New-York tribune., 1920-11-06
Smith Appoints
A. M. Barrett to
Succeed Nixon
Retiring Public Service Com
missioner in Letter Says
Fivc-Ccnt Subs Fare
Entails Ta3ation Burden
Downtown Buses Futile
tavors Amortization 10 En-
able the City 10 Acquire
Surface Line Ownership
From q Special Correspondent

sror q SN~ct1| CORES po~drnt
ALBANY, Nov. 5.-Governcr Smith
to-day announced Nhc appointment Of
Alfred NJ. Barrett, Of Flushing, to sue
ceed Lewis Nixon as Public Service
Commissioners Of the LIST District The
Governor made public latter from
Mr.. Nixon expressing his views on
traction conditions in New York CITY
and suggesting remedies.
Mr.. Nixon behaves that # would he
advisable 60 advance the interest on
city subway bonds to a position ahead
Of the prcferentials and to secure an
assured interest that would take this
vast sum out Of the debt limit" In
this connection he says:
"Whilc the people have becn made
20 think they pay five cents. an excess
fare well above FIVE cents Is levied on
our taxpayers for all who travel.
whether ia a>paycrs or not. and this will
continue for over forty wears and add
over half billion 90 dollars to the
burden of taxation laid upon the
noople"
In respect TO the surface roads Corn
missioner Nixon declares he sttenpt II
% devise 2 means o. amortization h.
which the CITY. if i wished. could
embark upon municipal ownership a.
any time. He declare7 municipal own
Nrship seems The only way to eliminate
strikes or violence IN wage disputes
HI has little fath in Mayor Hylan's
proposal fcr municipal bus lines Mn
Nixon declares .ousses may aid IN tho
establishing of fixed transit lines IN
outlying areas. but that their use IN
New York City viii not led to bet
'erment Of transit conditions.
Denies Tammans ization
Emphatic denial Of charges that he
permitted MS department TO becono .
"TammanNized IS made by Mr.. Nixon.
He says il his letter:
I'm rendering ny res gna'ion a Pub
lic Service Commissioner for no flrst
District. after eighteen months o. ser.
ice. be- - express % Won M ap-
nreciation of the confidence -,ich led
vau 20 appoint nle and the support you
nave given nlc.
eliminate knowledge Of conditions
that We're met leaves no doubt s 70
thc wisdom of the reorganization which
You recommended to the Leg stature
into effect
Regarding the taxation burden, the
letter says:
This burden may never ee lifted.
as, once improving conditions come.
as they VIII in few years. the corpo-
rations VIII refuse 20 modify the con
tracts.
In so far as surface roads are CON
cerned. ! attempted % dcvise means
Nf amortization by which the city if il
wished could embark upon municipal
ownership at any inc.
Municipal ownership seems tho onlv '
way to avoid resor. . st-iAa TT vio-
lence IN wace disputes. bu. thera are
the difference IN point 81 veW q cfi e
holders when entering and when l.av-
ing Office. that our people nsy be slow
to adopt such policy
AT any rate We may rest content
that the contracts VIII the city ad-
mlnistration has refused to modify
will, for over forty years more, CON
tlnue the management Of our rapid
transit lines, which management gives
ia our people service superior to
that of any other city in the world.
Little Faith in Busses
"As regards busses, their use in New
York City will not lead to better
ment Of transit conditions. In shaping
the character and establishing fixed
transit lives in outlying areas they
have place. II We could build nen
and NJ to-dato electric s.rec- railway
cars with the best Of tracks. permit
ting a speeding w Of service. We
should be much better CT than With
busses.
We cannot do th. without cost
Of service fare. go deterioration must
g on to the point where even a bus
VIII give better service.
= Ny views az t. what should be done
ere fouad in my last report TO the
Legis laturc. T he means there eXpresse I'd
are the proper ones and VIII be found
to be so in time, even though not
adopted, for mistaken policies pursued
in error often prove the merits of good
ones"
In accepting Mr Nixon's restoration,
the Governor expressed regret that the
Commissioner could 10 longer continue
in office. He thanked him for his
hard. earnest and intelligent efforts, y
s'SSs9s, S&sv f. the .noA. Of political
battle has blown away. citizens of all
parties, am sure, believe that YOU
brought The Public Service Commission
to the highest poss BILE standard Of at
ficlency. | have complete confidence
in~thS men that vou appointed. They
have rendered valuable service to the
state"