The sun., 1919-10-22
HEARST-HYLAN
i SPLIT SEEN IN
! TRANSIT PLANS
Hedges Believes Mayor Will
Abandon Ownership
Ideas Soon.
FARE PLEA GAINS FAVOR
City Has Offered No Solution
for B. r. 7. Difficulties,
T Says Garrison.

Hylan and William Randolph Hearst
with the ultimate abandonment by the
Mayor of his municipal ownership
IDEAS and a cessation of his opposition
10 increased fares for the traction
companies was forecast yesterday by
Job Z. Hedges, receiver of the New
York Railways Company. in the
course of a speech at luncheon of
the Chamber of Commerce of the Bor-
ough of Queens. Mr. Hedges did not
mention Mr.. Hearst by name, but the
reference to the journalistic politician
was so obvious as not to escape any
one of the $50 persons present.
incidentally Mr.. Hedges said he be-
leved when Mayor Hylan became con-
WINGED that his conclusions regarding
the local traction situation were not
based on facts he would admit that he
had been misinformed. Also Mr..
Hedges repeated his assertion recently
expressed at Atlantic City that as soon
as the time came when he would have
&c pay operating expenses of the sur
face lines out of capital. in other
words, when the fast dwindling re-
serves become completely exhausted,
he will recommend to United States
District Judge Mayer that the cars be
rum into the barns and kept there I'M
Ill an increase of revenue is provided
1t was day for plain speaking, and
besides Mr.. Hedges Lindley NJ. Garrison,
nG Il
some elementary facts regarding the
city's traction problem to the men from
Queens. Both speakers were well re-
ceived and enthusiastically applauded.
The basic idea expressed by both speak
ers was the necessity for acquainting
the public with the facts of the situation
and through the public the city officials,
who, both receivers said. have not as
yet taken the trouble to learn them.
Plan for Settlement.
"The whole question" said Mr..
Hedges. could be settled in few days
II organizations such as the Queens
Chamber of Commerce served notice
upon the city officials that present con-
ditions must cease.
THE man who states as a truth a
thing that is not fact is in mental
warfare with and betraying the commu-
nifty in which he lives The man who
does this either for applause or for pos
sible future personal preferment is COM
hitting mental larceny. predicated upon
property larceny. for rhetorical effect
upon Che common people .,
But the people aren't SO common as
eome people commonly think. Tho Mayor
has suggested that we turn the roads
over to the city. The Mayor has a right
to believe-if he does believe it-that
city ownership is the remedy for the sit
uation. But there is no one here who
believes that II the city owned the lines
the fare would remain at 8 cents.
The Mayor is relying too much on
another person. And that other person
Is not arguing economics but politics
under the guise of economics for its po-
lltical effect upon great part of the
population. But l think that that per-
son to-day is getting ready to sever his
intimacy with the Mayor. and when the
Mayor is convinced that he has reached
his conclusions without the facts 1 think
he will admit that he has been mis-
informed-that he went to the wrong
source for his information. When the
people are convinced they will pay an
increased fare with complacency and
,h&re will be an end of this journalistic
ATS pretty serious responsibility TO
destroy hundreds of millions of dollars
worth of property, and If 1 were the
Mayor I'd try to run the cars for a
period on an increased fare. II came
10 the conclusion that had guessed too
high in a rate of fare I'd lower II. and
II guessed too low Ia raise it. But I'd
try 1t out for a time"
Mr. Hedges referred to the frequently
repeated charge that there was a lot of
water in the stock of the traction COM
panies. That water. he said. has long
since been pumped odt. but 1t is still
used TO quench the thirst of persons who
are rhetorically dry. .-.
THE value is there" Mr.. Hedges went
on. And ] would like to see the people
who own the bonds of these companies
get their value for them. I don't want
20 see the city commit grand larceny by
playing on the intelligence of great
mass Of the people who don't know what
The facts are.
Refuses to BE Thief.