The New York herald., 1921-03-05
ALBANY LEADERS
PUTLASTTOUCHES
ON TRANSIT BILL
Lusk. Knight, Machold and
Others Working on Full
Score of Amendments.
MAY TAKE TWO WEEKS
No Temporary Fare Rise
and May Be No Increase
After Plan Is Ready.
PERFECT REFORM is AIN
California Senator's Delvin9 in
New York Home Rule Pro-
duces Nothing New.
PERFECT REFORM is AIN

Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Albany, March 4.
Leaders of the two houses will re-
main at their desks in the State Capt.
tol over the week end in consultation
with Gov Miller and the Bill Drafting
Bureau bent on getting all of the
amendments 10 the transit bill in final
form before the Legislature assemblies
again next Monday evening.
Agreement has been reached that
one amendment written into the meas
ure shall provide specifically and in
detail that the new transit commission
shall not have authority to grant tenn
porary increases in fares.
The committees of the Senate and
Assembly are unanimous in agreement
on that subject. As far as known the
Governor indorses the amendment 1t is
the administra tons answer to the out
cry raised by Mayor Hylan and his asso-
ciates that the State is planning a whole
sale raid on New York by rushing
through an increased fare the moment
the new law becomes effective.
possible for the new commission to touch
templated under the unified system
actually is achieved. That may be in
six months. or perhaps a year
When the bargain Is finished and in
writing, the traction companies have
made concessions which the State win
demand and the commission has com
pleted its appraisal and survey, then 1t
will be known to the public whether
there is justification for an increased
rate. But not before then will the pub
lie be asked to pay more than nickel.
Officials regard II as more than prob
able that the fare never may be raised.
With the preferentials and expensive in
cumbrances wiped away it is believed
that general fare increase never will
be necessary.
But the hope of the future is that the
commission will have the power TO deter
mine what must be done to save the
transit companies in New York city from
the Junk heap or auction block" as the
Governor expresses 1t. That power never
has existed locally. Between the wob-
bling policy of the Board OF Estimate.
the indecision of the Transit Commission
and the constant interference Of the
state there has been no hand with ade-
quate power to take hold of the transit
lever and turn on the right kind Of power
to save the situation.
None of the amendments has as yet
been put into final form. Not a single
new amendment has been suggested as
result OF the public hearing here on
Wednesday. Senator Hiram Johnson did
not propose single new idea which the
members Of the committees consider
worthy OF embodiment in new amend
ment.
There are a score OF amendments
pending. The Governor. Senator Lusk
Senator knight, Speaker Machold and
the counsel who are handling the tech
uicalities OF the bill making are going
over these one by one. They hope TO
have them sorted and arranged in final
form for the committee conferences on
Tuesday. Then the members of the COM
mttees will spend as much time as
necessary going over the amendments
and getting them into final form for
presentation TO the Legislature possibly
next week. certainly within two weeks.