The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-07

Railroad. AS the subject of rapid transit
Is OF such great interest there will, no
doubt, be a large attendance. We do not
know exactly what the object of the hearing
is; but two points suggest themselves In con-
nection with it. In the first place, the Com
mittee ON the Affairs of Cities appears to be
more appropriate reference for the bills In
relation to rapid transit than the Railroad
Committee, and, in the next place, such a
hearing as that now announced seems to be
trihng with the subject and sheer waste
of time. The Legislature can require no
argument to prove what is established
by facts-the absolute necessity Of some
means of rapid transit in New York.
If they desire to know who ara the OPP
ponents of this great public boon we can
supply them with the information without the
delay or trouble of committee meeting
They comprise all those who make money out
OF the inconvenience and injury of the people.
First come the stockholders of the city horse
car lines, who have now monopoly of the
passenger traffic, and realize enormous profits
out of their several roads. Next, the prop
erty owners in Brooklyn and New Jersey, who
are benefited in proportion as the property
owners in the upper parts of our own city are
the ferry companies on both sides of the city,
whose business might be materially decreased
if we kept in New York the thousands who
are now driven to find homes across the
rivers. Lastly, few selfish, narrow
minded millionnaires, whose muddled in
property may be deprecated if steam railroads
should be suffered to run through the city,
and who think far more of saving the dollars
with which they are surfeited than in pro-
noting the general prosperity. All these
interests will be represented before the
committee and will denounce an ele-
waited road, an underground road, or
any project that may be advanced.
But it is time that the Legislature should turn
a deaf ear to these selfish opponents of a great
public work, absolutely demanded by the
necessities of the people Of the metropolis; and
when we find them invited to go to Albany to
be heard against this or that scheme of rapid
transit we cannot resist the suspicion that q
bid is made for those solid arguments" so
much in vogue at Albany in former sessions.
There is but one direct, business-like and
honest way of treating this rapid transit
question, and if our present representatives
at the State capital do not desire to take rank
with the notorious jobbers and corruptionists
of past Legislatures they will promptly reject
all other propositions. That way is to create
rapid transit commission, just as the origi-
nal Central Park Commission was created,
and to place in the hands of the Commits
sioners the whole power in relation to the
subject. No sound argument can be adj
vanced against such disposal of the ques-
ton. Rapid transit in New York is essentially
the people and of all the property in the city.
There may be some little difference of opin-
ion as to whether the city should build the
road at its own cost, giving the citizens the
full benefit of all the profits to be realized
out of the business in low fares and ample
imagined that a majority of the people do
not favor the investment that point
could be settled by a provision for the
submission of the question to the electors at
the next election. This would remove the
only plausible objection that can be raised to
the proposition. With commissioners of high
social standing, irreproachable character, ex-
perience, capacity and energy, the interests Of
the city would be safe, there would be no dan
ger of the adoption of any impracticable
scheme, and the completion of the much de-
sired work would be assured. AS we have
already shown, the profits of rapid transit in
New York are not predetermined, and hence,
while the people could well afford to pay an
annual tax if necessary for the support Of q
steam railroad through the city, it is certain
that the receipts would be sufficient to pay the
interest and to provide for the redemption Of
the bonds. AS population increases and the
passenger traffic becomes larger q railroad
built and owned by the people could be run
at low rate of fare-probably at three cents
while on a road owned by a corporation the
fare would be kept up and the enhanced profits
would be swallowed up by the stockholders in
increased dividends.
There must be no mistake, however, as to
the manner in which the people of New York
desire to be represented in this matter of
rapid transit. bill is before the Legislature
which provides that the Mayor and Common
atty shall have the exclusive authority to con-
struct a rapid transit road in any form or
according to any plan and through any streets
the Common Council may determine upon.
This proposition may appear fair enough upon
its face, but the citizens of New York do not
desire any such exercise of popular SOW
ereignty. The Mayor changes every second
year, and the Common Council does not
usually command the confidence Of the peo-
pie. We might have one plan Of rapid transit
agreed upon to-day which would be upset on
the election of new Mayor and new Com
mon Council before any material prog