New-York tribune., 1921-10-26

|
partments came in for a measure o,
s.a,se' and ne charged the Republican.
ma.M eonouctinE campaign OF misrep
Departments, under the direction a
Murray Hubert. He laid aspecia
stress on the failure of the Ronuhli
cans TO accord to the state hosnitnl,
and their wards the attention tbe,
deserved, and he said that he hell
rancor IN his heart against tho Repub
licans on this scare.
Assaiis Curran's Record
The speaker ridiculed Henry RI
Surran, saying that his record in the
board OF Estimates showed that he
ald not mean 1t when he said he was
Tor retrenchment and economy. He
SAID that Curran was colorless candi.
oate. With no outstanding achievement
to his credit
The speaker said that the onlv rea-
son for Governor Miller's new transit
law was desire to take control OF
the situation away from New York
he closed his address with a brief
apology FOR any mistakes that Mayo,
hyian might have made and urged
voters to exercise their voting privi-
iege lest it be curtained by the Re-
publican Legislature.
After the Governor had ended his
address the audiences began to dwindle,
especially from the galleries.
Comptroller Craig said that the
series OF Investigations by the Almi-
rail- grand jury and the Meyer COM
mlttee made it unnecessary to devote
any time to discussion of the cIty's
finances. He said he had financed the
city during his administration with
out long-term bond sale, thereby
saving the city $62,5O0,000 He took
to himself credit for doing away with
the pay-as-you-go law, which he said
had enabled the city to spend more
money for needed purposes.
Hylan Attacks Traction Trust
1t was shortly after IL o'clock when
Mayor Hylan, accompanied by his wife
and his daughter. Mrs. Sinnott, reached
Tammany Hall. The Mayor received a
hearty reception from the reduced
audience, and he read his address from,
manuscript.
The Mayor said that whether in the
state courts. in the Legislature, in the
Federal courts, public forums or in the
press, the traction trust propaganda
has been carried on with cunning
and persistence that denotes vast ex-
penditure and great effort.
nave
been able to frustrate them and save
the fve-cent fare" said he. Continu-
ing. he said:
Traction is not the only issue in
this campaign. There are other vital
utilities questions. There is the alb
solute necessity OF preserving the in
volatility of the S0-cent gas law. In
1906 bill was passed fixing the price
of gas at that price per thousand cubic
feet. No sooner was it placed upon
the statute books than that pioneer in
public exploitation, the Consolidated
Gas Company, went direct to the Fed
eral courts and undertook to have the
statute declared unconstitutional. 1t
won in the lower court. The city OF
New York. represented then, as later
by the Hon. William P. Burr, carried
that fight to the United States Court
which in 1909 rendered a decision re-
versing the lower court, holding the
statute constitutional and declarina
that there was a fair margin Of profit
TO the company at 80 cents thousand
| cubic feet. This victory for the people
through Mr.. Burr, released to gas con
sumers S9,000,000 in cash that had been
impounded awaiting the outcome.
Charges Extortion Is Practiced
"The amount OF money involved ir
this gas fight is stupendous. If the
city wins many millions of dollars will
be returned to gas consumers. At the
present time the people of the City Of
New York have paid to the gas com.
panies about 20,O00,000 over the pre-
vious rate. All this, and all additional
sums paid in excess of the statutory
rate, will be returned to the consumer,
if we win. 1t is stake we'll worth
fighting for and makes plain why the
Rockefellers, who control all the gas
i companies in the city with their Nor.
gan allies, are so anxious to drive me
out of Office and put in their own can.
didate, Curran.
Ladies' and Gentlemen: Do not mis-
understand the tenor of my talk to
night. believe, and you believe. that
every corporation or individual is en-
titled to fair return for q service o,
commodity furnished There Is q vast
difference, however, between a fair re-
turn and extortion. When this extor
ton is practiced or attempted it is my
| solemn duty to protect the people ant
prevent it. I am doing this, and will
continue to do SO whether Candidate
Curran's gas conpo~'v supporter, Rookie
| feller likes IL or not ~