Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-08-26
FIVE-CENT FARE.
Facts About the Bill Vetoed by Gov.
Cleveland.

Ol6f6lduus
The Action Of the Governor Sas-
tained by the New YOrk LeEisla-
ture-Justice of His Course
Albany Nv. ~ Argus.
The Blaine papers raise q hue and cry
against Gov. Cleveland because he vetoed
the Five-Cent Fare bill, relative to the
elevated roads in New York City. The
facts when narrated show that the veto
was based on grounds which cannot be
properly assailed by reasonable men.
When the State chartered the elevated
roads, il put a clause in the law promising
not to require a decrease Of fare, until the
net profits Of the road should reach or ex-
coed 10 per cent Of the investment; and
directing that inquiry should be made,
to find out whether the profits had reached
that point or not, before any Act should
be passed requiring q reduction Of the
fare. This was an explicit and unmistak-
able promise by the State.
Well, the Legislature passed Q 5-cent-
fare bill without any inquiry having been
made TO find out whether the net profits
OF the roads had reached 10 per cent on
the investment or not. The parties in in
terest drew attention 10 the fact that no
inquiry had been made, as provided and
required by the law, and they declared
that If inquiry was made 1t would
show that the net profits had not
reached 10 per cent. The Gov
ernor discovered that the State had
solemnly promised to make the in
quiry referred to and that il had not made
such inquiry. He therefore said, in sub
stance, in q message Withholding his APP
proval from the bill: 1.-THE State must ad-
here to its promise, under which great in
vestments have been made. There is
plenty of time to make the inquiry. Let
il be made. II investigation shall show
that the net profits have reached 10 per
cent then this bill can be passed over
again" He recommended that the Legis-
lature cause the inquiry to be made.
The Legislature sustained the veto and
complied with the recommendation Of the
Governor. The senate directed the Rail-
road mmissioners to make the inquiry.
The Assembly directed the State Engineer
and Surveyor to make it. The two inqui-
ries went on at the same time but, separ-
stely. The three Railroad Commission
ers, j. d. Herman (Democrat), Col. W. E.
Rogers (Republican) and John O'Donnell
Monopolist), unanimously reported
that the net profits of the road did not
reach 10 per cent. Hon. Silas Seymour,
State Engineer and Surveyor (Republi-
cam also reported the same thing. The
Legislature adopted the reports, by not
undertaking to pass any fare reduction
bill Again-because ahe promise made by
the State was q binding contract Of honor,
between the State and the company, and
the good faith OF the State required that
the promise be lived up to.
These are the facts. II any man thinks
that Grover Cleveland ought to have sane
toned a reputation by the State Of the
promise Of the State, then such a mar con-
dennis himself when he does 30. New
York has always prided herself on keep
ing her promise. and Q promise made
to any one, no matter how odious he
is. ought to be as sscredly kept by the
State as il it was made to the best parties
or interests in the commonwealth. Men
who believe that reputation ia wrong
must believe that Gov. Cleveland was
| right, in refusing to be a party to it. The
hue and cry against the Governor is raised
by men who are careful not to state the
facts-snd mostly by men who approved
the veto when il went in. They have be-
come opposed TO the Governor since-or
have always been politically opposed to
him-and now they vent their opposition to
him as a candidate by bringing up this
vote-of which they approved but being
careful not to mention the facts and rea-
Sons on which it was based.
They declare that the result OF the veto
is "to require the poor and the laboring
people to pay 10 cents, when they would
only have to pay 5 cents if the bill had not
been vetoed I" Let us see how true this is.
The existing rates Of fare make 5 cents the
price between 7 and half-past 9 o'clock in
the mornings, and between s o'clock and
half-past 7 o'clock in the evenings. These
are the five hours in the day in which the
poor and the lsboring classes go to and re-
turn from work, as q rule. They have the
fare Of 8 cents at the time when they most
need to avail themselves OF the road. At
other times the road is used by idle, rich
or well-to-do people, to whom the differ
once between 5 and 10 cents is no object.
No one can expect that Gov. Cleveland
will escape criticism; he will not be able
sven to escape Misrepresentation. But
whenever the scent fare bill veto is
| brought up, the friends OF the Democratic
and reform candidate should see hat the
facts, as we have given them, are made
plain. No just and intelligent man can
truthfully blame the Governor for that
| veto when the facts are understood. On
the contrary. he should be commended for
it. He might have become temporarily
popular by joining in the reputation Of
| the promise voluntarily made by the State.
but that is not his way Of seeking popu-
| larity. He takes the better way of doing
| what he believes to be right. He should
be all the more respected for it., and we
| believe he will be, as the truth becomes
known.
For the Long Term.