The sun., 1919-08-31
VIGILANTES' URGED
TO FIGHT 5 ct. FARE
Hylan Issues Appeal to Citi-
Gems to Form Com
mittee,
CORES TRACTION RING"
invites Other Mayors to Help
Combat Plot by Quizzing
Assembly Aspirants.

suspecting a plot to control the next
legislature to the end that street rail-
ray fares may be increased, Mayor
iylan Issued yesterday an appeal to tho
public to join vigilance committee to
tustrate the wicked schemes of the
raction magnates.
Further. the Mayor wrote to Mayor
n. r. Stone of Syracuse, head of the
few York State Conference OF Mayors,
aging he would like to have the CO.
peration OF similar bands of vigilantes
rom other first and second class cities.
The plan of the Mayor is to canvass
md pledge all candidates for the Assem-
lly against voting for any bill that
Tould be likely to help the traction COM
lanies TO increase their fares
Lewis Nixon OF the Public Service
Commission yesterday refused to COM
hent on the threats of the Mayor to
lave him punished under the penal law
or an alleged violation of law in grant,
hg an increased fare to the New York
md North Shore Traction Company
through the zone system.
Denies Its Sets Precedent.
He contented himself with the brief
tatement that his letter to Mayor Hylan
iaid all he had to say, that the increase
vas working out to the satisfaction Of
I'll concerned and that the system af-
ected was entirely unrelated to the
treat traction systems in the remainder
", the city and therefore could not be
considered as establishing any precedent.
me MAYORS statement. which Is ad-
dressed ITO the Public" follows:
Recent events in the traction situa-
don in New York city show conclusiyely
hat the traction ring is going to try to
pet the next session of the State Legts-
allure to grant increased street car fares.
Inc ofncials have openly announced
Iheir Intention to make this fight.
1t has been shown In the late Sena-
lorial investigation of lobby charges in
connection with the Carson Martin in
creased fare bill that the traction men
IRE willing to use both foul and unfair
means to coerce the Legislature into
granting higher street car fares.
Organization of the traction trust
propaganda is complete and entails use
h money for highly paid counsel
together with the manufacture Of pro-
traction trust propaganda by an estab-
fshed bureau operated by an expensive
personnel.
To offset this plot to foist s cent
fares on the people hereby solicit the
ala or committee of 1000 to be known
rs the New York city citizens vigilance
committee to fight the cent fare.
This committee will function under
duly appointed chairman and advisory
board and will have for its Immediate
object canvass Of New York city can
hidates for the State Assembly to ascer-
tain their position prior to election in
regard to increased fare legislation and
10 pledge them to vote against such
legislation at the next session of the
State Legislature.
Il have already written Mayor w. r.
Stone OF Syracuse, president of the New
YORK s.ctc Conference &c Mayors, 90.
lining what has been done and Offering
TO cooperate with similar committees
organized in cities of the first and second
class
Citizens wishing to serve on the
New York city vigilance committee may
communicate with John f. Sinnott, Sec
rotary, City Hall"
Call "Plot" Statewide.
Referring in his letter to Mayor Stone
to what he called the Statewide plot, -
Mayor Hylan repeated what he had said
In his proclamation to citizens here. The
men behind the traction propaganda, he
declared, were the same men who
financed the disgraceful attempt last
year to force through the Legislature
the notorious Martin-Carson bill" Since
the activities Of these gentlemen had
been exposed through a Senatorial in
vegtigation" the traction propagandists
had expressed determination to influence
tho Legislature in favor of increased
fare laws.
so powerful are the interests behind
this Statewide increased fare organiza-
tion," the Mayor wrote, "and so potent
have been their influences in the past
that unless speedy steps are taken by
city officials I am convinced that an i'm
position on the public will be perpe-
trated by legislative act.
The matter is of so grave impor-
lance that I hasten to bring 1t to you
attention with a view to whatever CO.
operation the New York State Confer
ence of Mayors may deem proper to ex-
tend In this extremity. New York city
will go 1t alone or will work with othel
cities IL they desire our cooperation"
In spite of the threats OF the Mayor
to have them punished for putting tbs
zone system into effect the officials o.
the North Shore line continued yester'
day to collect the increased fares undel
the order OF Commissioner Nixon.
President Stanley of the company ha'
Increased the wages of his men 7 cent.
an hour, and on September 5. when ht
knows how much additional revenue will
be brought in by the zone system, will
consider a further increase.