The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-14

deliberately conceded franchise TO one set of an
plicants on terms equivalent to granting them a
specific bonus of at least fifty thousand dollars per
annum, over and above the sum for which another
and, far as appears, far more responsible asso-
citation, were willing to perform the same. or rather
superior service. We make, we conceive no in
vidious comparison, when we assert that in this
community, the names used in what is called the
BROOKS bill" carry a weight of financial re-
source and business energy, which are not recog-
nlzed to belong TO those embraced in the TRAvERs'
grant. We state, further what wethink to be still
palmer proposition that the Brooks association
are among the last men who could be charged with
so total disregard of their own interests as to be
willing to undertake enterprise likely to result
in any thing but handsome pecuniary gains, or so
deficient in shrewdness, as to be prone to commit
an oversight in that important particular. When
MesSrs. CHAUNcEY BRooKs, S. O. HOFFMAN, ct
@.-announce themselves prepared to perform
service, which they do not pretend to be a gratui-
tous one-the people of Baltimore need not be in
formed that these gentlemen are not only abun-
dainty able to perform what they undertake but
that they have the best grounds for believing that
what they do, will be sufficiently remuneratve.
Any pretencG of solcitude the part of the Coun-
Gil, to prevent such men from rushing, recllessly,
into wild speculation we all know to be simply
ridiculous. The whole City Government,
might 60 to school, to these gentlemen, for a
long time, to learn lessons of prudent
and successful enterprise. The Council may
have its own opinions on the point
at which bonus to the Treasury may be too
large, and the passenger fare to the company too
small, but when CHAUNcEY Brooks, S. O. HoFF-
| MANN, ZENos BARNUM, &c. &C., say not only that
they are of different opinion, but back that opn-
ion by bond and security to undertake themselves
what they affirm to be proftably practcable-the
best proof which men can give of their perfect sin
cerity-this community will not fail to take sides
with them, against every body except persons
equally intelligent and equally responsible, who
may out-bid them. Indeed, further it may well
be argued that it is matter of ours even if these
gentlemen shall lose by the operation That is their
lookout not the Councils; or if it be contended,
as it no doubt will be, that these gentlemen
are, in fact, in pursuit of some other object such
as improving their suburban property, we again
say, on behalf of the people, that is nothing to the
Council. If Messrs. Brooks l. Co. will carry US
for nothing where we want to go, we should be
absurdly captious, if we decline to ride because it
was in the direction of their lots But it is not So
Doubtless these gentleman are perfectly willing to
improve the value of their property in any legit-
mate way, but the other grant will effect that object
without their assuming any trouble or loss in the
matter. The elements for a safe calculation of the
profits of this business are so accessible, that it
admits of perfect demonstration that a city
monopoly, with three cent fare will pay most
handsomely. We are utterly opposed to the engraft-
ment OF the copper rider, on the neat little three
cent provision. There is such an admirable
fitness in that coin, to fulfil the purpose assigned
1t in the BROOKS grant, that it seems like
attempting to interfere with destiny ITSELF
to append the copper nuisance. There
when that was looked upon as minimum, but
the creation of this necessity for carrying cop
per, is piece of legislative bungling which
CRATES upon all notions of symmetry and
beauty. But this is not the worst aspect pre-
sented. This adding one cent to the fare will,
on the first year of the introduction of the railway
subtract at least forty thousand dollars from the
pockets of the people-and until some good reason
can be shown why Messrs. TRAvERs & Co., are en-
titled to this very handsome allowance beyond
what others are willing to do more for-we submit
that if the Councilmen do not allow it to remain in
their constituents purses it will afford pretty con-
elusive evidence that very large part of it will find
its way into their own. Whatever may be our opin-
ion of the spirit in which the First Branch will
meet the responsibility thus thrown back upon it,
we cannot help expressing a confidence which we
feel, that some how and in some way this niquitv
will be yet defeated and its authors brought to
shame