New-York tribune., 1920-10-12
Smith Pledges
Are All Bunk,
Says Whitney
Ex-President of p. S. C.. As
serts Tammany Uses New
Commissioners Plan Only
to Distribute Patronage
Assails Economy Promise
Expenses Increased, Work
Decreased; $40, 900, 900
Added to Subway Cost

Travis Fl. Whitney, former president
Of the Public Service Commission,
speaking yesterday at the Cafe Boule
ward to the speakers bureau of the
Rpublican State Committee, sharply as
sailed Governor Smith for unfulflled
pledges, charging that the Public Serv-
| ice Commission spends more and does
less than before Governor Smiths cleo
ton
"The Legislature generously allowed
the Governor to experiment with the
Public Service Commission" said Mr.
Whitney. at passed the Governors
own bill for the reorganization of the
commission. separating rapid transit
and regulation, each under single
commissioner
Governor Smith was given full op-
portunity to prove, according to his
own assertions, that reorganization
would increase efficiency, produce
economy, reduce personnel and abolish
bureaus and positions and that politi-
cal patronage would be reduced. He
proclaimed before the Legislature
passed his bill that he would appoint
William Barclay Parsons or some
other eminent engineer as Rapid
Transit Commissioner and that he was
not interested in patronage.
"Overconfdence by the Legislature
in the promises and good faith of
Iammany Governor proves that his
assertions and promises to the voters
and to the Legislature were bunk. to
use Governor Smiths own language.
What are the facts?
Expenses Go Up, Not Down
Economy is one of the benefits
claimed for Smiths reorganization.
One of the first acts, whom one Public
Service Commissioner was substituted
for five, was the purchase Of three new
automobiles for $4,000 and Commits
sioner Delaney, not to be outdone, ac-
CURED an expensive limousine for him
self. Expenses went up and not down.
The Public Service Commission with
one commissioner instead Of five now
costs $4,000 a year more.
"The Rapid Transit appropriations
for the first quarter of 1919 under the
former commission were at the rate
CT about $1,G00,OO0 The appropra-
tions for 1920 with Rapid Transit as
separate department, are S2,2O0,0O0.
The former commission said that its
rapid transit expenses would decrease
tions were $3,700 900; n 1917, $3,O41,-
900; in 1918, s2,272, 900. and first quar-
ter OF 1919 at the rate Of $1,600,000.
In the second quarter of 1919 came the
Smith-Tammany Rapid Transit Com
missioner and the appropriations going
up. The final total for 1919 was nearly
$2,000,000 and for 1920, $2,200,000.
"As to the promised reduction OF
bureaus and positions under Smith re-
organization principles,' three counsel
at 1000 per year now grow where
only one grew before, two secretaries
at $4,000 instead Of one, two auditors
instead of one, two chief clerks in
stead of one, and so on, with the num-
Der and total salaries of all exempt
places increased and not decreased.
Dual Subways Are Forgotten
"The prompt completion of the sub
ways has been forgotten. Some Of the
contracts remaining from the former
commission have been completed, but
to complete the dual system virtually
none has been contracted for. Yet
with the dual system still uncompleted
Commissioner Delaney published new
systems to cost $250,00O,0OO
1.-The paralysis to rapid transit con-
struction during the three years of
Governor Smith in the Board of Esti-
mate and as Governor will add more
than $20000, 900 to the cost of the dual
system in loss of interest on work part
ly done and paid for, contracts forfeit
to the voters and taxpayers of New
York City as the result Of Smith Tam
many reorganization experiments.
Service has decreased. Rates have
increased. Expenses have increased.
Work has decreased and, above all, al
though Governor Smith said he was
not interested in patronage, he turned
over both departments to Tammany
Hall, and that organization has used all
the patronage to bolster up its desper-
ate situation with various classes Of
voters"