much better
,,osaa g., ,ho ra.,
no, Az Ta,.ro,. ,r,,,.o1 ,,at cv.
ohargo ,ir,o,. shon,o ,,n oho,iehci ,rd
tho, tha cornn,ry ,.,,, to ,rcniyc nm
con,nsr.,,to, tho,c,c o,,, M ,ho ri,v
. treasury
.sTo secu,a ,bc abolition or oycnlDrc
ticlcts r;,bo,,, c,,nncrc,.inr
"(b, Mr. Ta,.,or offerel ,ho comnar,.
mn o..urcL = nor con, c,,p,,ilati,c rntu,o
h.tcrc ,b, ,it,. rncci,cd ,rvthjrr NM
,r oad;,in, , 10 ,,o, c,.,t i,,,,.,sgt T., w.,
.,,.,,,,.
..,,. t.,,.o hoo. ,,t q, ,,,,,i,. ,
pol o., , ,,,, -. m -,
'",' w, :, ,,,'. -, ~ n,' i"
.,. ~ ,,i a., - ,, ~ w, =
'e V',! . ','. -, ,. - '''''
V" Az, nv in, a., "
'p "I, po. 'u'i '''.t w
.. op"s 's", ~ .,., ~ " Nv" ~" -"
without consent pltncr OF the CITY tOuQ-
ellis or the Public Service Commission.
While il is true that We have pro
Nidcd that the fare shall always b. suf-
iicicnt to meet 'hc requirements of tho
contract, the fixing Of those fares il left
Where II hclongs.---pith the Public Sorv-
GO Commission--aud the city will share
with tho company equally the benefits to
be derived from such increase
''Thc fact tlIat the scarcity of mater. al
seriously postpone the coynpletion of the
citv's lines makes i, ALI thc more i'm
peratiye that tho ,omnauy's system. ON
which the convenience Of the travelling
hubble entirely depends. should he OK
Tended and uroucriv enu,nnnb IN furnish
Tho bc.t noaaih,o service "a IA. D,,h,ir
"A,I az this ,.us ,o, n,ona,. rhi,
money the companv is upnblc 10 Obtain
a, long As the -c,ations hetween ,b,
romnsny and Tho ,,it,, ,ro unes,,ied
The Adminis.ratinp therefore faaIs {,
the uoramo,irf Ju,,. IN eottlo the r,:a
tions between the company and tbe ci,,
now. at the end of three aud oue-haI /,
years Of constant discussion and ac.ta
lion. if n fair contract can be obtained
in order that the company NAV be uu,
+ IN a position at the earliest mcment ,c
take upon Itself the burden Of provid
Ing better service.
,.
CoiNtiDhS WIN iNi'-oIi
Second. Mr.. Taylur's proposition It,
make a separate lease of the Frankfort
line
"Mr. Taylor now proposes that tn
city should make a temporary lease &
the 7. T. T. Company of the franlfor'
elevated line. When Director Of Transit
he always strenuously opposed any sep
arate lease or contract for the opera
ton of this line. 81.
"As the Franltford line is more likel'
to be profitable than any other line o
the city's system, he then properly tool
the position that we must not give ava.
the cream and keep on our hands tm
skim milk
This was true when Mr.. Taylor wa
Director Of Transit and ii fs true today
THE Frankford line. with its poss!bl
competitive operation. IL an importan
strategic advantage that the city has Il
any negotiations for the operation OF IL
high-speed lines by the Il. X. 7. Com
pany and should not be surrendered
'Tf the Frankford line is turned owe
to the I. H. Il. Company separated!
whether under temporary lease o
otherwise, the city's chances OF gettin
fair lease for the REMAINDER OF IL
system are virtually ruined
Third The boaSd'
MI. Ia!IoF eh'ifeiH nitsVoi"e "