The New York herald., 1922-06-07
MILLER CHALLENGES.
MAYORS ON TRANSIT
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ministration and said needs are. increas-
ing faster than the ability to satisfy
them. He deplored the ever increasing
! taxes on real estate. The State must
divide further with municipalities the
responsibility for expenses and he ad-
vocated that the State take over entirely
the care of the feeble minded. There
always has gone on the conflict between
the several branches of the government
because 1t is human nature to want
power he said and continued:
"The State is still the supreme SOW
ereign. The localities do not possess
sovereign power. They cannot in the
nature of the case possess sovereign
! power. although there are some who ap-
| pear to think that they are independent
sovereignties, but whatever power they
possess comes from the State itself It
will be very sorry day for the Repub-
| lie when self-government ceases to be
In the blood of our people. The only
way we learn how to be self-governing
| in State and nation is by laying the
foundation OF local self government Of
their own local affairs. And regardless
Of the question of where sovereignty re-
| poses. / undertake to say that whoever
loves his country and wishes to have
! it's free institutions preserved must do
everything in his power to increase the
habit, the capacity the desire of people
for self government by giving them the
most complete and full power to govern
| their own affairs"
1t was at this juncture that the Gov
| ernor paused and leaning far forward
over the table pointed down to Corpora
ton Counsel and gave this ultimatum to
the New York officials on the subject
of transit:
81 suppose. my friends. O'Brien
would not be satisfied IL / did not take
up the subject of transit
That is a State concern. 1t must
| be a State concern. because 1t involves
the exercise of the police power of the
State. which the Legislature hasn't the
power to surrender II IL would. And
while / have observed that some have
advocated that among other local pow
ers should be the power to regulate
| public utilities, / want to ask the Mayors
! IL you really want any such power? 1
want to ask you to reflect upon the
| case you would be in if commission
OF your selection was to decide as be
tween the public on one side OF your
! cities and the public utilities On the
| other hand as to what proper rate
to charge and proper service to render.
4
| took that function you would be mighty
! glad. and in a very short while, to un-
! load ii back upon the State.
/ TT is repugnant to any fair minded
| mans sense of right and justice so much
1 that it is one of the fundamental prin-
ciples Of our common law that no man
shall be a Judge In his own cause but
that questions of that sort shall be de-
termined by impartial tribunals which
will not be influenced by prejudice, by
popular clamor on the one hand or by
the influence of corporations and the
Improper approach of interests upon the
! other hand.
when it comes to purely local con-
| Germs / would have II so that every city
could determine for itself how it's affairs
should be administered i would have 1t
so that every time l wished to create or
abolish or consolidate a department
they would not have to 20 to Albany
tut that II should be faced with their
own legislative body and they should
have a complete domination of that sub
ject. of all matters OF purely local con-
Germ.
"If you are to have this local author
ity which you want to have you must
take measures to dignity your local
body, measures which will attract men
of virtue, of public spirit, Of capacity
for local government. And that, gentle
men, Is one of the great problems in
working out this question Of home rule
which l think you need to address your
self to, how to strengthen your local
legislative body. Get from the State a
grant of power. set up a proper local
legislative body and then leave all
matters of local legislation to them and
let the State Legislature occupy itself
entirely with State matters.
Let there be in the solution of this
+. great problem OF home rule no cheap.
picayune. small demagogy politics. Let
IL be solved regardless of partisan con-
sideration because this is thing that
should not be a political question. II Is a
business proposition and IL should be
settled by business men IN broad
guage fashion, and in accordance with
the spirit of our free institutions. and a
message I want to leave with you is
to encourage and develop that spirit OF
cooperation
The Governor hurried from the hall
and raced 10 the station to catch his
train to Albany. The conference con-
tinues in session all tomorrow.
At the afternoon session of the con-
ference. Corporation Counsel O'Brien de-
nounced the Public Service Commission
and demanded the removal of William
A. Prendergast because OF the failure
to cut gas rates He also criticized
the United States Supreme Court for
its decisions on city traction matters.
He said there should be an age limit
for tho bench and denounced the idea
of having two men over eighty sitting.
The Republicans who are in the ma
jority at the conference are urging the
election of chairman who is friendly
TO Gov. Miller. The Democrats favor
Mayor Samuel a. Carlson OF James
town. a Progressive Republican.
Mayor Hylan is to address the con-
fcrcnce tomorrow.