The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-26


THE EXCHANGE early took ground in favor of
city passenger railways, and earnestly advocated
the principle that this franchise being one of great
value should be exposed to competition, in order
to obtain the best terms for the people. We sug-
gested that this might be effected in two ways
either by defining and limiting the whole privilege
including the rate of fare, and selling it to the
highest bidder, or by defining and limiting the
franchise in every respect but the fare and grant
ing it to those, who would contract to carry pas
sengers at the lowest rate We expressed our
preference for the latter mode as in all probable
ity the most equitable but we have never failed
to advocate open competition in some form, and
have more than once, pointed out that it this
principle working in the lobbies of the Council,
which has induced the offer of an extremely COM
prehensve service, three-cent fare and an an
nual bonus of ten thousand dollars to the treas
ury, from an Association, amply able to fulfil all
its pledges. We, of course, preferred this propo-
sition to the ordinance passed by the Council and
vetoed by the MAYOR; not because were salts
lied with the principle on which it was based-as
this, in fact was the same as that of the success
AaA
stantial saving Of tareto the people, and the bonus
to the city. Wewere perfectly satisfied of the ability
Of the Brooks party TO perform their engagements,
and had these wealthy and respectable citizens
proposed to run a passenger line, on charitable
principles, charging nothing at all for seats in
their cars, we would not have had them thwarted
in their benevolent design. We had insisted that
the city authorities should take of the public
interests by devising the most perfect and we'll
guarded system of passenger railways and sell it in
the overt market, the best terms as regards the
city treasury the pockets of the people. When
we found that such legislation was not likely to
obtain and that the matter was to be jobbed out,
we had no alternative but to advocate that propo-
sition, which, if not sound in principle, was the
best that could be had. As long as the issue
was living one-as long as there was hope of
effecting good by timely suggestion, or deterring
from evil by denunciation, we deemed it our duty,
as part of the press of this city, not to spare
either. In this, however, we regret that we were
not sustained by our contemporaries. THE Sum-
from whom word in season might not have been
fruitless, took the following ground, which we
thought extraordinary, and which the subsequent,
paper, shows TO have been ill-considered and un-
tenable:
"THE PASSENGER RAILWAY PRoJECTs.-The City Coun-
ellis have had before them a variety of applications for
the privilege of laying down railways in the for
the transportation of passengers OF the merits particu
lar comparative of the several projects, part
of duty to speak, for take for granted that
subject honestly considered and dealt with by thirty
to whom the interests of the city have been conded
be satisfactorily investigated and disposed of without the
supervision of the press details And the other
hand honesty or CONF etency to adopt the best project
for the purpose be cking the influence Of the press
likely to effect anything in behalf of the public.
The moment we realize that 'tthe influence of
"the press is not likely to effect any thing in be-
'haf of the public" we shall consider our occupa-
ton gone, and devote our attention exclusively to
advertisements. But we are cheered by the belief
that even in this matter, our humble efforts have
not been entirely fruitless, nor have we yet aban-
doned the hope, that though the combination of
the peoples agents against the peoples interests, is
shametully apparent, and though we have been
aided but teebly, or opposed openly, by the city
press, in our attempts to protect them that means
will yet be found to defeat the whole scheme of
plumber and corruption.
The American, which seemed to be "waiting
''for a wind" yesterday ran up its flag for the
precipitation which it exhibited on receipt of the
GOVERNORS last reprieve-when its first page
contained an article approving, and its second, of
the same day, one condemning the course of the
Executive of the State, and therefore, it may not
be expected to oppose the MAYORS policy for some
days yet to come But The american is edited on
the principle of compensations. If the bane and
antidote not served up on the same dish, as in
the case Of its comment on GOVERNOR Hicks, they
are sure to succeed each other in good time. Even
in approving Of the MAYORS scheme 10 provide
fund for a park of not less than two hundred
acres, it is betrayed into an abandonment of the
position taken on Tuesday last upon this sub
iect Journalists of more liberal views were jeered
at in the following style:
THE PARK ONCE MoRE.-There can be nothing
easy and simple than to propose, in ofhand careless
way, enormous OUTLAWS of public moneys for the
plishment of grand schemes for the public benefit We
all want Park-or we may say we all intend to haze
Park sort This much being granted the
of the journalist is very plain He has only to write
largely to talk of expenditure of millions
of miles he had the world at least this portion
it, in a sling. He may propose to put iron railing
around Baltimore county, for example, under the pres
sure manifest destiny and to call it Park and if the
city should finally settle down upon four five hundred
acres and leave the rest mercifuy unannexed he may
thank his stars that he at devise
more liberal and magnificent bounds. would be
pretty from competition he would open cigar shop
on top of the shot tower but his customers would be
entirely breahless when they reached him that they
would be unable to enjoy cigar. He would have very
fine prospect. but the situation would be rife too
airy"
The vast commercial experience of The Ameri-
can, and its knowledge of tobacco, evineed
in the statistics of its last ''annua statement"
may be conceded to render its opinion against the
topof the shot tower, as cigar stand, conclusive
But although to be "a trfe too airy'' even 'with
ga fine prospect might be valid objection to a
CIGAR store, we do not think it would be generally
considered one to Park; yet such we must sup
nose is The Americans opinion because it advocates
the entire surrounding of the ground suggested by it
for Park, by building lots-thus cutting off both
rrosnect and air. And in such view its illustra-
ton borrowed from the shot tower may be appropri-
ate But the whole scope of its articles on the sub
iect has been to repress aspiration after space-we
,,ust not aim at the impossible-we must limit our
desires to ssseventy acres" As for example,
ant, not wise to fail entirely by attempting too much
The man who shoots at the moon even with Mlne ne'
Iii NOT only miss the mark but Will waste MS poWder
!, the city will buy the land we have indicated,
- IN secure enclose and worthily empenisn rarki
e. which our children and grandchildren VIII DC CRATE
NAV be said to the contrary by those whose
rin5s are too majestic, and whose lmasnadoas arc w
;nid to allow them to enjoy SO insgmncant ana
ia. Srnglike' an affair. In point OF fact nowevsr
there Is more land in the proposed area 1nan ~ INC ""