The evening world., 1921-02-03
CURRAN DECLARES
HOME RULE VITAL
IN CITY'S TRACTION
People Must Settle Their Own
Transit Problems, He Tells
Town Hall Meeting.

Borough President Curran (Repub
| lican), attacked Gov. MileTs tractor
legislation last night at a meeting il
in the Town Hall, with Robert Erskint
Ely in the chair.
President Curran's defense Of homt
rule for the city, his outline OF 4
constructive plan for. traction legis
lation and his denunciation of the in
activity OF the Board Of Estimate, the
unwillingness Of President Hedley OF
the Interborough to come forward
with a proposition to the city and the
supineness Of former Public Service
Commissioner Nixon, who, Curran
said, cried for nothing but an 5-cent
fare" were checred to the echo.
Job Hedges, receiver of the New
York City Railways, the green car
system OF surface lines, held the crowc
in fine humor as he defended Gov
Millor's plans and satirized the Boarl
Of Estimate.
Edward NJ. Bassett, ex-Public Ser
vice Commissioner, also opposed Gov.
MilleTs scheme and was loudly ap-
plauded. Oliver e. Stemple, formerly
one Of the Public Service Commits
sons counsel, took the Miller end of
the argument but devoted himself
largely to a review OF the history of
the traction legislation.
"Nn rRvna1v for .,,,,.
troubles can be really effective un-
less the city Is consulted" said Mr..
Curran. II the members Of the State
Legislature take from us the fllnda-
mental measure OF home rule that we
now enjoy they win throw o pressing
question of public necessity again
into the maelstrom of politics. They
will set us back fifteen years in our
orderly city development.
This Is my plan in nutshell
Create n new Public Service Commits
sion that will get the facts and rec
ommend the remedies but whose
recommendations as TO a temporary
or permanent increase in fare or
changes in contracts must be ap-
proved by the Board of Estimate be-
fore they can become effective.
'I believe that when the facts are
known this commission will place be-
fore the public a plan based on a s.
cent fare.
I'VE know that while the Inter.
borough fell short Of earning its un.
deserved preferential by $3.5OO,OOO IN
1919, it fell short by only $1,000, 600 ir
1920. This preferential, half Of it, is a
mere perpetuation Of past profits
The Companys revenues aIe lncreas.
ing while it, operating expenses art
gfa OF a1Nhn,tosh A.I
the opposite. The Third Avenue sur,
face system is solvent to-day on a 5.
cent fare. There are two little trolley
lines in this city that are doing vel
on Scent fare.
when the new commission has
gathered and studied all the facts lei
II propose it's remedy. Let there be
full public discussions Of these pro-
posslls. II the commissions plain Is
| good the public will favor II and the
| Board Of Estimate will be compelled
TO approve it. If the plan is bad the
people may reject It through the re-
| fusal OF the board to approve Il. In
either event we shall come to a settle.
ment by the people of their own
! transit problem and their own transit
properties through their own duly
elected representatives.
"Transit in our town is a comblna.
! ton OF crooked finance and peanu
politics that has pursued us for 1Ol
! years. The transit needs OF New
! York City have been the football o
/ finance and politics in Albany and II
! the City Hall. The present Board o
| Estimate has taken full political ad
vantage OF the arbitrary and high
! handed position taken by Mr.. Hedley
| but il has made no constructive, un
| biased eudeaVor TO get at the facts
| to study 5he situation and recon
mend remedies.
History shows that the people o
our city have always been hard
| boiled on the subject Of home rule
| 7 believe II Is fundamental that W
should keep power close to the people
! am not afraid OF the peoples judg
! ment.
TT was wrong TO make our trans
portation system the prey OF polite
and finance, and il is wrong TO de
prive us Of control over our own prop
erty. Two wrongs do not make
right. II les imperative that we sOlv
our transit problem, and 1t IS vita
that we retain local control. T'hOs
two must go hand in hand"
FIX Commissioner BaSsett said tha
because the present city Administra
tion had misnanased the tractio
problem II was no reason for givin
the control over il TO the State.