The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-07


per,a and their retained lawyers, ana an these -
be paid by the merchants OF TINS eltN, ahd log no
other service tnan 70 interpret the revenue laws
ana perform the service whien au ordinary lhtcl-
hgenee should do Tor MN without coupons iliOh,
TINS or anv particular administrator ior tese ac-
cnmulated wrongs, They are lnuefeAf IN . ttlse
system ana belong g the past conceptions OF
what Was demanded Of our revenue service"
SPEECH OF HON. FERNANDO WOOD
In response 70 the toast OF .'Ihe future q our
Metropolis Mr.. Wood SAID
1.-The Future of Our Metropolis How the mind
expands win the contemplation, what room
there Is for the blending OF the imaginary win
the real, now We may draw on history lor
analogy ana on the ideal Tor supposttion. what
vast proportions may we not carve out Tor yer
water confines on the east and west, she shall
have the ocean Tor ner eastern and southern bar
riers and the illlmila9ie West for her horlheln
and western irontiers. Nor are such thouenls
altogether fabulous. Il AT her age London ana
Paris were comparatively but villages. what WIZ
not New York be At their age once mat We
have broken through the physical limitations
which divide us from the surrounding territory
we shall eXpanu indefinitely absorbing populallon
and space. II Is ~ THIS aspect tnat preolst her
ultimate metropolitan power as u numbers ia lhe
not very remote iuture. Now, with THIS antlclpa-
ton, have we no present duties 10 PERFORM should
we not prepare for tas enormous aggregate OF
people ! Is ii not incumbent upon US 10 see to 1t
tnat we shall lose no present advantage IN re-
tanning what we have as a nucleus, around winch
snail gather the millions 70 come after US me
New YORK or to-day was not bullt ~ ms genera
tlon. our predecessors lana down Wen ahu
strong the foundations upon wAicn our pressHt
any magnitude our internal avenues OF
commerce. commanding oregn trade,
the sterllng integrity oi our merchants, lhe patr
otism OF the people, the broad and liberal eoslno
politan character OF our institutions, were AZ IN
herlted from those who came before rs, ana rom
God and ma ure came tue lmpershaUie advantages
or proximity 70 the ocean, WIN the best harnor on
the Continent open 10 the commerce Of the world.
But let those VINO THINK they stand take heed lest
they fail. We are never IN so much danger OF re-
verses as when we are overptoud OF our strength
or indifferent 10 the possibility OF calamity. New
= -IIr
with rlvalrles, iealousles and restless energetic
opposition without ana organic disease within
she has much TO encounter, and u VIII require
our best efforts and most united courage to com
bat successfully the danger which threatens Ma
tons auu cities rise and fall. Empires, dynaS-
ties and thrones, once overshadowing the Whole
earth, nave disappeared, almost even IRON bl9-
tory. The Tyre OF the ancients and the Venice OF
the moderns. once the great marts OF commerce,
such nave disappeared forever. Even on our
own Continent changes nave occurred. WITHIN
the present century salem, OF Massachusetts, con-
Quoted the East ludia trade OF this country.
Poughkeepsie, OF his state, hed the whaling ton
mage, and ALEXANDRA. OF Virginia, did the chief
West India exporting trade. rms city WAS, before
the last war with England, the third in extent
OF It's foreign trade, Boston anu Philadelphia benz
ahead. Circumstances gave us an impetus IN that
direction wnlcn soon enabled US to obtain the
lead which we nave maintained ever since. We
now do three-nltnS or the foreign trade or the
whole country. But agencies are at work
which, II not thwarted, may change tins
armed. New York has endured foreign and
domestic war and has survived them. sue has
endured pesiilence and panic and has survived
them. We have seen American tonnage, mostly
owned here, driven from the ocean and nave
survived mat. our internal trade must be
maintained ana increased so as to enable Us TO
continue healthy relation 10 the other maritime
nations or the world. In THIS view IL Is OF im-
portance 10 New York that she shall see 10 IT, that
from no cause the domestic commerce OF the West,
winch, Of right, belongs 70 her Dy every rule or
natural aud Commercial advantage, shdll be taken
away ana sent 10 other ports Tor expectation or
consumption. We nave commanded IL Tor hty
years aud should continue to command it in the
great future. WIN us there must be no retro
grade. We must not only maintain the lead, but
snow that Successful rivalry is impossible. In
deed, a compared win some 81 the Canadlan or
New Dominion cities, we are going rapidly be-
hinG while they are going as rapidly forward. In
all directions strong ana energetic compet ion Is
opening up. We are beset by rivals Doth by rail
aud water Tor the control OF the Western cereal
carrying trade. The state Comptrollers report
or 1873 con tains a table or the receipts OF
grain at the lake ports OF this state Tor the
tive years ending December Z, 1872 which shows,
thar while during tnat period 6G 500, 500 bushels
were received at the lake ports, yet only
$780, TAI 2OS bushels reached this city, and the
turns since that time show yet greater disparity
against us. While the percentage Of decrease IN
our receipts in proportion TO the qualify received
within the ports oil the state have been gradually
becoming greater tne city Of Montreal has IN
creased It's expectation OF grain 10 European ports
253 per cent within i've years. Comment upon
these facts Is unnecessary, aud the causes which
have produced them are OBVIOUS something has
diverted trade which naturally belongs TO us. We
are only losing tue pronts OF tue receipt,
handling ana transmission abroad or an immense
volume OF merchandlse-great in its bulk as well
as In value-Dut also, In addition, the benefit OF
the returns, whether they are Ia merchandise or
Meanwhile give us large reduction OF tolls
would ike 70 see snlp canal from Lake Erie or
Lake ontario or Lake Champaign 10 the Hudson.
