The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-08

From our information it looks as if there is
a railroad Ring in Albany as powerful as the
Canal Ring, and combining to paralyze rapid
legislation looking toward steam railway
over Manhattan Island impossible. There is
d bill before the House in reference to tun-
mel under the Hudson River, so as to enable
trains from the South and West to come to
New York Island, and thus avoid the irrita-
tons and the delays of ferry travel, especially
in winter. Although there is an evident and
natural feeling in favor of such tunnel, thus
far the question has been buried. The the
ory that this is the work of Mr. Vanderbilt
who desires to keep all trains from the island
unless they come to his depot, is incredible,
especially when we remember that the city
bears so large IL part of the expense of his
Fourth avenue improvement. The argument
in favor of this generous action on the part of
the city toward Mr.. Vanderbilt was that
there was great advantage to the people
in the building of this line from
Forty-second street to the river. The same
argument applies to the tunnel. The great
lines that connect New York with the South
and West should come directly to the island.
Every improvement that does away with the
river travel is an advantage to the city. For
this reason, in discussing this question of
rapid transit, we have always supported 1t
upon the highest grounds-not in the interest
of New Jersey, Long Island or Westchester-
but for the good of New York. Rapid transit
will be attained, not when we have steam
line from the Battery to the Harlem River
but when we have tunnel to New Jersey,
suspension bridge to Brooklyn, and steam
road to Westchesten The people should have
constant and uninterrupted access to all the
country surrounding the city. Newark and
Flushing are as much our suburbs as Yonkers
and New Rochelle. And the statesmen who
now control the deslinies of New York will
secure rapid transit in its largest and most
necessary sense when they enable US to cross
the rivers in winter and summer weather.
This being the duty of the party in power,
the Governor should begin by making a war
upon the railway Ring that now holds Albany
in the severe grip of an unreasoning monopoly.
We are willing to do what we can to strengthen
the railways, so long as they are benefit to
the people. They cease to be so when they
insist upon sitting all legislation that is not
directly in their interest. The surest way of
developing "granger" and ''anti-monopoly"
spirit so powerful that it will abolish all the
railway privileges granted by the Legislature
is to persist in this attempt TO prevent rapid
transit. The necessity of securing rapid
transit is as great as that which inspired the
Erie Canal. The Erie Canal became necessary
to the development Of the State. Its compile
ticn was the beginning of the career of great
ness which for half century has attended
this Commonwealth. De Witt Clinton was
statesman enough to see this, and
politician enough to secure it. The
time has come for tho performance of
duty as imperative-the duty of lifting the
metropolis out Of the slough of despond into
which it has fallen. 1t is intolerable that
this should be prevented by any selfish rail-
way Ring in the Legislature. Our hope is
that the Governor will take courage from the
success which has attended his war upon the
Tammany and Canal rings, and teach the
railway men that they cannot under any cir
cumstances be permitted to interfere with
policy that is necessary to the grandeur of the
metropolis. Let US hope that the new meas
ure introduced in the Assembly yesterday
by Mr.. Kennedy will help to remove por-
ton Of the affection Of New York by giving
us a railroad, as we'll as scheme to build one.