The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-01
The Assembly Committee and thu
Vanderbilt Rapid Transit Bill.

Tne Assembly Committee and tho
Vanderbilt Rapid Transit Bill.
The Railroad Committee Of the Assembly
has so far yielded to the pressure of public
opinion as to report the Eastman and other
rapid transit bills for the consideration of the
House, instead Of suppressing them in the
committee room, as it was evidently disposed
to do. AT the same time the committee has
signalized its warm friendship for Commo-
dore Vanderbilt by assailing in its report the
proposition for the creation of Rapid Transit
Commission proposition which is very gen.
orally favored by the citizens of New York.
We need scarcely say that the reasons given
by the committee for its opposition to COM
mission are SO weak as to bear the unmistak-
able evidence of insincerity. Mr.. Lincoln,
of Ontario, and his associates think it would
DO altogether improper that q rapid
transit road should be built by the city;
but why? Suppose the taxpayers of New
York and the citizens generally are in favor
OF the construction of such road as public
work, why should Mr.. Lincoln, of Ontar 10
and Mr.. Smith Weed, of Clinton, object? We
have repeatedly said that if any doubts exist
In the patriotic minds of our representatives
at Albany as to the wishes of the people of
New York on this point their consciences can
be readily satisfied by providing in the bill
that before the commission shall build road
on the public credit they shall submit the
question to the popular vote ct general cleo
ton. But our Clinton and Oneida guardians
say, 'Your committee are of the opinion that
no commission can be provided that will con-
struct rapid transit road unless built by the
city," and they base tits opinion on the fact
that capitalists will not put their money into
the hands of commissioners to be expended
for them" but will ''demand q voice in its ex-
penditure and in it's control"
Now, the members of the committee are
not simpletons. On the contrary, they
are supposed to be sharp, shrewd and
very practical men. They know that
rapid transit commission would simply
stand in the position of the Legislature, and
would decide, as the Legislature decides, under
what conditions private capital should be al
lowed to enjoy the franchise. The ''capi-
talists'' who might build the road would no
more be required to '.put their money into
the hands of the commissioners than they
would be required to ''put their money into
the hands" OF legislators perhaps, indeed, not
SO much. But the commission would guard
the interests of the people; would insure the
construction of the road and not allow fran
chise to be held by grantee only to exclude
other capitalists and kill all rapid transit;
| %o1r~ kl~ok 20
should be run for the convenience of the cti-
zens Of New York. and not for the conven-
fence and profit of railroad corporations. In
word, commission would take core not
only that rapid transit should be secured, but
that it should be such rapid transit as the
public necessity demands.
The Assembly Railroad Committee, CT
course, regards these as very needless pre-
cautions. Otherwise it would not have had
the effrontery to propose to deal with the
public interests of the metropolis as they are
dealt with in the Vanderbilt Rapid Transit bill.
That bill is as atrocious an outrage on the
people of New York as was ever attempted by
any of the Legislatures which in past years
used to do the bidding of Tweed and march
up in droves, after vote, to receive the wages
of their service. There is no attempt even to
veil the fact that it is bill not for rapid
transit for the residents Of New York. but for
the profit and advantage of the Harlem and
Hudson River Railroad companies to accom-
modate their freight and through travel At
the same time it gives away the public prop
erty to the extent Of millions of dollars to MIR.
Vanderbilt it allows him to seize bodily
upon the City Hall Park, to destroy Park
avenue, to appropriate Union square if he
should require to do SO, to take private
property, to sweep away existing char
tered rights, to take and use without
compensation ''any public grounds, parks or
places for connections, approaches, stair
ways, stations or platforms. = In a word, it
yields to Mr.. Vanderbilt all the public prop
erty he may require and gives him absolute
power over the streets and avenues on his line
and branches, which latter appear to be unre-
stricted 1t is bill for which Mr.. Wander
bilt could afford to pay two million dollars,
and to secure which, should he be so dis
posed, he could pension off hundred country
lawyers and grocers for the balance of their
natural lives.
As the Railroad Committee of the Assembly
favors such q measure as this it's members
cannot, of course, regard rapid transit COM
mission as desirable. But the people of New
York will look upon the Vanderbilt bill as an
unqualified outrage and neither the frothy
eloquence of Alvord nor the effrontery of
Lincoln will suffice to remove the suspicion
that must attach to its supporters.
The possibility Of q neac issue Of inconuertibe
paper regard ,ch anaazemem and anriety, and,
in may judgment, such an issue aoould be q detr-
ment and q shdme.-CHARLEs SUMNER.