The New York herald., 1878-01-13
Privileged Corporations and Their
Obligations ~ the Public.


who would make every interest OF this great
metropolis subservient to their selfish pur-
poses, the cause OF public right and prog
ress has had in the HERALD an indefatigable
and consistent supporter. Above all other
influences that operated to bring about the
solution of the question of rapid transit and
the rescue of this city from the hands Of the
greedy monopolists that OF the. HERALD has
been the first, the most answering and
the most powerful. In the days when
public opinion was by specious arguments
and plausible misstatements almost cast
into the balance against rapid transit
the HERALD yielded not jot in its advocacy
of the men and measures who worked and
that were devised in the interest OF success,
from which great public benefit IS about
| to arise. Hence it can never be said with
any color OF truth that the HERALD has not
been and is not the stanchest supporter
Of rapid transit in all its forms and plans OF
| operation In view of this fact we can, with
the utmost propriety, criticise and advise in
all things relating to this great undertaking
without the fear that our meaning can be
misunderstood, or that even the promoters
of the accepted schemes of rapid transit
| should regard our criticisms as hostile to
! their intert SITS.
| When we advocated rapid transit rs one
of the most important necessities of New
York and its population we did so entirely
in the interest OF the public. The welfare,
convenience and benefit of the people OF
New York were and are the primary objects
of our efforts for rapid transit. We regard
these objects rs dominating all others, not
excluding the financial interests Of those
enterprising citizens who have invested
their capital in carrying out the rapid tran
sit idea. To the people first we desire to
see all the benefits fall that are necessary to
their welfare and progress. TO the specu-
lative capitalist then will go the
legitimate reward of his enterprise.
These two form the fundamental con-
ditions on which great public undertaking
like that of securing rapid transit
must rest. There is 10 possibility of the
greater public interest interfering with the
lesser private Que, because the people only
desire the accommodation of rapid transit
and are willing to avail themselves of it
when provided, paying fair remuneration.
But when the private interest measures for
its own purposes--for the sake OF greater
Gain than the circumstances Of the case
warrant-the accommodation to be afforded
to the public in exchange for the just re-
enumeration paid, and the privilege of reap
ing special profits from its enterprise then
the private interest dominates and decreases
the measure OF public right, and either
tyran lcal monopoly is created or disastrous
failure attends the enterprise.
Viewing the case of rapid transit, there
FORE from the standpoint of public policy
and right it is clear that even in the
details of it's operation it possesses many
features, and the HERALD may point out to
the existing corporations the character OF
their imperative obligations, which are, as
it were, the price of their extraordinary
privileges. We desire to do this in the
most friendly spirit to the enterprising citi-
zens who are now identified with rapid
transit We regard their recognition OF
these obligations as the surest guarantee of
public is always liberal in its rewards, and
many Of the evils suffered by this commu-
nifty have grown out of the public
error on the side of liberality, the
relinquishing Of its rights to the auda-
cious pretensions and demands of those
whose Importance was created by public
gifts. The HERALD, therefore, demands from
the rapid transit companies who are now oc-
cupying the public streets with works and
structures that partake in measure Of the
character OF private property clearly ex-
pressed guarantee, followed by substantial
and visible proofs of sincerity, that these
lines shall be operated for the public bene-
fit; that every accommodation which the
public may ask for shall be afforded without
regard to the profit or loss growing out Of
the same. 1t must not for instance, re-
main optional with these companies
not to run night trains because the
number of passengers that may avail them
selves of such is not directly profitable.
These roads first OF oil for the public
accommodation. If the wants with respect
to night rapid transit trains now expert
enced are not supplied then the fact that
well paying day trains are run will not be
fulfilment of the company's obligations to
the public. If the cars Of the company are
not so arranged that the seats will be
properly divided off to prevent crowding,
that free ventilation is not secured for the
summer, warmth tor the winter months and
order, safety and cleanliness at whatever
cost, then these obligations will have been
ignored and q grievous wrong perpetrated
on the people.
We desire to avoid everything that could
tend to obstruct the rapid transit companies
in the prosecution of their great undertak-
ings. In calling attention to the foregoing