The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-30
NICKEL FARE IS
 ONE REAL ISSUE
 IN GOTHAM RACE
HyIan, Seeking Re- election on Tammany Ticket, Says He Is Original Champion
 of 5-Cent Ride
Fly Associated Press

New York, October 2s.-The nickel fare appears to be very real issue in New York's stirring mayoralty campaign. now drawing to a close.
 There are many other weighty is sues and all the candidates may not admit that the fare problem is upper most. but 1t is the subejct most talked about just now.
 As several millions of persons have to travel to and from work each day on the subway, elevated or surface lines, the fare question hits the pocketbook and accounts for the gem eral interest.
 Mayor John F. Hylan, who is seek ing reelection on the Tammany ticket. long ago proclaimed himself the original champion of the 5-cent fare. He fought attempts of the vari- ous companies to raise the fare in war days and carried his fight to the legislature.
 His opponents, however, have not been lacking In political sagacity, and they, too, have pledged themselves to a nickel fare. But the mayors sup porters claimed the enemy stole his thunder and have charged that the prom ses of some of the candidates have been made for campaign pur- poses only.
 Loophole Charged
 Additional interest was created re- gently when the transit commission. appointed by the legislature to in- vestigate the traction lines, recom- mended that the scent fare be re- tained for one year, pending final decision. The recommendation was made in a preliminary report, and the mayors supporters promptly raised the cry that the report was issued to influence votes. They as serted that a loophole was left where by the fare might eventually be in- creased. The commission, in reply. denied that any ulterior motive was involved
 The commission, in its report also recommended that the lines be muni- cipally owned. This caused another hot rejoinder from the mayors ad- herents, who said the mayor was an advocate of city ownership.
 Mai Henry H. Curran, the repub- lican- coalition candidate. favors the nickel fare and has indorsed. in the main. the principal features of the transit commissions findings. But the mayors admirers charge that Major Curran represents the traction crowd" and that if he becomes mayor the fare will be increased Major Curran denied he represented any one and said he would stand by his pledges if elected.
 "Home RuIe- Involved
 As a corrollapy to the fare issue the question of home rule" Is in volved. Mayor Hylan has claimed that the city should run Its own ar fairs, that the farmers in the leglsla- ture do not know the needs Of the bustling metropolis. He has cna1eo at the charter restrictions imposed by the legislature and his appeal TOT genuine home rule has been echoed by the rammany organization. But Major Curran, too, has come out TOT more home rule by the city. The other issues have been deNel@ oped to some extent by the findings of the legislative committee, headeo by Senator Schuyler M. Meyer. wnich was named to investigate the Hylan administration The mayors friends have claimed this committee was ap- pointed Ito get something on Hylan' charge which was emphatically de- nied. Although the principal onlcers of the city have been called upon 10 testify before the committed, anu some testimony has been aoouceo tending to show irregularity Tn the police, doc kand market departments, no indictments have been asked.
 Major Curran. who has long been connected with the city government in various capacities, has claimed that Mayor Hylan's administratlon on has been inefficient, that the vast problems involved were too welghty for A "short- si ghted administration to handle. He has pointed out tnae the running expenses of New York amount to nearly a million dollars dav and that the business of being I used a miners lamp for light, ev- cept in a few cases where the SUD