The New York herald., 1922-12-04


publicans nave agreed that It is purely
accidental they have control OF the As
sembly by six votes and that acting
in keeping with the spirit of the cleo
ton they should let the new executive
have his way. They will insist that he
go through with his campaign pledges
1t was the common saying for a dec
ade that no Mayor ofNNew York could
survive the police issue. and many
Mayors did break on it. Similarly. II
has become automatic in State politics
that transit is the biggest hurdle Gov
ernor has to jump.
And now Smith is to show what he
can do with II. His plan appears to be
relatively simple. He will propose the
most sweeping kind of home rule for
cities. That will include handing over
to the cities complete and absolute con-
troll OF all public utilities. including
municipal railroads. port projects and
other developments wholly within the
city and paid for with municipal funds.
BY this method the Governor-elect
proposes to hand over the whole subject
with all it's vexations and glories to
Mayor Hylan and the Board OF Esti-
mate. Hylan has for two years blocked
the Miller plan-
The Democratic State platform, which
Mr. Smith repeated during the campaign
and which he has stated since his cleo
tion he intends to carry out literally,
declares:
eve demand repeal OF the Miller leg
islation of 1921. which delegated power
to the Transit and Public Service Com
missions to increase rates without the
consent of elected officials of the COM
munity affected and regardless OF exist
ing contracts and franchises. We favor
a law which will authorize cities, towns
and villages to own and operate omni-
buses"
This in general defines the policy the
Governor is working out in the
bills now being drawn. The two State
commissions will be- abolished. There
will be one regulatory body with state
power to handle transit. telephone ana
other public utilities which are intercity.
Republicans to Clear the Way
Under the measure proposed the
Board Of Estimate will have power to
make plans for as many subway or
other transit routes as 1t wishes to lay
down, to prescribe terms for their OPP
GRAFTON and decide whether the city
itself shall operate the lines.
Mayor Hylan has insisted for the last
four years that he was standing be-
tween the State government and an 8
cent fare: that he could build and op-
crate all the subways the people need
If he had his way without interference
from Albany. Now he is to nave the
opportunity to make good. Mr.. Smith
will unload the whole troublesome
problem by simply dumping it in Hylan's
lap.
The Mayor has started by demanding
that the Legislature give him authority
to esta ablish all the bus lines he wants.
That is the burden of his speech now.
He appears to be placing buses ahead OF
subways. If he can get the authority
he needs, the Mayor says he will have
600 buses operating in this city within
six months.
The same simple process Is to be used
by Mr.. Smith in getting rid of the Port
Authority project. Although he is a
member of that body as now constituted
and has fought hard for the great plan
it has developed for the port, Mr.. Smith
has made no progress for months b.
cause Of the deadlock imposed by H.
lan's opposition. The law Is to be
amended giving the Board of Estimate
authority to handle the whole enterprise.
That may mean rejection of all the work
done by the commission named by Gov.
Miller, but 1t will centralize the respon-
sbility in City Hall.