New-York tribune., 1921-03-15
Traction and Home Rule
(Fror, The Ey-1;,,o Poo,

tf rom me Evcn'1lO Post)
BY use Of whip and spur Governor
Miller may succeed in driving his
transit bill through the Legislature.
But this does not mean that he will be
putting through solution of New
1ork's transit problem. A permanent
adjustment of the problem cannot be
imposed upon the inhabitants Of New
York City. They must be converted bv
reason. The great need is to wean the
voters of the city away from Hylanism.
Ccmpulsion at Albany threatens to
drive them into the arms of Hylan
This, from the beginning, has been the
essence of the problem to those who
recognize how thoroughly obstructive
shd mlschlevous has been the policy of
the Hylan administration. But what
we face is a condition and not sn ah-
stract theory of the state power versus
the cty's claims.
Even if we concede the ultimate su-
Iremacy of the power of the state in
the regulation OF the city's transit
iIes, we are bound to recognize that
legality must be tempered by a CON
slderation of facts. We cannot over
look the question of numbers. 1t is
true that in Illinois, in Pennsylvania
and IN massachusetts, the power of the
state has been employed to regulate
traction fares in the principal cities
Bat the population of Chicago is onlv
AZ per cent of the state population
The population of PHILADELPHIA is
apout one-hfth of the state population
Ihe population Of Boston is one-hfth
tt the state population. But the nonu-
lation of New York City is consider
ably more than one-half of the popu-
latlon OF New York State. One THING
obvious. If New Y ork City were not
represented in the Legislature
the Governors traction bill would have
little chance. On a strict population
hasis the city would have not sixty
two Assemblymen, but eighty, out of q
total Of l5O. 1t would have not twenty
three Senators, but twenty-seven, out
OF total of fifty-one. And we know
row narrow is the margin, especially
IN the Senate, that the Governor
counts upon.
BY exercise of party discipline, by
employing the familiar method of hold
ing up the pet measures of members
o. the Legislature until the transit
Dill has been passed, the Governor NAV
nave his way a. Albany. But he has
no such weapon of compulsion over
sentiment among the city voters. In
essence the new transit commission
must be not regulatory body, but an
educational body. If it gives the peo-
pie OF the city thorough study of the
traction problem it will give them the
basis for expressing an INTELLIGENT
opinion IN the mayoralty election next
November. If the transit commission
goes IN for temporary increase in
fares, such as the recent amendments
contemplate, it may secure Temporary
relief at the cost of lasting confusion
Ae top speed 1t is not to be supposed
that a change in fares can be mt
through before several months. The
most elementary regard for public
opinion will compel the transit COM
mission to go through some form of
preliminary investigation. The cues
ton, therefore, resolves itself into
this: Are we to have an increase in
fares against the public will in June
or real solution OF the problem six
months later?
1t is our own firm belief that the
only way of settling the transit problem
is to defeat Hylanism next November
ana that necessary change can be &C
complished by transit commission
which gives its entire time to lav;np
the facts before the public instead Of
imposing temporary fare upon the
public. Excess Of zeal at ALBANY en-
dangers the entire issue.