New-York tribune., 1922-10-17
Smith Demands
Home Rule in
Upstate Speech
Attacks Miller for Placing
Transit Power i'm Commits
sion; Says Cities Should
Control Public Utilities
Candidate Gets Ovation
Declares Stand for State De.
velopment, Ownership,
Control of Water Power
From q stan Corresponden.


TROY, Oct. 16.-Alfred E, Smith.
Democratic candidate for Governor
opened his upstate campaign here to-
night with an enthusiastic reception at
the hands of the Rensselaer, County
Democrats.
Prior to speaking ut the Music Hall
before 1000 persons the candidates
speech was broadcast throughout the
state from the radio station at the
Rensselaer, Polytechnic Institute.
Upon the arrival Of the special Smith
car at Albany this afternoon the for
mer Governor was met at the station
by Mayor William S. Sackett and n
delegation of 200 men and women of
the Albany County Democratic organi-
zation. Elizabeth B. Colbert headed
the women's delegation. The candidate
held reception on the station plat
form. Mayor James W. Fleming of this
city joined the party at Albany. He
will accompany the Smith party for
the rest of the upstate trip,
Mr.. Smith brushed over the issues
of economy and efficiency In the state
government during his and Governor
Miller's administrations and tackled
traction and carfares and water power
development in his speech. Troy is
the first city visited by the Democratic
candidate in the increased trolley fare
belt and he improved the first oppor-
tunity to explain why the fare has re-
mained at Ave cents in New York City
while it had been Increased in upstate
cities under his own Public Service
Commission when he was Governor
Troy has a scven-cent fare.
He contended that the increased fares
here and in other cities had been sane
toned and accomplished as matter
of home rule, left to the cities them
selves, in the matter of making their
own contracts with the traction COM
panies and then respecting them. Gov
.ernor Miller, in placing that power in
a State Transit Commission in New
York, the speaker declared, had gross
ly violated the principle of home rule.
"What defense can the Governor pos
sibly make of his brutal assault upon
the rights of the cities to enforce the
provisions of their own contracts"
said Mr. Smith "The people of Troy
have an example of what this policy
on the part of Governor Miller really
Under my administration the
contracts between the City of Troy and
the traction companies operating in
that city were respected, and the mat
ter of carfare increases was left to the
city.
'If your Common Council saw fit to
give relief to the trolley companies
during the stress and pressure of war
times, that's q matter for the City of
Troy. But to take that power from
the city and leave its people at the
power and the mercy of q state agency
is a violation of the fundamental prin-
ciple of home rule and local control of
home affairs that nobody can defend,
and can only be taken as move to
benefit few against the wishes and
over the heads of the many.
"That is exactly what Governor Mil
ler did when he passed his public serv-
ice legislation, and the first Public
Service Commission was in no way
backward in showing its friendship in
a material way for the traction COM
panies. This power given to the Pub
lie Service Commission to tear up city
contracts is not confined to the City
OF Troy. 1t is statewide in its opera
ton, and supplants local authority in
ali parts Of the state by state author
ity, represented by the Public Service
Commission.
"The Democratic platform, adopted
at Syracuse, takes the fair and equita-
BILE position in this matter of recogniz
ing the rights of the cities to control
their own public utilities and makes
the matter of contracts as between
public service corporations and munich
palities subject for consideration
only by the power of the city itself.
This is fundamental, democratic
principle that, to my way of thinking,
admits of no debate.
at is idle to talk home rule for poll
teal effect Immediately preceding an
election and at other seasons of the
year to not only withhold that grant
of home rule, but to destroy every
vestge of it existing No municipality
can be expected to protect the rights of
its citizens if the state can step in and
nullify contracts solemnly entered into
and faithfully lived up to by the city
] can think of nothing more reactionary
than this particular legislation"
Mr.. Smith turned his attention to the
water power development in the state,
accusing Governor Miller of turning
these resources over to private inter-
ests, while the Democratic platform
and himself stood for their development