New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-23
rROAuwAy AND OTHER BAH.
MAN GRANTS.

now crful influence eXcrted over contests io'
power by The showing which each party made
with respect to expenditure and taxation.
Economy was then praoticed. and was indis-
pcnsab,e. and there was invariably serious con-
test over the bodgct, the fate Of Candidates de-
pending Oh The prudence or The extravagahco
| for which they wore respectively distinguished.
Tho first inroad made upon this habit in tho
City Of New-York was at the time the Sixth and
Eighth.ayc. Railroads camo up for huihon-
zation. The well known representatives oil
opposite parties III the Common Council, who
before had made Garnet fights over questions
of e1penditurp said :D each Oihcr:-What Is the
use offnrther contests for The benefit oil Tho pub
liz, when leading Democrats and wings may
unto 10 divide The spells o! these railroad
grau,s' From t.at day to this there have been
no oontests over To financial exhibits OF the
year. but the whole interest of representatives
las been absorbed in the creation Of railroads Tor
them stices. and in questions relating TO thcf
Management. 10 carry ont tins plan, our con-
| tests in this city have been So shaped that,
whether Democrat or Republican succeeded in
any District. the person elected became merely
trustee FOR himsel; or is friends To see that
MS OF thcir Railroad and other Ike interests
were properly promoted at tho City Hall. Oi
or State legislation. it may NC equally said that
Che rapid decay IN .s purity may BE- traced in
great part to the-e Railroad grants, the distribu-
tion OF which over the St..to to private iEdivid-
usls composed Of tie friends and relatives OF
members ard Of Others Who pay liberaly foF
! grants. has been the means Of causing millions
TO be divided among them. All the principal
cities .f the State ccutlin street Railroads
granted in this manner. amounting to many
, hundreds of miles in length. This immense in
teres., which, ii used fos strictly public ends.
would have aided largely in reducing the
debts Of cities or tie FER ccn.age Of taxation,
bas been wholly Squandered, and with an entire
disregard Of the rights AID interests Of the pub
lie. The iIoud is the most s,upendous
known in tho annals q legislation.
Such bong the character Il thee grants.
It may To supposed that they have been made
also without regard 70 the convenience Of the
public. No adequate provision has been made
for secu.;rr that tho tracks be laid In manner
most cogsi5tont with the Use Of TIC streets III
which they are laid for OTHER travel and trans
portation. Tho movements Of all other ychi-
cles, and the business dependent on them, are
/ thus greatly hindeTed. though il Is well known
that, in Cities out OF Me State, the tracks orr
80 laid az TO hinder and obstruct travel much
less seriously. Restrictions have also been neg
lected, In the acts creating these grants, Oh
the number Of passengers which companies may
crowd into cars, and there is no provision for
competing cars to run night ard day. Sipula-
tons in these respects would doubtless have
been introduced into the meta creating these
roads, had it been for the private and pecuniary
interest OF the graatces-thosc named and those
co.. plod-instead Of the public interest.
IL cannot be doubted that any body Of repre-
scntatiyes who recognize The obligation 10 legis-
late for the public welfare. would not have
lsquandercd this vast property in It's avail
ability for useiulness-and neglected every wise
precaption for managing and using it for the
convenience Of the public. 1t has been iorcibly
said that the commission Of q crime is the as
sertion Of principle Of conduct, and hence II 10
found that those members who disregard thor
most solemn obligations in grants Of this charac-
ter, arc willing to make oil other Legislation
turn on their success in creating them. The
whole body Of our laws passed at sessions when
legislation Of this description is common, is moro
OF Less affected By the faint. Good bills support
ed by enemies Of tho system, are defeated from
motives Of revenge. BAD ones, introduced by
friends Of the system, arc supported to compen.
sste for votes in favor Of such grants. The legis
lator who is bent on serving his District md the
State faithfully is without influence, and appa-
rently ont of place, except when gifted with rare
powers and high courage, such as enable him
to denounce Gnd defeat these schemes Of plnn-
de,.-oualities so seldom exhibited tlst the ma
iority feel perfect contempt for the integrity
which lacks this vigor. Whittier We shall be
conducted wten our chosen guardians lose sight
OF every State interest. and devote Themselves
wholly to legislation In their own behalf 10 10
not difficult " see. At this very moment, o
combination which embraces the whole State
in Its folds, not less complete than arc the mill.
tary combinations which move our armies on
tho battlefield. u sOtiYslY o. work TO divide