The New York herald., 1921-03-03


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when the city board had failed. the
Mayor urged the Legislature to turn
death avenue" over to the Public Ser
vice authorities.
Pastor Makes HIT.
The Rev. ]. A. Lockwood. pastor OF
a Methodist church in Brooklyn. made a
hit with the committee and the audi
ence.
There are poor people. many OF them
in my congregation" Mr.. Lockwood said
II know the poor of New York and
know they are not pikers Let Hylan
run for Mayor on five cent fare and
he will be beaten. for with the five cent
fare goes the issue of indecency.
"What is the use of our trying TO
teach the youth of New York, the boys
and the girls. morals and decency when
they must go out into the subway and
submit to the indecency which they can
not escape there?
Joe Levenson. Republican leader or
the First district in New York, got q
big laugh when he turned to Senator
Johnson and shouted:
You talk about the constitution; II
they tried to run buses out in California
as dirty as those operated in New
York streets. and with chauffeurs as in
solent. your whole State would rise up
and overturn both the constitution and
the buses
Gov Miller In his talk In the Execu-
tive Chamber challenged the opponents
TO his transit policy to bring out a bet
ter plan or cease trying to obstruct the
State In its endeavor to save municipal
traction from utter ruin.
Gen. Oliver B. Bridgman. chairman Of
the citizens transit committee. led the
delegation, representing many civic as
Eociations, TO the executive chamber.
Alfred e. Marling OF the transit COM
mittee told the Governor that those in
the group were supporting the adminis-
tration In its effort to bring transit re-
lief to New York.
The Governor expressed appreciation
for the support given to public cause.
The one purpose back of the programme.
Public opinion" he continued, 'is a GU
rious thing. Ultimately 1t is pretty cer-
tain to be right But the reason of that
certainty Is that people like you have the
courage to stand out for a time even
against what appears to be perhaps the
popular view. People who think and
reason in the end create public opinion.
Unfortunately in these days there are
not only people but causes which tend TO
dtstemper the public mind there are
causes which tend to prevent people
thinking straight. and unfortunately
there are too many people with selfish
ambitions of one kind or another who
take advantage Of those causes to try 10
add to the distemper In the public mind.
And, IN my view, people who do that
are public enemies.
Two Great Problems.
4" II found upon assuming the duties OF
xhis office that there were two problems
OF great concern to the people OF the en-
tire State. One was transit and the
other the problem of the inadequate ter
minal facilities, the expensive method Of
distribution of freight. the handling of
freight at the terminals and OF distrib-
uting It In your city-the problem, in
other words. we have. called the port
problem"
After explaining the progress made in
dealing with the port development prob
lem the Governor turned to the transit
measure.
."It seemed to me-" he said, chat we
were facing a crisis with respect to that
problem. I think your present conditions
are constantly growing worse and are a
matter OF concern to the prospect OF
what would happen a few years from
now unless the foundation be laid not
merely to rehabilitate and revarnp your
present transit facilities for passengers.
but also to lay the foundation for needed
future development. s..,8s
TT seemed to me that no time was to
be lost; that they have now been allowed
70 drift until It has reached almost an
acute stage
IF your city is TO be developed. If
your housing problem is ever to be
solved. one Of the keys to It is undoubted-
" proper method OF transportation. It
was perfectly obvious that the problem
had been allowed TO drift. The fact is.
and say it. weighing my words, that it
has not been dealt with on the level by
the people charged with It, It has be-
come a football of politics. There were
one or two courses to follow: obviously
II q solution was to be had response
bfiity must be centred somewhere. That
responsibility and authority can be CEN
tired In a city agency, the Board of Esti-
mate"
Some one In the audience called out
NO The Governor smiled and went
on:
THAT Is what I thought 1t was not
necessary to have an investigation TO
And say that, wholly regardless of the
personnel of that body. Its very consti-
tuition and the problems with which it
has to do make II an inappropriate
tribunal in which to centre that great re-
sponsfbility.
The problem involved the exercise OF
the police powers OF the State. powers
that have never been delegated to the
city. am referring TO the power TO
regulate public utilities. That is a State
power. 1t is not a city power. 1t never
has been a city power. And there Is no
provisioD either In the constitution or in
any statute under which II has ever been
delegated.
The Issue of Home Rule.
1T is said that It Is violation OF
homo rule to compel the corporations en-
gagged In the public service to mako the
necessary concessions to put thar SER
vfce upon a proper basis. II anybody
charges that Is violation OF home rule,
that is an issue am prepared TO ac-
cept- 1t Is said by some people, who
were opposing this measure, that II is
a corporation measure. That is the
familiar cry of the class OF people to
whom ] refer as public enemies.
Il can say 10 you that the corpora
tions have had no hand in the framing
OF this measure. And can say 20 you
that they win have no hand ~ the ad-
lnfnistration of It. They ..r1 be dealt
with honestly and fairly. But more
than that they will not receive. We
have been getting all the assistance
that we could in framing this legisla-