The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-06-21
street Railroads.


The health and comfort Of tho people Of
city have, for many ages, been considered to
authorize uncommon grants of power, and un-
usual expenditures Of money. Summary juris-
diction sgivon of crimes and offences, and
police force keeps day and night watch over
the peace. And there is good reason for this
authority which abridges the liberty of tho
citizen, for the general good of the dense mass,
of which he is a part. So, also, is the reason
good which levies heavy taxes upon property,
to promote the samo general welfare. 1t is
often money we'll laid out; but, at the same time,
while the expenditure of city is large, the
talent required to manage its finances should
be of a high order. The ways and means of
revenue can not be too closely calcalatcd, and
the constantly augmenting scale of expenses
must be held as much as possible in check.
Among the producing assets of the city will
be this new Railroad system, just now in
process of construction. In what manner it
may be made most available for the purpose of
yielding revenue, is grave question. We SEQ
it stated that there is suggestion of retain
ing so much on every passenger, which de-
serves attention. Some such charge on the
passengers through New Jersey by the Cam
den and Amboy Railroad has yielded enough
almost to de(ray the police expenses. And yet
it is charged that the Railroad controls the
politics of the State, cOrrupting the officers
and expressing the people. Whether the tariff
| on passengers can work free of objections, is
not certain. 1t should be further discussed by
| the Council and the press We have not yet
seen the argument upon that point as fully
presented as it deserves to be. We wait for
the facts.
1t is very certain, however, that the compa-
nies who get the railroad privilege in our streets
ought to keep the streets in order, so far as tho
pavement is concerned and preserve the tran
sit of every description Of vehicles and persons
on foot.
We observe further, that the Council have
not as yet limited the time for the expiration
of the privilege of the corporators. That limit
ought to be fixed by the law in the very begin
ming; and it ought not to exceed the lifetime
of q generaton-twenty years. Longer time
than this, it would not clearly appear that the
people now living had right to bind them
selves, and those who by the course of nature
are to follow them. Such was the mature and
elaborate opinion of Jefferson expressed tC
Madison in his letters from France; and such
is the abstract conviction of a great many
thinkers. Such is the drift of the age, but no
the practice of statesmen in either the state OF
| calo L. .-LA
constantly increasing public debt, however, ant
the anxious impatience of the people under it
the low scale of morality which characterize
dealings with trust funds of every sort, max,
the question one of paramount Importance. I
is likely that the legal, as well as the mora
obligation of great posthumous engagement
will be more closely scrutinized by all interested
hereafter, some period for the limit of the pub
lie debt will probably be assigned to the tim,
it has to run, or a limit to its aggregate, ha
been defined in Ohio. Other engagements thai
those for borrowing money, will probably b.
governed by the financial policy which viii
have to be adopted.
The Street Railroads ought not to go out o
our hands for longer than twenty years; con
tract by public outcry with the highest bidder
after full notice, for no longer term of years
would be advisable. In England, the grea
country highways by Railroad have beei
allowed TO become private property il
perpetuity: though we believe that evci
there, the right is reserved in SOM
of the Railroad acts, to purchase at
certain price calculated on the profits. That is
not enough even under the aristocratic insti
tutions of Great Britain. The Railroad Com
panies should only have had control of tn
public thoroughfares for limited time, at th
expiration of which time they should be re
qured to restore their privilege to the nation
Parliament might thus have made provision 70
4 large reduction Of the debt. In France, rail
road grants are for given period; and afte
that, the property is taken by the Governmen
at fair valuation. 1t is pity that the United
States had not followed the latter's example
In our cities, the reason is the stronger; and il
Cincinnati We should by all means limit tn
time of the railroad grants. 1t will not do t
depend, as some do, on the legislative powe
to repeal charters given by the Constitution
Railroads of every sort will combine to pros
trate its exercise. Let it be clearly understoo
at the start-that is the best and only way t
prevent difficulty; here as any other evil is pre-
Vented-by anticipating and providing for il
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VAULTING AMBITION HAS OvERLEAPED IT
sELP-THE VERDIcT.--A jury has, to all in