New-York tribune., 1917-11-27
No Final Cleanup

II is evident from the tenor OF Public
Service Commissioner Whitney's remarks
before the Queens Borough Chamber of
Commerce that he believes the owners OF
street surface railroads here are entirely
willing to unload them on the city. This
is not without corroboration from head
quarters. Mr. Shonts, 1t will be recalled,
when exchanging compliments with Mayor
Mitchell over the recent attempt to exact
an extra charge for transfers, gave cur
rency to the same general idea. Viewed in
I this light, the emphasis laid on municipal
ownership by Tammany's platform would
be thoroughly understandable. 1t would
indicate merely a desire to continue the
old friendly relations between the transit
crowd and Fourteenth Street into new
political generation.
The street railroads are not the good
thing they once were. In recent years the
lines in Manhattan have been through
| bankruptcy proceedings. With the Public
Service Commissions jurisdiction over Is
sues of securities there is no chance for
the stock watering which once was so
attractive and so much matter of custom.
Wages and costs have gone up; traffic has
been diverted 10 rapid transit lines better
| fitted for long hauls. The surface lines,
in competition with the municipality owned
rapid transit lines, are more and more
falling into the position of feeder systems,
which is not a happy condition for the
public, or hopeful condition for the hold
ers of large blocks of stock in those enter
prises.
So far as the public is concerned, con-
soidation of the rapid transit lines and the
suface roads, with the latter filling their
natural and legitimate function of feeder
systems, is the logical thing. That would
permit the development Of comprehensive
transit system, which is not possible under
the existing competitive operation of the
various lines. What is to be avoided in
any approach to such consolidation is the
saving off of these surface lines on the
public at prices which would victimize the
taxpayers for the benefit of the insiders in
the traction companies. If there is to be
further municipalization Of the transit
systems of the city it should take place
with due regard for the interests of the
public, not the interests of any special
group of security holders. Mr.. Whitney
suspects that the valuations of the surface
lines now being prepared for submission
to the Public Service Commission in the
transfer charge case would be made to
serve as well as basis of sale value in
any proposal for municipalization of those
lines. 1t goes without saying that these
valuations should be vigorously scrutinized
by the commission, not only for the effect
on the existing proceeding, but for the
effect on any future one.
Sooner or later it seems. likely that the
city will have to take over these surface
lines, not only as a matter of obtaining
proper service on them, but in order to
make them component parts in a rounded
and adequate transit system. 1t may we'll
be that war conditions will make that time
sooner rather than later. But this city
has had enough of traction profiteering,
/ from the time of the Tweed ring and its
| franchise scandals down. II and when the
city finds it desirable to invest further in
local railroads, it should buy only what it
wants and needs, and it should buy only
at fair and reasonable price. Municipal
ownership should not be permitted to make
possible final cleanup for the insiders.