The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-21


sion May Be Redeemed.
The State Senate has it in its power to ter
inmate the present session of the Legislature
in nine days from to-day The concurrent
resolution fixing April 80 as the day OF final
adjournment having passed the Assembly now
lies on the Senate table, and can at any time
be called up as privileged question and
adopted by the latter body. The matter is,
therefore, out of the reach of the House, and
the Senators will be responsible if the session
should be unnecessarily protracted into May.
1t is fact not complimentary to our repre-
sentatives at Albany, yet nevertheless true,
that the people of the State and especially
the citizens of New York, experience sense
of relief when the Capitol is closed for the year
and given over to carpenters, carpet-beaters
and scrubwomen. Much of the legislation
OF the last few years which has not been
corrupt has been crude or injudicious.
While the present Legislature has not been
SO Objectionable as some of its predecessors,
it has as yet failed to make good title to the
confidence of the people, and there appears to
be little prospect that it will add to it's repu-
tation during the remainder of its existence.
Indeed, it seems more likely to lose than to
gain in character by prolongation of the
session, and it will, therefore, be wise on the
part Of the Senators to avail themselves Of
their power to bring it to speedy close.
There is yet time, it is true, to reverse this
record The passage of less than half dozen
well-considered laws within the next nine
days would place the Legislature of 1874 in
an honorable position, and win for it a respect
which has not been enjoyed by Legislature
Of the State Of New York for the last ten or
twelve years. Most Of these desirable laws
would certainly relate to the city Of New York,
and might thus be regarded by some as of
local character but the interests of the State
and of the metropolis are so closely identified
that it is impossible to benefit the one without
benefGng the other, or to damage the one
without causing the other to suffer The city
is now in condition in which inaction will
be fatal. We must either progress
or retrograde. All that is required to give
us here an imperial city equal to
any Of the Old World cities lies within our
grasp if we will only stretch forth our hands
and secure the prize. If we neglect to do so
we must be contented to see our commercial
supremacy pass from us and to give up the
title to the metropolis Of America. The de-
cay of the city of New York means the decay
and impoverishment of every county in the
State, the decrease Of the value of farm lands
and produce the destruction of the canals
and the paralyzing OF all industrial interests
The progress and prosperity of New York
mean the enrichment of the State, the en-
hancement of the value Of lands in every sec
ton, the growth Of manufactures, increas-
ing business for our canals and railroads, and
increasing wealth and happiness for the
people. For these reasons the laws that are
absolutely needed to give the metropolis the
opportunity to grow and to prosper are of
general and not of local character. The
first and most important OF such laws
is one which will secure the construction
of steam railroads in the CITY, 1t is conceded
by every reasonable person that rapid transit
in New York is now an absolute necessity
Without it we must repel the commerce that
is seeking us with it we shall speedily double
our population and the valuation of our
real estate. The Legislature can yet give
us such q law if it will. The Eastman bill
may yet be taken up with honesty of pur-
pose, perfected in accordance with sound
business suggestions and passed by both
houses within the next week. The represen-
tatives Of the city in the Senate and Assembly
should stand shoulder to shoulder in the
effort to secure such result, and no honest
member from an outside district could then
refuse to respect the united voice of New
York.
There are other measures relating to the
city of New York which should not be
suffered to fail. In connection with rapid
transit we should be enabled to secure we'll
paved roads and clean streets The bill to
provide for the repaving of Fifth avenue
should become law, and should be SO framed
as to secure the matchmaking of that impor-
tant thoroughfare and its care and maintenance
by the Park Commission. 1t is scandalous
that such an avenue should be left in its pres
ent condition. BY common consent it has
been held sacred from the encroachment Of
the horse car lines and set apart as drive
through the heart of the city to the suburbs
Yet it is suffered to remain unfit for travel and
disgrace to the city, In addition to this
special law we need reform in
the whole management of our streets,
which should be placed under the control
of separate commission, invested with abso-
lutte power over their paving, repairing and
cleaning. Then, with the city and county
governments consolidated, and with the I'M
provement of the northern portion Of the city
again set in motion, the progress and pros
perity of the metropolis would be secured, the
whole State would be correspondingly bene-
flied, and the Legislature of 1874 would prove
to the people that reform is not altogether o