New-York tribune., 1921-03-29
Miller to Give
Final Traction
Hearin!gTo-day
O'Brien Goes to Albany to
Represent City in Plea
to Allow Mayor Hylan to
Pass Upon the Measure
Is Called "a Mere Form
Peoples Transit Committee
Charges That the Public
Is To Be ssBlackjacked''

Is To Be ssBlackjacked''
Final argument on the Knight-Adler
bill will be conducted before Governor
Miller at Albany to-day by friends and
opponents of the measure, by which the
Governor hopes to solve the city's
traction problems. Mayor Hylan's
opposition to have new state COM
mission take charge of traction ques-
tions independently Of the Board Of
Estimate will be presented by Cor
poration Counsel O'Brien. Mr.. O'Brien
departed for Albany last night.
I'VE are determined to put right up
to the Governor the question whether
the Mayor ought not to have the right
of passing upon the bill before it be-
comes law" said Mr.. O'Brien before
his departure. "The precedent has been
we'll established that in legislation by
the state on subjects applicable to the
city the Mayor ought to have the right
of veto or approval. No one can deny
that this bill concerns the city alone.
If the Governor jams the Knight
Adler bill through without giving the
city an opportunity to pass on it, the
public will understand that the whole
measure is fare grab pure and
simple"
To Be Signed This Week
Friends of the bill will be repre-
sented by William McCarroll, Alfred K.
Marling, Wilson S. Kinnear and Will
liam A. Prendergast, who will appear
for the State Chamber of Commerce.
It is expected that the Governor
will sign the bill this week. The ap-
pointment of three commissioners to
probably will follow within two weeks.
The Merchants Association is already
in possession of data concerning the
financial and physical status of the
traction companies, which will be laid
before the commission. The data was
collected a year ago by committee
headed by Charles E. Hughes.
The Peoples Transit Committee in
an open letter to the Governor yester-
day severely condemned the bill and ex-
pressed its belief that the public hear
committee, which is composed of John
J. Hopper Hamilton Holt, DR.. Frank
Crane, George Foster Peabody, DR..
John Haynes Holmes, the Rev. Percy
S. Grant, DR.. Stephen S. Wise and
others, charges that the public is to
be "blac.lj lacked" under the bill and
that instead of offering a solution to
the traction problem sit makes certain
a mess and muddle."
The committees letter says in part:
1.-The city is to hold the naked fec
and pay for it what the companies are
willing to accept. The companies are
leaseholds and their securities, now al
most worthless, to be 'stabilized.' This
is municipal ownership with ven
geance"
"It is assumed that the public hear
ing before you is mere form.
"We earnestly urge serious consid
Grafton for the fundamental objectioni
to this measure. If it becomes law al
it stands it will mess things up, ant
courts, perhaps for years. 1t will cause
political revolution in New York City
ard the complexion of the new Legis
lature may cause reopening of the en-
tire question.
Ask Referendum
"There is but one way to make prog
ress and that is the fair and reasonabl
way. If the bill is to become law, lie
it provide that final approval shall res
in the local authorities, or if your dis
trust of the city officials is too grea
then in the people by referendum.
This will make possible quick &C
tion and real solution. AS it stands
the bill makes certain mess and mud
die.
"It is not too late to save the pla
from disaster Ruthless force is OF
Of place in a democracy. The peopl
are willing to be fair, even generou
to public service corporations, if nee
for relief is clearly shown, and tt
companies are willing to give as we
as receive. What the people object |
is being 'blackjacked.'
Sincerely, in the hope of way o,
of this unfortunate situation, we as
you to send the bill back and add to
a referendum"
Johnson Not Present
The announcement by Corporate
Counsel O'Brien that he and men,be
of his staff would appear before Il
legislative committee to-day witho
the services of United States Senat
Hiram w. Johnson tends to confirm Il
growing conviction that Senator Joh
son is fading out" of the local pictul
Senator Johnson and q special trai
full of opponents of the bill went
Albany when the bill was before Il
Legislature. Senator johnson receiv
sharp reminders from the upstate r
publicans that he was cutting sor
figure as "home rule" advocate. 7
! ] ] ! ! !
- upstate Republicans were ready
his temperance.
The Hearst Hylan- -Tammany orgal
cation is SO we'll pleased with t
mayoralty campaign prospects tn
Senator Johnson's services are
longer considered indispensable.
announcement is expected any day tn
the California Senator's legal engue
ment with the Corporation Counse
Office is terminated
Q.U C,%~ Da IT,.