The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-16

OsitiOn-HIOw to Test It's sincerity.
One of the latest and most pretentious
propositions to supply New York with rapid
transit comes from Commodore Vanderbilt
whose wealth, experience and power to COM
mand outside capital seem to point HIM out as
Just the individual to undertake and success
fully carry out the construction OF steam
railroads through the city. No one can Kho"
better than the Commodore the promising
character of the investment and no one is IN
better position to do the work advanta-
geously and promptly. But we must not for
get that with all these recommendations In MS
favor there are good reasons why his pro-
fessed friendliness to rapid transit should be
looked upon with suspicion. He stands at
the head of those corporations which are
making enormous profits out of the present
condition of transportation in the CITY,
Things are we'll enough for him as they are
Like the stockholders OF the Third avenue
railroad line he is amassing wealth out OF the
inconvenience of the people. SO long as ne
can keep others from building steam rail-
roads through the city so long will he enjoy
practical monopoly OF the travel 1t is true
he may be a philanthropic and public
spirited gentleman, who, having done great
deal for himself is now willing to do some
thing for others; but, unfortunately, this IS
not his first proposition to give the people OF
New York rapid transit. Everybody remem-
bers the suspicious ease and rapidity with
which the Vanderbilt Underground Railroad
bill slipped through recent Legislature, to
the exclusion Of all other projects, and how
we were assured after its passage that the
question Of rapid transit was at last finally
settled. The law proved to be all there was
The Legislators were satisfied and the people
were fooled. Mr.. Vanderbilt cannot be sur
prised if after this experience there should
be some doubt of the good faith of his present
proposition. It may even be regarded by
some persons as o bold defiance of public SEN
timent; sort of proclamation that Mr., Van
derbilt can have the Legislature whenever he
wants it revival of the "What are you going
to do about it, policy so rampant two or
three years ago.
Such suspicious may do injustice to Mr..
Vanderbilt They certainly wrong him if it
be his intention to construct the proposed ele-
waited road in good faith, and to use it not
merely as freight and passenger extension of
his through lines but for the convenience of
city travel at low rates of fare. Happily there
is a certain and easy method of testing the
sincerity of his proposition. The creation Of
o rapid transit commission, composed of such
citizens as the Governor would be certain to
appoint is just what MIR. Vanderbilt must de-
sire if he intends to build his road. This
commission would possess the power and
authority to consider and decide upon all
propositions for rapid transit, and would be
certain to recognize the feasibility and advan-
tages of Mr.. Vanderbilts plan. At the same
time having control over the work, the COM
missioners would protect the interests of the
citizens and take care that the road, when
built, should be run for the convenience of
the residents of New York, and not merely as
a freight line for the profit Of Mr.. Vanderbilt.
What the people desire is that the whole SUBJ
ject of steam railroads in New York shall be
and placed under the supreme control of q
commission like that to which we are indebted
for the Central Park; that the commissioners
appointed by the Governor of the State, shall
possess full power to build roads with the
citys credit, or to allow private capital to con-
struct them, and that all rapid transit lines
shall be under their supervisory authority.
This solution of the question would cover the
Gardner proposition, the new water front
project introduced by Senator Booth, and all
the schemes that have been or are likely to be
agitated. The genuine undertakings would
be benefited by it; the fraudulent lobby jobs
and bogus propositions designed to defeat all
rapid transit would be disposed of, and this is
precisely what the people desire.
Our representatives at Albany, and especially
those from the city, must not suppose that the
people do not fully understand this question.
Rapid transit is the great need Of the city. To
the poorer classes it is an absolute necessity,
for they cannot much longer exist without it,
except at the sacrifice Of health, comfort and
self-respect. At the same time, by raising valu-
atoms, bringing into use real estate that now
lies idle, improving all property, uptown
and downtown, and bringing back to the city
the half million of business men now driven
into the suburbs for residences, it will benefit
the tax payers and largely increase the general
prosperity. The Legislature is approached by
two sets of corruptionists-those who want to
make money out of rapid transit franchise
without building the road and those who want
to get the franchise into their hands for the
purpose of preventing any steam railroads
from being constructed in the city. Dishonest
representatives will vote in the interests of
one or other Of these corruptionists, because
they will be bribed, directly or indirectly, to
do so. No honest legislator can vote against
a propOsition To Mace the whole subiect in the