New-York tribune., 1921-03-03
HyIon, by Do-Notkaing Policy, Forfeits
Right to Interfere, Says Prendergast

A~ISAAC ~ AILLcSIe
The advocates Of the measure then
had their inning. They were intro
duced by Mr.. Marling, who announced
that William A. Prendergast, former
New York City Comptroller, would be
the principal speaker for the measure.
Mr.. Prendergast accordingly, in an ad-
dress lasting more than an hour, out
lined the reasons why the measure had
met with the Endorsement of what he
termed the thinking citizens" of New
York City.
He attacked Mayor Hylan for oppos-
ing the measure on the ground that it
is in violation Of the home rule prn-
ciple, and asserted there have been
occasions when Mayor Hylan was not
so inclined to champion homo rule In
all It's ramifcations He also said that
in his opinion the Hylan administra-
tion did not have the moral right to
come out against the bill, in view of
its failure to mako any constructive
suggestions for the solution of the
transit problem. In this connection
he took up the transit report recently
submitted by Corporation Counsel
O'Bren on behalf Of the city.
81 want to file n copy of that report
with you so that the members of the
Legislature may have an opportunity
to read it," said Mr. Prcndergast to
Senator knight. 81 have read It from
cover to cover and have failed to find
single suggestion for the readjust-
ment or subway contracts 8 and d, or
suggestion for the revision of other
agreements or plans for reducing the
preferentias.
Asks What Hylan Has Done
"You members of the Legislature
have the right to ask Mayor Hylan and
those who share his views on the
Rapid Transit bill what right they
have to come to Albany to object to
this measure. Ask them this question
and see if they can answer it:
With this, traction problem be-
setting you for several years, what
have you done to bring about settle
ment?'
I'VE all know what their answer
would be. Speaking the truth, their
reply would be that they had done
nothing. | may say at this time that
an entirely different situation would
exist if constructive suggestions had
been made by the city. There would
the Governors program. If any plan
had been decided upon I might say
that it would be inexpedient to inter
fere. However, in the absence of any
constructive suggestion and any
progressive plan doubt the right of
the city authorities to come here and
say. that you have no authority to in
terfere."
Mr. Prendergast then entered into
the fare increase phase Of the contro-
versy. He said the days when the
nickel was the standard of the cost of
trolley ride has passed, but that
there is nothing in the bill which pre-
scrlbes higher rate of fare.
Fare Raise Left Open
"The charge has been made" he said
"that the real purpose of this bill is to
Increase fares. Those contentious are
not founded upon truth. The only pro-
visions III the bill dealing with fares
are those giving the commission power
to regulate them. The commission,
within ITS Judgment may raise or lower
fares. The nickel fare Is not so COM
mon in many cities as it was in former
years.
"lhe trouble is that we have the five
cent habit in New York. We like to
Keep this habit. That is only natural.
# the tive-cent fare can be continued,
there is not one man who favors the
bill but he believes it should be
continued. But let me emphasize that
the only way to determine if the five
cent fare can be mainta ined is through
the plan proposed by Governor Miller,
and which calls for a comprehensive
study of the situation from every possi-
Bile angle.
eve must squeeze the water out of
the stock and put the traction securi-
ties on a solid basis. This does not
mean an eight-cent fare or anything of
the kind. There is just one thing we
must make sure Of, and that is that the
rate of fare represents proper return
on the proper capitalization of the
lines and sufficient to take care of the
city's obligations
IF it is shown that better servic,
will be given the city because of an in
creased fare, am sure the people are
wiling to pay for that service. Con-
tentlons to the contrary notwithstand
ing, the residents of New York are NOT
welded to ive-cent fare. Trolley
fares have been advanced in nearly
every city in the country. do not saw