New-York tribune., 1922-10-31

sior which, IL he WAS not "a party to
the negotiations between MacFar-
land, Shonts and Quaekenbush, would
strongly confirm to me the belief in
spiritualism, because l am quite cer-
tain that one of the spirits that must
have dominated that interesting con-
ference was whispering in the ear of
the Mayor when he penned this letter,
dated August l6, 1918. 1t may have
been composed by 9 spirit, but 1t was
signed John F. Hylan, Mayor"
according to the Mayor, He then had
in mind increasing fares, with which to
do what the Transit Commission Is now
doing without increasing fares, and he
had in mind the adoption Of the Chicago
and the Boston plan. He had in mind
then constructive program. The only
wrong part of it was the question OF
fares, because this question was not in
its essence fare question. But he
evidently soon changed his mind. He
evidently discovered that it vas better
TO cultivate grievance than to remove
it. All attempt at a constructive pro-
gran, ended and 8 situation which he
described In 1918 to be 'intolerable,'
continued to grow more intolerable
without orc single further suggestion
being made for constructive relief
either with reference to the existing
lines or with reference to new lines.
Tho work of building the subways
already under contract was delayed and
no plan or suggestion was brought for
ward for the building of new lines for
four years, until, faced with tho fact
OF constructive program being car
ried out by the Transit Cousmission
and facing an election, on the 9th of
asst ponp{b a sn-oa11ad y,ro
nulgated, to which / shall doubtless
have occasion to refer later on.
Service Demoralizad
"What was the situation in 1921 at
the end of four years of obstruction
and destruction 2" the Governor asked.
"a practically universal tr"nsfer sys-
tenn on the surface lines had been de-
stroyed. One hundred and eighty-fve
million double fares were collected in
the year ended June 30, 1921, where
before but single fare had been col
lected. Car service and train service
had been SO reduced that the crowd
ing on the cars had become inhuman.
From lack Of repair the physical prop
critics had deteriorated and were in
cases unfit for use.
"That Was the situation which exist
ed when I came into Office. ] could
have left that situation alone and the
debate between Commissioner Nixon
and Mayor Hylan could have con-
tinued, to the delectation Of the people
OF this city, / was advised to let it
alone, but a situation, intolerable In
1918, according to the testimony of the
Mayor, had now reached stage where
further delay was fraught even with
disaster TO the people of this city. ]
could not refuse to discharge re-
sponsibility which the state already
had assumed in respect Of transit in
the City of New York without betray-
ing trust to the nillions Of people
whose happiness, comfort and safety
depended upon proper solution of the
problem.
~ was advised to pave the way for
what was done by the appointment of
a commission TO investigate, which
meant the delay of another year, and
there had been four years OF talk. I
was told that the eight-cent fare child,
the illegitimate offspring Of the un-
natural and unholy alliance Of August,
1918, would be laid at my door.
Demands Honest Settlement
"My friends pleaded with me to as
sure the people OF this town that there
would be no increase in fares. said
tiab itC $ioCobiOfl was upb O IaIG GuEH~
tion; that it was, first of all, oueg-
| tion of service, and that it would never
| be solved right until it was solved hon
estly, and that it could not be solved
both honestly and right except by lodg-
| ing the power In a commission Of up
right citizens who would substitute in
vestigation for defamation, who would
substitute Judgment for denunc;ation
| and effective orders backed by the
power of the state for the harmless
duds which had been fired from City
Hall. There was just one matter that
was plain to me, so plain that it d!,t
not seem to be necessary to take an
. ether year to talk about 1t. and that
was that the first start was to estab-
ilsh competent authority.
. All we did was TO undo the mistake
mat had been made by my predecessor
NOT one single power that had ever
been exercised by any city in this state
was lodged in the Transit Commission
me only powers lodged in the Transit
commission were the powers that had
eeen exercised by the two state agen.
cies under my predecessor. by tbei,
! predecessor, the Public Service Com.
!. mission and its predecessor. the
c Rapid Transit Commission. W.
did do exactly one thing which
is the only basis for the chargs, p