The Washington times., 1922-08-08
A I I A c K s.
MONOPOLY.
CON I R D |
City Should Provide Cheap
Hydro-EIectric Power and
Light, He Declares.

This IS the second and final TN
stdllment of Cornelius Vanderbilt,
frs, Interview Nth Mayor John
+. Hylan, in t0hich the Neso York
city erecbtiUe outlined has prob
lens in conducting the business OF
the Uorld's greatest city.
BY CORNELIUS VANDERBILT, Jr.
NEW YORK, Aug. S.-Mayor
Hylan is not a college graduate,
but he was educated in the pub
lie schools and took a post
graduate course in the great
school of experience, aided by a
Methodist mother, who believed
that her son was going to amount
!. to something some, day and who
gave her best that he might be
well fitted for his career. ..
One of the mayors hobbies /
i. found to be education; that is,
sgood, sound practical education
for the boys and girls Of New
York City, entirely disassociated
from meddling politics. Another
hobby of his is to build the right
kind of schools for these boys
and girls. Educational rings"
are outside his category.
Higher Tax Averted.
1.-THE pay-as-you-go law provided
that after January 1, 1919 when the
present administration took office),
the city OF New York should not
issue any longterm bonds for
schools, Fairgrounds. parks, bridges,
hospitals or any other public
necessity which produced no rev.
enue. In other words, the entire
cost of any such Improvement would
have to be paid for through the
budget of the year ins which the
money was to be expended. The
taxpayers of a single year would
have to pay In a lump sum the cost
Of an Improvement the life OF which
might extend through more than
half a century and the advantage Of
which would be enjoyed by success
siye generations at the cost OF the
present. ...
y "It would have been utterly Inn
possible to advance an extended con-
etruction program involving an ex-
pendtture of over $50, 100000 and
vinclude this sum in the budget OF a
sinS1e year. To have done this
would have involved an increase of
almost seventy points In the TAX
rate. . .E'..c .. e.
. Attacks Nudd. rt-,
.'Prior to the enactment OF this
law the city could issue long-term
bonds for a public Improvement by
putting aside a certain sum annual-
" to meet interest payments and
proportion Of the principal so that
each generation of taxpayers would
nay a proper share for the oenslit
Of the improvement. Under that
Arrangement great numoer y,
schools could be built and financed
with a proper regard Tor each GER
grafton of taxpayers.
'In addition to the pay-as,you-
no law and the Gary system, botn
~ which stood as a Chinese wall,
preyenting school construction, there
were other elements tending TO re-
tsrd progress in new school building.
GROUPS OF well-maening women, mis-
s,,ided by Mr.. Nudd, of the Rookie
Aller Public Education Association.
were led to believe that many OF
the older school buildings In this
city were fire traps. Announcement
tof this belief was made Just before
last election.
Fire Traps y Myth.
.This administration was held
oersonally responsible for the dilapi-
6ated condition of schools, many OF
which had been built from one-half
70 three-uuarters of a century before.
Notwithstanding the fact that this
administration had expended almost
three times as much as the preceding
administration for repairs and main
tenance of school buildings.
~ fart mt one
ef the old buildings was fire trap
and this was publicly certified by
the superintendent of schools, DIR.
.SThe real motive behind the drive
AGAINST the use Of the old school
h,,iIdinrs was to have them shut
down. reducing available accommo-
dafions and forcing the children into
other school buildings, thus adding
70 the congestion.
1--WE also hear from time to time
Of groups of individuals with plenty
OF leisure. who are constantly de-
Nsing new activities OF supposed edu-
cational value, and who csSst9ntly
seek TO have the city school system
sxiopt them as part Of the curricu-
, ium. Hence, Il is not surprising that
our educational department has been
cIuttered with these fads and fancies
which complacent administrations
have been permitted to be engrafted
upon the school system to the detri-
ment of scholastic training Of chill
dren.
'The present city administration
has made good in great part the
shortage OF school accommodation
due TO the failure Of preceding admin
istrations to have school construc-
ticn to keep pace with requirements.
on january 1, 1918, when the present
administration took office, school
construction was about $4,000, 900
behind requirements. The Board Of
Education has already received APP
preparations aggregating $4,000. 900
OF total appropriation of s77 200, 900
. ultimately to be provided"
Many New Buildings.
Since January /, 1918, was told,
there have been built and opened
many new school buildings. The
entire program of which these build.
ines are a part consists of fifty
four additions to elementary build.
inea. twenty-four portable. five high
. schools and five additions to high
|, schools. In addition to these there