New-York tribune., 1922-11-02
Electors Must Choose BE.
tween Tammany and
Monk oliticaI Control, fs
the Governors Warming
Hylan Transit Plan
Economic Idiocy''
Commission His Rival
Would Abolish Needs
No Defense, He Says

New York's voters are confronted
by the choice between the Smith
promise to destroy the Transit Com
mission, thereby making the transit
system part and parcel of a political
machine, and the Miller promise to
divorce transit from politics, provide
adequate transportation facilities
and guarantee operation Tor UNI
versal five-cent fare, Governor Miller
declared last night at the Claremont
Avenue Rink in Brooklyn.
That is the issue, asserted the
Governor, adding that while he HIM
self was accepting full responsible
ity for the Transit Commissions
acts, because he considered them
businesslike, far-sighted and devoid
OF political considerations, the Demo-
cratic candidate was Sinking re-
sponsibility for the way he handled
the transit problem and was COM
nltting himself to the Hylan prof
ect, which the Governor character
lied as sa weird plan of economic
idiocy and political bunk"
Contrasts Transit Programs
Candidate Smith proposes first 60
destroy the, Transit Commission and its
work; and second, to turn the transit
lines of this town over to political con-
troll Mr.. Miller saidss Il sprepose TO
continue 70 support tits Tasnsit Com
mission in the work which It is nov
undertaking, first having saved The Ave
cent fare, to re-establ1sh the universal
transfer system that YVES destroyed
under Commissioner Nixon; and, sec
ond, to establish unified system OPP
Grating throughout the city for uni
versa1 fiye-cent fare.
II have already made the pledge, ard
| now repeat that pledge that that will
be done, unless the Transit Commission
and its work are destroyed. Do you
want the transfers that formerly you
were entitled to destroyed, the trans
fers to ride to any part of the city OH
a single fare. instead of the present
double fare system? THAT
is what / promise to 40. Do you want
back again these 1900 or f,7o0 trans
fer points that were taken away by !.
Mr.. Smiths commissioner?
i.The Democratic candidate is show
ing evidence of becoming groggy, forW
he is resorting to blocking, holding
and side-stepping," he continued. "He
wanted to discuss transit. | accemmo-
dated him, and now he wants to dis
cuss anything but transit. / had 6
right to assume that the discussion of
transit would involve the examination
Of what was done under his admins
has been done under my administra-
tion. Instead of that he wants to talk
not about what has been done under
my administration but about what
somebody thinks intended TO do; not
about what was done under his admin
istration but about what he asserts he
would like. to have done; and he Is
even calling the school children to wit
ness what / intended to do. And am
not SO contemptuous Of the intelligence
OF the school boys and girls of this city
as is candidate Smith in his under
estimation of their mental aeuteness.
i FGNLQIS W cdy thaG tucys t0ot VA
Election, will see the absurdity of which
he has here made an exhibition. But
all they need to do is to ask Dad---ae
knows.
Nixon's Record Evaded, Charge
II had right to assume that he
would either repudiate or defend Nix
on. Instead, he slurs over Nixon, and
says it is absurd to suppose that either
he or Nixon or Hylan had ever wanted
to or tried TO increase fares. WE'LL
have already pointed out what Nixon
did and what he tried to do. The pee-
pie of this town must remember 1t.
The people of this borough certainly
must remember it, where he permitted
between IT, and 1,700 free transfer
points to be abolished. But I like to
base my case on official records, and SO
/ am going to quote very briefly az TO
what Governor Smiths Public Services
Commissioner Nixon did, tried to do
and recommended, from q report made
by Nixon to the state Legislature In
1920.
"He was asked to describe conditions
and to make recommendation. This
aRas it: My Recommendation, In brief,
is that flexible fare based on the cost
of service be established And he re-
lates how under his administration the
previous summer the two-ceIlt charge
for transfers went into effect in this
city. He also describes the conditions
of transit lines existing in this city:
9 Street railroad trackage abandoned
and service discontinued 77.s2 miles.
"sStreet railroad trackage cut OFT
from parent systems and now operated
separately under additional fare, 26s.22
miles.
Nine operating companies in the
LANDS of receivers, representing 8 total
OF neariv TOO miles of track.
Combined deficits Of street rail-
road companies amounting 80 Sls,35o,-
600.
e Deferred maintenance already
amounting to $4,000, 900 and constantsy
growing.
Abput 1875 free transfer points
aboliahed. 1900 in Brooklyn
"Hefore he went out of office he
ADDED 200 more.
xopc Sysfena Attempted
He also relates how Ae undertook
to establish zoning systsrns IN the sity
|os New York and was hrevented Ey s
writ 81 Vrohibition esAntsd ky the