New-York tribune., 1922-11-04
Governor Points to Bus
Line Revelations as In
dication of Conditions
That w ouId Follow
Ayers Opponent
Sidesteps Issue
Challenges Him to Name
Any Act of Commission
That Warrants Criticism

how the transit prohlem--the issue
in the gubernatorial campaign Of
greatest concern to the people of this
city--would be handled If former
Governor Alfred E. Smith is re-
elected is offered by the facts being
revealed in the current investigation
of the bus lines operated with the
backing Of the city administration,
Governor Miller declared last night.
This is SO, he told large audi
cnce of enthusiastic supporters that
packed Durland's Riding Academy,
because the Democratic candidate
has pledged himself to destroy the
Transit Commission and all it's work
and to turn over the transit lines to
the municipal government, when
they would be operated, the Cover
nor indicated, just as the emergency
bus lines have been, "solely as part
of political machine for private
profit to the favorites of that politi-
cal machine"
81 intend to keep the traction system
from being the football of selfish polit.
ical factions handling it in their owr
interest" he added. "While / am Gov.
ernor, the traction problem shall be ad.
ministered with one thought and only
one thought in view, the interest of the
people.
at is possible for the people to un-
derstand now why there was the des~
perate struggle for four years to turn
the existing facilities into junk in
order to substitute another method of
transportation An open, avowed, al
| most daily declared, purpose has ex-
listed TO scrap the surface lines, which
| last year carried q billion people, in
| order to substitute politically con-
trolled method Of operation in it's place
Discusses Bus Line Plan
| Undoubtedly, in time, with re prop
er development of transit facilities,
there will be gradual elimination OF
surface lines, as there will be gradual
elimination of elevated lines, but in
| the present distressful lack Of transit
facilities none should be scrapped until
something else is ready to take its
place. The plan of the Transit Com
mission contemplates the operation of
bus lines wherever bus lines are prac-
ticable. That plan, put out more than
a year ago, plainly provides for the use
of bus lines as feeders to the central
system, the backbone of which must
necessarily be the subways,. with which
the short haul lines, whether surface
cars or buses or what not, must Dc
correlated.
"For about three years we have had
bus lines illegally operated and the
reason why they have been illegally
operated is now also plain. There wss
q legal method Of operation, but s.ssas
method would have prevented 1aais
operation for private profit. Tness was
q way. under permits to be et4neeu
BY the Board of Estimate and Appor-
tionment and certificates of necessity
and convenience by the Transit Com
mission. that bus lines could legally
have been established. But IN that
case it would have been necessary Tor
per cent of the gross receipts to be
turned into the city treasury. Thnt II
the revenue that is paid into the city
treasury by the bus lines now legally
operated. 1t would have been nee
esgary. TOO, for financial responsibility
back OF the operation of these bus
lines to have been established, and Tor
the city and the public to have been
protected from accident claims instese
of operation being in the hands OF .r-
responsible persons and dummies TOT
political favorites.
..NO Warrant of Law
aAnd so, accompanying the Mayors
cry for busses and for the serapping OF
the surface lines, we have had gradu.
ally developed so-called emergency
bus operation, without warrant OF law,
not under lawful permit, but never-
theless permitted and operated under
the jurisdiction of the Commissioner
of Plant and Structures. The courts
have repeatedly declared that operation
to be illegal, but in the face of these
decisions it has continued and has
been enlarged, until recently by de-
cision of Mr.. Justice Mullan the city
was finally definitely enjoined. There
upon the Mayor and the Board of Esa-
mate requested me to convene an ex-
traordinary session Of the Legis ature.
They said that 100000 people who were
daily carried by these busses would De
made to walk. pointed ont TO them
how those people could continue to be
carried--legally, however, instead az
iilegally--but they were not Interested
They were anxious to create another
grievance Just on the eve of the eiec-
ton, and they said that they could not
grant franchises, thinking that the
word franchise had in the public mind
sinister meaning. All franchise is
is permit, consent, and they we'll
knew that it could be granted for any
length OF time--for six months If reed
he-under any restrictions or liinitA-
tions that might be imposed.
Wants Legal Operation
aOne of the greatest obstacles I'd
such franchises for them would necss-
sariIy have been the payment of at
least some return to the city for the
use of the city's streets" continued the
Governor. "Ihey preferred TO allow
200 ,00G people to walk and so they did
not even apply to the court for stay.
The Transit Commission, however.
anxious to serve the public, did apply
to the court and did secure stay for
d limited time on the theory that an
honest effort would be made to substi-
tute legal operation for illegal opera
tion. That having been done, the
Transit Commission, acting necessarily
on the assumption that at last the
Board Of Estimate and Apportionnsept
would act in legal manner in the In.
vestigation of this bus problem, started
8 public tnyestiRation In order "a bc