The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-02-05
MAYOR HYLAN TAKES
FIGHT TO THE BRONX
Two Addresses Of His Read At
lacking Miller Transit
Measures,

Mayor Hylan, with a bad cold, which
prevented him from delivering his adj
dresses personally. carried to The Bronx
last night his fight against Gov. Miller's
plans for handling the traction problem
He appeared at mass meetings in The
Bronx County Court House and at Pub
lie School 81. Longwood avenue and
Kelly street. There were good sized
audiences, and the Mayor was applauded
The two addresses, which were fdenti-
cal, were read by Francis P. Bent. Rob-
ert r. Moran also spoke. explaining that
the traction ring" had caused his defeat
for reelection as President of the Board
of Aldermen.
The Mayor denounced the Governors
interference in the citys traction prob
lens and again made a plea for the
adoption OF his municipal bus idea. The
proposed legislation, he said. is nothing
more than an attempt to revoke and
nullify the solemn agreements the city
has entered into. Mr.. Hylan declared
that not only will the duel subway con-
tracts be torn VI II the measures are
enacted into law, but broken down and
overcapitalized street car lines viii be
dumped upon the taxpayers.
at is nv firm conviction" he con-
timed that the proposal to create by
legislation an appointed State body with
power over contracts for the construction
with city moneys and equipment and
opera ton of rapid transit railways can
never be written into a statute which
will be approved by our courts as valid
or constitutional. Such a plan is in
violation of the home rule provisions OF
the State constitution"
Mr.. Hylan said that IL Gov. Miller's
recommendation are to be adopted by
the Legislature. then the seat of our
city government may as well be removed
to Albany.
ut is a significant and striking fea-
ture of the Governors proposal" he
added. chat the radical legislation
planned is only to affect the city of New
York. The programme as to transit con-
troll and the radical change is not APP
piled TO upstate cities. Such a scheme
of legislation would be In conformation
of the Fourteenth Amendment OF the
Federal Constitution, in that 1t would
deprive the city of New York OF the
equal protection OF the laws as guaran-
teed by that amendment. There would
be no reasonable basis In law for such
discrimination between the city OF New
York and the other cities and localities
OF the State"
The Mayor then told OF his bus scheme.
picturing a city in which thousands of
Jitneys were running about and the
proceeds of their operation being used to
relieve the sufferings Of the poor. to
build schools and hospitals and to re-
duce the taxes OF the general public.
#. II. La Guardia, President of the
Board of Aldermen, also spoke ut the
Bronx meeting During his address he
made this statement:
II may have something startling for
you in the way Of news in the next
forty-eight or fifty hours So that you
will recognize Il when II comes I will
say now that II runs into eight figures.
Yes. Il is connected with traction and II
involves a high city official"
After the meeting Mr.. La Guardia
was asked to amplify his statement and
make his meaning clearer. He said:
81 am running something down and
hope to gain information which will be
startling and which may involve eight
figures. and perhaps high city official
may have knowledge OF It,"