Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-23
Business Men AssdiL
Smith Transit GRAB
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one phase of the lease against which ther
| might be Legitimate objection"--that rela
| tive to the board Of three to handle transi
matters. He said that was Director Twin
ing's idea.
FRANKLY I will say that II was not m!
idea. but the idea of Director Twining,
the Mayor said. IL might say that II i
his pet baby He has said repeated!
that IL has been successful in operation
elsewhere and he has been enthusiastic
about It.
Relying on his reputation as an engineer
and transit expert, II has been inserted ir
the lease"
STATEMENT BY TAYLOR
In the statement issued by Mr.. Taylor
he said:
hope we shall soon have Mayor
SMITHS reply to eTPSsf Ss Gt ease ,ne Woud
constitute a breach of faith withs the
people of Philadelphia.
When the people Of Philadelphia voted
$50, 900 900 for the building of subway
and elevated railway lines on specific
routes and between specific termin, as
clearly specified in the loan bill, they is
sued their edlct to their municipal serv-
ants, who will either comply with 1t or
betray the voters.
The administration cannot dodge its
responsibility oy creating board of
three members with power to curtail and
retard the city's transit DEVELOPMENT and
to recommend increases In carfares.
The voters of Philadelphia, in authoriz-
ing the transit development. voted against
the illegally discriminating eight-cent
exchange tickets, and they voted for the
city to assume the deficits which they
clearly understood would result from the
during the early years. They voted that
these charges should not be saddled on
The street railway rI,s passengers as is now
Prior to the election the city's policy
with respect 10 these matters was devei-
oped at numerous mass-meetihgs held
throughout the city. At those meetings
full and free discussion of these uues-
tions took place. and the people then and
there determined that they would support
the so-callcd Taylor plan of transit de-
Velopment with free transfers, with the
fun knowledge that the city would thus
be required TO meet the deficits In the
early years or operation out OF fits cur
rent revenue,
The people recognized that the city's
current revenue will then be largely aug
mented by the vast increase in tax re-
turns resultant from enormous increase
i'm taxable values In the districts which
Wil be @ served slN by the eitys hsh.speed
by the state to the city in aid OF transit
development,
edict of the people was issued at the polls
by an overwhelming majority
It is now beyond the power of Mayor
Smith or City Councils to ignore or evade
that edct without betraying public
trust
Every organization Of every character
in Philadelphia should at once meet and
pass and publish resolutions and prepare
TO enter the fight to n finish. which will
he opened at the hearing in Councils
cha mber in the City Hall on September I.
That meeting will be memorable in Phil
adeIphia's history II Mayor Smith persists
in forcing this fight upon US.
Joseph p. Gaffney, chairman OF Councils
Finance Committee and the man who will
preside at the public hearings. is authority
or the statement that mot a single one of
he leaders Is really in favor of the lease"
Nj of them. he said, have open minds that
will not be Influenced until the hearings are
concluded"
II will preside at all OF the hearings that |
will be held on the lease continued Chair |
nan Gaffney. "I will preside with an abso- |
utely open mind and will not express any |
pnion regarding this lease and the Taylor |
ease until after the hearings are concluded.
n assuming this attitude I think / am
ding what the public expects of me. /
"As a matter of fact not single one
f the political leaders that I have talked
With have expressed any opinion. They all