Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-03-29
FIRST EDITION.
900 p. M.
PHILAD
OUR sATU RDAY LETTER

AID FOR THE oENTENNIAL-aoD IN THE ooNsTl
TUToN-RIaHrs OF THEATRE TICKET HOLDER
THE OPERA SEASON, &c.
Special Correspondence Of ne Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, March 2S.
The result Of the Local Option vote is dis
heartening. 1t is true that very few well in
formed people anticipated Tperfect success, bu
1t is also true that miss is not always good a
mile-the adage to the contrary. This is like
the questions of Freedom, Equality, and universe
suffrage-a question Of principle, first and last
Therefore it matt ers great deal that the mis-
should have been large one. II the opponents
of license had polled heavy vote, something
| weighty even, II not decisive, the encourage.
ment for future effort would have assuaged, II
IL did not diasipate, the disappointment But
after the vote Of Friday last, there really seems
| to be no hope. The maioritiee, almost every
| where, are overwhelming against the Temper
| ance movement and the defeat of the liquor in
terest Is indefinitely postponed. We need not
/ go far In search OF the reason for this. With
| the prohibitionists the matter was often but
| one OF sentiment; with the "trade" it was a
business .question of serious import. II
non-license had carried, their vocation
| would have been gone and its professors forced
| to transfer their capital and energies to some
less congenial field Thus it became a vital
| struggle with the tavern keepers and their
sources Of supply. These parties formed
close league and their money flowed as freely as
-whiskey. With the party Of principle on the
other hand, it was for the most part nothing
but principle, business not entering into the con-
test to any extent. Thus the battle was fought,
and lost. Properly speaking it was only fought
on one side. The prospect may not be pleasing
to some Of us, but 1t must take its place with
the unnumbered things that are not as they
should be in this world.
The question, agitated at different times for
many years, of laying Railway Tracks on the
Delaware River Front, has at last taken definite
shape. A bill was presented in Select Councils
yesterday, giving the Pennsylvania. North
Penna and Reading Companies power to lay
tracks along the River Front, to connect with
their roads in the manner that may be most
suitable, and providing for such turnouts to
forwarding houses and the shipping lines on
the route as may be necessary and desirable.
The bill provides that Delaware Avenue shall
be graded to q uniform width Of 80 feet, the
extra width to be gained by filling in dock heads,
where they exist, and by appropriating the up
per ends Of the wharves. The building line as
1t stands is not to be disturbed. OF this eighty
feet Boulevard thirty feet are to be devoted
to the railway tracks. As regards the cost OF the
Improvement, and haw it is to be betrayed, there
seems to be some difference Of opinion. or
course there will be assessments for damages.
The companies do not appear to be mulohed for
these but only for the expense of filling in and
OF, f,buildiBg the additional roadway. One men,
Der of councils said the city would be RESPONSE
BILE for at least S. 600 900 il the bill passed while
another member Thought the civic portion Of
the bill would not exceed S550,000 Councils
made the measure the special order for the next
meeting. 1t will probably be amended In its f.
nancial aspects, but there is no doubt but
that it's essential features will be1Parried.
Such accommodations will be imperatively need
ed when our Liverpool Steamship line goes into
operation. You have been already informed OF
the launching early in the week Of the "Indi-
ana" the third Of the Company's steamers. She
is noble craft in every way equal to her prede-
ceesors. This frst-class line of ocean steamers,
with the accompanying feeders in the shape OF
water line railways, connecting directly from the
steamers docks to the interior, without shifting
of freight, should and will do great service in
the building up Of Philadelphia commerce, 1t
is time that work was done.
The Union passenger line has made move
mont towards laying it's threatened track on
Market street. and has been promptly injunctod.
1t has the law on its side, however whether the
legislation was rightfully or wrongfully OBJ
tained and the unfortunate Market street peo- |
pie must give in. The ''gridiron" line propose
to add insult to injury by turning loop at the |
foot OF the street around the end OF the Market |
street tracks thus having the choice position for
the seizure of passengers by the Ferries. There
isa fascination neutrality-suspicious. when carried to
excess, and the Union Party have gained friends |
by the very eublimity OF their assurance. The |
latest card played by these cool hands is the in
PRODUCTION OF measure at Harrisburg, by that |
model Legislator MIR. Sam Josephs, providing Tor |
the appointment of q commission to amicably |
adjust all differences between street Railway |
companies, which commissioners shall have es- |
pecial power ii they see fit to compel two COM
panies running on one street to use the same
track. Could anything be neater What with |
all this injustice and venality and with the added
worry about the franchise of the route around |
the now Public Buildings, that President Morton
does not esign shows him TO have more pluck |
than Imost men, would rather be a lsimpe- |
minded conductor, going to the bosom OF my |
family every evening at tea time land sitting |
down to magazines and newspapers, than have |
my brain In such aiwhirl.
tain impetus from the grant of the Legislature |
this week, even though it did not get clear |
gift OF the amount asked for The Bill appro.
priating million dollars is law having passed
both Houses and been signed by the Governor. |
The State does not however pay over this large
sum OF money directly. Within certain time |
it will contribute $25O,00O in cash, but the bal
ance Of the million is to be raised by tax OF |
per cont upon the receipts OF Passenger Rail- |
way Companies in PhiladelphiA to the year 1877. |
The tax is not absolute the companies having |
the right to say whether they will accept |
or no,-being guaranteed, in case they /
do accept, certain rights. The State, in fact, |
therefore, subscribes but a quarter Of million,
and it cannot be said that the result is entirely
satisfactory. Many people think that the COM |
panies will not all accept, and others believe the |
per cent will not be found to make up the /
deficiency, when il is levied only upon those |
lines that are agreeable to the proposition. |
The principal guarantee the companies that /
may accept have is that there shall be no enact
ment compelling them to lower their fares be- |
fore 1877. Inasmuch, however, as there is no |
likelihood OF such .an enactment-consider- |
ing moreover that recent events have |
shown that the Railway Kings can get |
Just such Legislation" at Harrisburg as suits |
them even to the length Of raising fares if pru- |
dent, it becomes very problematical il that three
quarters of million s going to be raised in the
way proposed. There is an air about the thing, |
however, that will impress people who do not |
look closely into:the facts-especially strangers.
The news will be spread broadcast over the |
country, that Pennsylvania has subscribed mil |
lion dollars to the Centennial and the moral ef-
feet Of the swindling announcement may be |
good. |
The conscientious persons who have been |
anxious to have an acknowledgment of God and |
the christian religion in the State Constitution,
have partially carried their point. The Commit |
tee on the Declaration of Rights in the Consti- |
tutional Convention have reported.a article for |
the amended State Code. which will probably |
pass, recognizing the Sovereignty OF God. They |
did not find it expedient. however, to incorpor-
ate belief in the christion religion in the docu- |
ment, and although this troubles many worthy |
people, the sober sense of the majority will be |
found to approve the action. Allsmen who are |
fit to be citizens, acknowledge the Supreme |
Being, but there are thousands of good |