New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-03
MR.. GOULD AND THE ALDERMEN

Mr. Jaw Gould's opinion of the Aldermahlc
vote against further occupation of Battery rark
NV the elevated railroads is reported at length
in TIE TRIBtJNE this morning. Mr.. Could
does not often talk for publication but he finds
no difficulty in expressing himself on inc Iaro
occasions when strong pressure OF nrl'a'lo"
or personal interest unSeals his lips. Inc con-
yersation elsewhere recorded will be read win
keen interest by all citizens OF New I ork' not
because it contains views not generally al
tributed to Mr.. Could but because they have
bappily been aroused to a strenuous deience
Of their own rights and are accordingly de-
sirous of knowing what their chief adversary
thinks of the existing situation. Moreover,
tbeso doliverances are exceedingly frank and
cynical
It is evident that Mr. Gould has derived no
satisfaction from the action Of the Aldermen.
Indeed il sppears that he has been considerably
disturbed by the strong vote against him. and
by the temper of Tuesdays meeting. what
the practical effect of the resolution adopted
by a majority of 16 to 8 will be Is uncertain
but jnasmuch as Il is plainly significant of pub
lie opinion it is not likely to drop out OF sight
and be forgotten. Mr.. Gould, to be sure
chooses to assume that opposition to the en-
croachments of the Manhattan Company is mere
newspaper clamor and sentimental nonsense,
and that the community at large is ranged on
his side. 1t interests and "amuses" him
"to see how suddenly and radically some AL
dermen; have changed their opinions For our-
selves we must say that we are surprised that
a man of such penetration and sagacity should
not admit to himself that he may have been
mistaken. and that this sudden and radical
change may be due to a fact which he had
failed to comprehend, namely, that public opn-
ion has recently declared itself emphaacaliy IN
favor of preserving the few open spaces be-
longing to the people.
Mr.. Gould dwells at length, and with OBJ
vious pleasure on the exposure Of such lpoon-
sistency, upon the peaceful occupation OF Cen
tral Park by two corporations, with none to
modest or make them afraid. Since he was In
the mood for disclosing enormites OF this char
acter he might have reminded the people that
in addition to the Metropolitan Museum and
the American Museum of Natural History there
is another and far more conspicuous corporation
which. like these, occupies Central Park, for
the amusement and relaxation and general Bone
fl Of the populace, namely, the Corporation Of
the City of New-YOrl1 That would have made
the enumeration complete we believe and per-
haps it would have served to make still more
striking the odious distinction which is main
tanned against the elevated railroads.
As for the dismal announcement that In case
the Manhattan Company is forced to vacate
Battery Park the Sixth and Ninth Avenue
lines will be under the painful necessity of
making Rector-st. their southern terminus, we
are disposed to think that it would interest
and amuse" the public "to see how suddenly
and radically' Mr.. Gould would change his
ooinon in the face Of that emergency.