Tue rlyalries which threaten US are too serious
Tor longer neglect on our part 81 our own lm-
mediate city government and Us affairs nave
but q lew words u SAY. am called upon 10 refer
to quick transit and diminished taxation. Or the
former II may he well said, tnat with US there i
no division OF opinion; A. least no avowed
division. Every one IL 10 lavor OF u more speedy
mode Of city transit, ~ winch time may be econ0-
mzed. tue formation or the island upon when
the city stands renders IL absolutely necessary
that We snall nave communication "
steam nom one end 10 Tue other. While
tnIs Is generally conceded, there Is differ
ence OF opinl- n, arising too frequently from
difference OF interests, as 10 when particular
private interests that has 20 lar defeated every
attempt and every PROJECT, nope we nave now
Had the las OF these un eemy contests. anu that
an earnest effort, prompted ~ puvuc gOod ana
not private gain, VIII succeed Ia giving US rapid
transit. We must have a perfect means o inter-
mai communicate N. CONVEYANCE by steam IS q
necessary 70 tue city, ana 1t IS also OF
prea, importance 10 the city IN ITS internal econ
omy Il practically and properly controlled There
Is covered over the hundred ana twenty miles Of
the city ailrOads abOu one hundred aud twenty
million Of passengers per year. Inis gives daliy
hundred and niti thousand persons CARED. Ihc
annual Increase IN travel ls now very great aud
Is StIl increasing. During the last Tour years ~
mas been at tue rate oi ABOUT twenty-five per cent.
per aunua III the increase. The passenger Dust
on tue cts roads A. more tnaa twice that Of the
Harlem Rail oaa and greater than he passenger
miles &c 81 the New ork Central Rallit al IN its
$50 miles operated bY steam. Ihe di1erencc IN
the time now occupied ~ people IN gong and
returning daily business, II more RAPID transit
facilities we're furnished, would alUrd ten hours
per day II productive iHDpr to 5000 persons Tor
every workinA daY, nov lost ry the present slow
PISS niger conveyance Ol tue no Sc car. II may
be said lhat tbe cll} Is advdncemeut IN wealth and
20 1ulati0n Will c0mmence with the INTRODUCTION
Ol q more rapid system ~ conveyance. The WuOe
island VIII hen ue speedily pUpuiaied. As tae
Central Park IL now Almost the single object OF
pride and interest an the ctlzens 80 saall TINS
In rupOLs tnen become an OBJECT VI balvnal
PRIDE. Just PARIS Is the pride Vi all France, aud
just as Rome Was the glory OF the Roman Empire
OF tile CsesIrs.
Mr.. WOot next re erred 10 the necessity lor
lower taxation ana asserted iii nay Judgment
The VII lie municipal government Of ILLS city
should be absolutely ana enurely ~ tue banos "
Que man--the chef maglstrete-Wlth the power
Ii appoint uud remove al suoOrdinates u every
class. Ihls authority sBoula pc held 10 the most
rigid acCOuntabtty, not ouiy fUr nts Own acts but
Tor tue acts ~ every pea en- uhuef hiW. mere
should be lodged somewhere 30 en- 70 remove
aud PUNISH huA h he violated It's trust or omitted
to perform every requirement. 81 law made l0f the