New-York tribune., 1921-02-20

holding company, for the Legislature
has not authorized the City of New
York TO exercise the power of eminent
domain in such case and acquire the
property by condemnation proceedings
IN which the price to be paid shall be
fixed by the courts.
the pending legislation contemplates
the subsection of the city's properties
to private operation for many years to
come; in fact, there is no indication
that the city would ever be permitted
to operate its own properties under TIE
plan proposed. 1t is an unthinkable
thing that the people of the City of
New York should always be under the
domination Of men whose primary con-
cern is the personal profits that can
be realized out of the discomfort of
New Workers.
I'm your message you say that: THE
public are now in q state of mind to
take nothing for granted
IF private operation is to be con-
tinued the New York public is justified
in assuming that the same kind Of
treatment that has been accorded to
them in the past by the private oper-
ating companies will be meted out to
them in the future. There seems to be
no justification for the proposal to con-
tinue private operation, except the de-
sire of certain men who have hereto
fore had a stranglehold upon the people
of this city to tighten and extend their
grip upon the situation.
"lf the fares were now increased in
the manner involved in the pending
proposal the city would be deprived of
the benefit of the contracts. No mu-
nicipality could hereafter deal with a
public utility company in the expecta-
tion that the contract obligations of
the latter would be observed in good
faith.
Unfettered Ownership
at is evident that instead of pouring
huge sums into the Golfers of the pri-
vate operating companies and laying
the foundation for an orgy of specula-
tion in the stock market that private
interests in the transit facilities within
the city of New York should be extin-
guished."
The Comptroller declared that the
errors of the past can now be kept cor
rected "by unfettering municipal own
ership and operation of transit lines
within the City Of New York" Many of
the surface lines, he said, were now
left without patronage or justification
for existence, and the franchise hold
ing companies should be required "to
remove the cars and tracks from the
public streets as distractions to
traffic" Some of the surface lines
which have transportation value, as
feeders or cross-connecting links with
the rapid transit lines, should be &C
quired by the city through condemns
tlon proceedings.
The rapid transit act, which author.
nit ty 10 i
lines by purchase, should be extended
in the same manner, according to the
Comptroller, so as to apply the prin.
ciple of eminent domain and condem.
nation proceedings in acquiring what.
ever interests the lnterborough anc
Brooklyn Rapid Transit companies hav,
in the present subway contracts.
The office and powers Of Transit
Construction Commissioner, as success.
soy to the Public Service Commission
under the rapid transit act, should be
| transferred to department of the CITY
of New York, which may be called tn,
department of transportation" the
Comptroller further suggested.
ANY powers now vested in the Pub
lie Service Commission with respec
to the regulation or service of transi
companies within the City of New
York should be transferred to The
Board Of Estimate and Apportionment
The latter board Is now vested with
the franchise granting power, and nj
subways or other lines can be bull
except upon its authority and consent
Personnel of Board
1T may be that there are three mel
within the City of. New York who woult
| qualify for such commission as ha
been proposed to exercise the func
tions of the Board of Estimate and AID
portlonment in transit matters. If so
their names may be made known an;
they have as good an opportunity to b,
elected members of that board and ex
erclse all of the powers which the Leg
lslature may release to it as any othe
men in the city
I'm order that there should be n,
misunderstanding as to the desires o
the people of the City of New York il
matter that vitality affects every hou
OF their existence, and in view of tn,
procedure heretofore followed in ascer
tanning their desires concerning the con
| struction of municipality owned rapit
transit lines, the question of the cessa
ton OF private operation of transit ia
cilitles in the City OF New York shoul,
be submitted to the people of this cit
by referendum at the earliest possible
opportunity"
Comptroller Craig said that the bill
required for amendment to the presen
laws, so as to carry out his sugges
tons, had been prepared and would b.
submitted to the Legislature at once.