New-York tribune., 1919-12-01
Higher Fare Plea
A Ballot Box Issue.
Says Mayor Hylan
Declares He Hasn't Right To
''Bc Ccncrous'' and Quest
Is Purely One for City's
Voters to Decide Upon

Another statement on the traction
situation was issued yesterday by May
or Hylan. The Mayor said it was hard
to argue against the plcadings OF men
and women when they say that "cvcry-
thing else has gone up. why not let the
They have to pay more for materials
and labor" But the Mayor declares
that he has not the moral right to be
"gencrods" and break the five-cent fare
contracts "unless and until the whole
people Of New York shall instruct me
as their agent to do So"
The Mayors Statement
The Mayor also denied that he is
conniving to have the city con!iscatc
the traction properties. His statement
follows:
"My attention has been called to the
recent public statement of Receiver
Garrison concerning tho unsettled con-
dition of the local traction situation
and can quite we'll understand his
state OF mind as a receiver and a trus-
tee.
"As Mayor Of New York /, too. am
tNJIc!npIN ANXIOUS lOI Sellltlucnl OF
The increased fare question, which must
be considered in all of its aspects be
fore any intelligent understanding of
it can possibly be reached.
"In September. 1918, the INTERIOR
ough officers and J. p Morgan & Co.
offered for sale to the public S33 COO
600 of short term notes of the Inter
borough and published glowing and
fattering statement Of the INTERIOR
ough's assets and earning capacity.
On the faith of this statement in writ
ing the public bought these short
term notes Shortly after selling the
notes the lnterborouGh began TO ag-
tate for an Scent fare, complaining
that it could not earn enough on s.
cent fare.
"The people reached the conclusion
that both statements could not be true,
that either the statement in writing
upon the faith of which j. p Morgan &
Co. and the Interborough sold the
S33 ,0O0,0 900 Of short term notes was
true, or the contention Of the Inter
borough that it was growing poor on
a five-cent fare was untrue.
"W henevcr ! read some of the
'highcr fare propaganda in the news
papers I can realize that many of my
fellow citizens have formed wrong
impression about me and arc not
familiar with all the facts. The mistake
* not at all uncommon these days OF
assuming that | have set myself up as
an unrcasoning, unreasonable official
despot, who is trying to destroy the
traction service Of the city. or, what
would be more indcfcnsiblo, that am
cOnnlVlng to have the city contiScatc
the traction properties and ruin the
holders of traction securities in a cold
blooded attempt TO play municipal
ownership politics.
Declares His Duty Is Plain
"Yct. if those who feel that way win
stop for a moment and fairly review
the situation they must como to un-
derstand what my duty as Mayor is as
plain as my personal position is dif-
ticult.
"The Mayor of New York is the
trustee for the rights of its 6,00O,000
tract with the traction interests. The
traction interests made this contract
gladly as a desirable business transac-
ton, whereby IN exchange for certain
exclusive privileges the people of New
y ork were to be carried for a five
cent fare. When these contracts were
signed they looked so good to the
1inanciers that they would not sell them
except for millions Of profit Some OF
them cashed in, some of them held for
more, some of them builded great
speculative pyramids on these con-
tracts that made them the exclusive
owners OF the traction service OF New
ork. Then the people Of New York
could not have gotten release from
these 1lVe-cent fare contracts Mt any
price.
Then came the war and other things
not calculated, OF mlscalculated to some
extent. reducing the profit on the 3
cent fare contract Then followed the
plea to the Board Of Estimate, the
trustee for the public, 'be generous
to the traction companies, thcy are
losing money.
No Right "ro Be Generous'
Speaking for myself, do not feel
that have the moral right TO be gen
erous' and break the scent fare con-
tracts unless and until the whole peo-
pie of New York shall instruct me as
their agent to do So feel that if
agreed to a higher fare without their
definite mandate would be q faith
less steward. untrue to my conscience
and false TO my only master. the peo-
pie OF the city of New \ ork There
are 900 GOO men and women voters
IN New York who alone have the right
to order that the scent fare contracts
shall be broken.
THE demands of paid agents and ac-
cclcrators or even of few thousands
Of unseltish advocates of higher fares
make no convincing sound in my ears.
at is difficult 20 withstand the
clamor and to resist the pleadings Of
men and women when they say, 'everv-
thing else has gone up, why not let
the traction companies charge lit
tie more? They have TO pay more ior
materials and labor. Ii is difficult
to argue against that, but am the
servant Of all the people and | must
take my commands from them alone.
repeat, the million men and women
voters Of New York, on a majority OF
them. alone have the right to order
their trustees TO break the 5-cent fare
contracts
"What suggestions or recommends
Nons have been made by Receivers
Garrison or Hedges IN the interest OF
the people of the City of New York
have failed to hear any expression
on their part leading 10 any policy
of retrenchment in the interes, OF the
public.