New-York tribune., 1922-04-20

Rk TRIBU n f, TIL u
esSary to complete contracts to which
the city is already committed, ncces-
snry to furnish, to put into public use,
facilities in which the city money is
already invested Those contracts were
not made by the Transit Commission.
They were made by its predecessors
and approved by the city. will refer
to only one, and there are number,
"The Fourteenth Street subway, the
completion of which will probably re-
ieve the most congested traffic in this
town. that which centers IN Canal
Street. The tunnel has been dug, the
rails have been bought; but now, for
nearly year, the Board of Estimate
has delayed action on the approval Of
the contracts for the ties and spikes
with which to lay those rails. Mean
while $4,000 a day in interest is being
added to the cost of Investment, to the
cost of construction on the city's al
ready invested $l7,000,0O0 of money.
Three quarters of million dollars
have accumulated in interest, added to
the cost. while these contracts have
been sleeping before TIE Board of Es-
innate, and meanwhile the people who
would thus have at least been fur
nished some relief are being herdcd
like sheep at the Canal Street station.
"Now, the duty to pass on those con
tracts Is ministerial have no doubt
tha' taxpayer certainly party to
the contract could compel action, but
am icd to make another observation
that that sort of conduct, if persisted
in too long may become such a gross
violation Of official duty as to justify,
indeed If need be, to require more
or&Suc action,
FoIIo"IoR ms mere was ioud ana
coh''IuouS aPP'huSe' foiio"eo by cneer-
'Ht' NoT''nulrR' the "oVernor sa'a'
A'!G ! am 'ea TO maze ano'her oG-
Servn,'on' ana mat is that me time Is
rYod 'o@S ;,T, .'g""S .;I "n
nhlo i,o" PTH,'V 0'l 'r''' " ~ ~
',;o, ~ +ho ~ b;3e G7 4I,o,,,
,'ocoss,,. ,,,aosr .I'r
Thn Coynrror ro,,io,,.,I h.;oa, ,o
v,o,.l, of tbo T,orsi+ Cor,,,,issi1yg fnr
tho loo+ ,,oar oho,,.;,,,. l,,, - -, oor,
noso6 Of No,y YoTl, - - nv n,o, ond bnu
i has aynidod nol;tica1 hins
uTL;s ,e ,.ooI lo,,,o ,,'1a ,4roo+od
with tbo s,nrions hrord ,,,biob =, ,nero.
lv - noIitiroI sIo@ron 10 lava ,,n %, dron
nc noli+ical cyirency or ind;,5d dual nc-
.ceesitics or dce3res NAV suegcet" " said
tho sneaker ae the diners chccred
msti1yl '0NN'' '''' ''''0' ~ ~
ca,. uo; v.,.o.;
'usteS'S "ea''"S ON 'a'u"''o"S
Turning to the matter Of company
valuations, the inquiry into which will
be resumed to-day by the r8nsiI
Commission, the Governor said;
81 he city on the one hand says that
1T is proposed to buy junk. The com
panics ON the other hand say tnar the
VALUATIONS are too 10" even to 1urnsn
basis for discussion. ! say That II
the valuations are too low ana, mlhd
you, the comm'sslon mas not yet passed
on mat SuoJect-lf they are too low
let the companies produce their experts
tor examination at the pubic hearing.
"By contesSlng that they cannot now
perform their contract and franchise
Obligations the companies put them
selves INTO the position in which their
rights are subord'nated to the public
need, to the pubic interest. The com
mission has taken It's stand on the side
of the public interest, and 1T now finds
itself opposed both by the companies
and the city administration.
Il want to say this, that If the issue
ever comes when the question Of en-
forcing orders is involved, that issue,
IN my Judgment VIII be so framed that
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