The New York herald., 1922-01-27
Miller PUTS END
TO CARFARE myths
Rides Now Cost Most Folk
More Than 8 Cents, but 5
Cents Is Feasible.
ASKS HYLAN FOR PEACE
Governor Tells Merchants He
Has Ignored Politics in
Transit and Charter.

Gov. Miller at a luncheon of the
members council of the Merchants
Association at the Hotel Astor yester-
day extended his hand to the munich
pal administration and invited its CO.
operation in settling the problems of
transit, charter revision and port de-
velopment.
The Governor said that the time for
purely obstructive tactics had passed
and that the city and State at large
had mo interests whatever which need
conflict While on the traction issue
he said the five cent fare would be
preserved for New York city.
Comptroller Charles l.. Craig, Muir
ray Hubert, President of the Board of
Aldermen, and julius Miller, President
of the Borough of Manhattan. all sat
silent while the Governor. after re-
buking the city administration for
seeking to play politics with the three
issues. said:
Il want to emphasize the fact that
we invite, we beseech. II you please. CO.
operation and constructive criticism. ]
want to say that my door at Albany
is open to any citizen of this State, no
matter where he comes from. who has
any constructive suggestion to make
with respect to the handling of any
problem whatever BY the State Govern
rnent. I consider that my function with
respect to the problems to which have
referred largely ended with the creation
of competent tribunals to deal with
them. They are dealing with them with
out dlctation from me. have conf
dence in their Judgment and I propose
to support what they advise and what
they do"
Neither OF the three city officials
would comment after the luncheon upon
the Governors plea for cooperation but
Comptroller Craig SAID he would have
a reply to make tomorrow when he
speaks at the weekly Saturday luncheon
at the Republican Club.
Legality Test Called Proper.
The Governor said he had no word
of criticism for the city administration
in taking the Transit, Commission act
to the Court of Appeals in order to
test its legality and based his appeal
for a cessation of the fight upon the
recent decision of that tribunal uphold
ing its constitutionality. He explained
he had favored the Transit Commission
law because, upon assuming office, he
found that the public was getting less
service than for years and the prob
lem had become "the football Of politics" :"
The Public Service Commission, the
Transit Constructor Commission and
the Board OF Estimate. the three bodies
empowered to deal with the situation,
had devoted much OF their time to
saying uncomplimentary things of each
other" the Governor said.
"Now. something nad to be done"
went on Gov. Miller. ''If nothing were
done / forsaw a situation in this town
| five years hence. we Will say. which to
me was appalling. because you know
there Is daily increase fn travel on
the transit lines OF this center Of 1000
1000 more people will ride to-day than
did yesterday and 1000 more will ride
tomorrow than did to day.
Now stop and think what that means
mo provision whatever to take care of
IL. I found It was essential to break
the deadlock II we were to get any prog
ress. which for years had existed be-
tween the Board OF Estimate and the
state officials, and, mind you, those off,
cials were all of the same political party.
ut was necessary, In my judgment.
that the solution OF the problem should
be vested in n board which possessed
the regulatory powers of the state. which
have never been delegated to the city.
There has been a great deal of talk
about the power TO modify city con-
tracts. They needed modification In the
respect that the companies had advan-
tsges under those contracts which they
needed to surrender in the public In
| terest. No modification was contem-
plated requiring the city to give up any
thing. There was nothing new In any
thing that was done OF In the exercise
of any legislative powers that we're ex-
ercised. Some OF the people Of this COM
munity seem to have forgotten that these
very contracts were made In the name
Of the city by State body--the Public
| Service Commission.
Can Preserve Five Cent Fare.
Now take Il that the bogey of the
| 8 cent fare has served it's purpose.
We still have with us the myth of the
cent faro. I say myth. because any
body who rides about this town knows
that instead OF a 5 cent fare the peo-
pie are required 20 pay Z and IL and
IS and IL and even 20 cents for wholly
inadequate service. And what you were
Continued on Page Five.
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