New-York tribune., 1922-03-24
COuernOr Insists |. X. Z.
Must Improve Seruice
" III Protect Public, He Notifies
Qnachenbush, Rebuking His
Effort to Block amended Lac
From n S,oG co,r,enondc.,

ALBANY, March Ex-Governor Mil
ler's sudden signing of the Simpson,
Jesse transit act amendment yesterday
was solely for the purpose of blocking
the efforts of the Interborough COM
pany to get higher fare.
The Governor previously had agreed
to grant the Interbcrough's plea for
delay 20 that its representatives. could
present arguments on the bin. But
when he learned that counsel for the
Interborough had filed plea for a
higher fare he cancelled the hearing
which had been set for March 81 and
signed the bill
This action chcckmatod the move of
the Intcrborough foc under the law a
bill when signed dates back TO the first
minute Of the day, instead Of, as many
suppose, being operative only from
the moment it is actually approved
in Effect Before Signing
The Governor, it is understood.
signed the measure about o'clock
yesterday afternoon. This was soon
after he learned that the lnterborough
had filed It's petition for an increased
fare. Under numerous court decisions
the amendments went into effect about
seven hours before he actually signed
them, thus multiplying the attempt Of
the Transit Commission and possibly
force it to grant an increased fare.
The amendments prohibit any fare
increases for at least a year, and the
signing Of them prevents the Inter
borough from blocking the plan of the
Transit Commission for solving New
York City transportation problems.
Having in mind the fact that the
Hy'an ADMINISTRATION, led by the Mayor
himself, argued against the amendments
at the hearing month ago, one of
the Governors callers to-day said:
This puts you in the position Of
fare, doesn't it?"
The Governor smiled and replied
good humoredly:
We'll; is that so?'
"Thcre is Mayor Hylan and the In
terborough on one side and YOU on the
other continued his caller.
Again smiling broadly, the Governor
said:
81 expected we would get to that sit
dation."
Amended Act Now Effective
The Governor said that the signing
of the bill means that If the Inter
borough should bring any court pro-
ceedings now against the Transit Com
mission the case would be adiudicated
Vnder the amended act
Had the bill not been signed vester-
day could the Intetborough have
claimed that the granting of an in
creased fare was permissible under the
law as it stood before you signed the
amendments? ?" the Governor was asked.
They might have claimed that" re-
piled the executive. "Whle | believe
such claim untenable still it would
have been a point to contest.
Il do not think there is ANYTHING in
IT, there certainly isn't anything in it
now"
Governor Miller wrote a letter to Mr..
Quack kenbush to-day telling him whv he
had signed the bill and informing him
that public service corporation must
render adequate service or forfeit its
FRANCHISE. In answering some of Mr..
Quackenbush's references to speech
made by Governor Miller three years
ago before legislative committee
when the Carson-Martin bill was under
consideration, the Governor observed
that his remarks then were "wholly
irrelevant to the intolerable transit
conditions in the City of New York"
Governor Rebukes Quackenbush
The Governors letter follows:
80 icP'S ~ SOuI IclSSIaW ASKING
for hearing on the bill amending the
Public Service Commission law | have
to advise you that the bill was ap-
proved and became a law yesterday.
Ordinarily, | should have acceded to
your request as matter of course,
but the situation appeared to me to
require prompt action.
II confess | am surprised to learn
Of your action in filing petition with
the Transit Commission for an In
creased fare at the very time when
you were asking me to withhold an
proval of bill to prevent increases
of fare fixed by contract, franchise and
the IKE except as part of or as pro-
vided by the plan of reorganization.
II do not share your fears either
that the hands of the commission viii
be improperly tied or that any cloud
will be put on the secu1l, =, to be
issued. take it for granted that be-