New-York tribune., 1921-11-07
Hylan, a Hearst Dummy, Says Curran;
Transit Policy Merely Obstructive

Borough President Curran's address
vas delivered in the form of an in
dictment against John F. Hylan,
charging him with being the Hearst
dummy in the City Hall, with break
ing campaign promises, with having
merely an obstructive transit policy,
with incompetence and waste in his
administration. with using his Office
or personal political gain and with
gencics. The address follows:
This campaign is nearly over. For
hree weeks we have leen showing up
ne record of the Hyian administra-
zion, comparing promise with perform
ance. to determine whether or not
1ylan and his master, Hearst, are en-
titled TO enjoy four years more as the
head of our city government The
evidence is IN and. on the strength
# that evidence, | believe the people
of New York will decide overwhelm-
ingly to reject Hylan and drive out
Hearst.
"The first count in the indictment
against Hylan is the fact that he has
not at any time been the real Mayor
of New York. Hylan was nominated
our years ago by Hearst, of Califor-
MIA. who crammed him down the
ihroat OF Tammany Hall by the threat
10 use the influence of the Hearst
papers against any other candidate
nat Murphy put up. Backed by these
same Hearst papers, Hylan was elected
and took office January /, 1918. Since
shat date Hylan has been only g dummy
Mayor in the City Hall. From Cali
fornia his master Hearst has dictated
every official act. every speech, every
statement that the head of our city
oY,f b.,u
wears.
Hylan Ruled by Hearst
"Hy!an has not been able to formu-
ate nor follow any policy looking to
he improvement of the City of New
York, for the simple reason that he has
)een compelled to depend upon Hearst
for guidance. He could never take a
definite step in any particular matter
until he knew what Hearst's plans
we're. Three years ago, when Shonts,
of the 1nterborough, suggested to
Hylan that the city should cooperate
with the traction companies in an eff
fort to devise some plan of financia ial
relief for the companies, Hylan agreed
20 confer, but he first turned to Hearst
or advice. He took nobody else into
MS confidence, not even the other mem
bers of his own Board of Estimate
He summoned Hearst's man, Mac
Farland, from Boston. And then
Shonts, Hylan and MacFarland tried
70 stick the city with q seven-cent fare.
These conferences were secret and the
movie and the spotlight. as well as the
newspapers, were conspicuous by their
absence.
"The second count in the indictment
against Hyan is the fact that his whole
administration has been record OF
hrqlsen campaign promises. As can
diaafe in 1917 he made number OF
definite pledges. He promised lower
taxes. decreased cost of living and the
reduction of rent He promised more
schools. A seat for every child is
what ] guarantee he said four wears
ago. He promised to eliminate boss
rule from our city government. He
swore to drive out the graft and dis
honesty which he asserted were preva-
ient throughout every city department
He promised to provide. ,termina
markets. He. pledged himself to worl
out and put into effect plan for the
disposal of the city's garbage. He
PROMISED to drive the Gary system out
of the public schools and to see thai
the children were fitted for something
else besides the mill and the factory
He made these promises over and over
again, and the Hearst papers carried
the news of his pledged word through
out the length and breadth OF the five
boroughs.
Cites Budget Increases
After he took office these promise.
we're buried in the mess Of wasteful
ness, extravaganza and incompetence
hat soon spread through the entir,
Hylan administration. In face o.
the liylan pledge to reduce the cost oi
living and to lower rents the Hylar
budget increased S109, 100000 III -four
years. The taxpayer who paid S10(
20 the city in 1917 in 1921 found his
tax bill jumped to Sl65. | charge Hy.
Ian with promising these things in or
der to get votes when he had absolutely
no intention of making good on a single
promise.
Instead of backing UP his guaranty
a seat for very child Hylans school
program has been miserable aud
itter failure. During his first three
years in Office iIylan opened just two
new schools. These two, and two ad-
ditions to existing schools. ware his
total accomplishment TO January
n