New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-17
Still ~ TIE SERTICF.

1t has been IScGltalntu DN l. Ho W ~
the Manhattan Railway Company retains Ill
its service the employees who have Dceh ihoso
conspicuous in acts of brutality 10 passengers.
Some Of these men have been proved guilty ana
heavy damages have been found against the
company in con sequence. Others have not yet
hocn L,oupht into court but the evidence
ooainst them il overwhelming. One IL in jail
,,vo;tipo tbc probable death Of his victim, and
presumably his pay has been stopped though
il does not appear that he has been dismissed.
The fact of the general retention of these brutcS
by the company is acknowledged by the gen
cral managers private secretary, ana Is not
denied by Colonel Hahn, whose Indignation at
the NEWSPAPERS will not permit him to uttJi a
word for publication. Ills secretary explains
this grim silence by saying that g he has been
SO often miSquotcd by the newspapers that he
no longer chooses them AZ Il vehicle to reach
the public" whom, however he will enll2htcn
in due time and in his own way.
This incident suggests one of the main causes
of the exceeding unpopularty OF the Manhattan
COMPANY II enjoys a public franchise OF
enormous value, but il seldom loses an oppor-
tunity of showing its disregard for public opin-
ion We are not aware that Colonel Hahn, as
an individual i, generally dctcStcd. Though II
is hard to think of him apart from the corpora
ton with which he is identified, we have often
tried 10 do so. and occasionally have succeeded.
Al such times il has occurred 10 MS that he
himself NAV nj heart abhOr the system which
he keeps in operation and only lacks the cour-
oge to resign his place. In this case. perhaps,
his irritation is really on account of the things
4 L.. Of Of tho N ~
which the newspapers are bound to say. But
however that may be, the elevated railroads
are managed in way most offensive ana IN
iurious 10 the community. and their frequent
condemnation is natural and proper. That 1t
is salutary cannot be 50 positively affirmed.
We remarked day or two ago that few more
heavy ycrdicS against the company would pro-
ducc marked improvement III the conduct ana
manners of It's employees. Perhaps we were
over sanguinc. but we still thinl; that the com
mnv will put a stop t. brutality so soon as IT
become. convinced that brutality is costly.
As we have said already, nobody lmaSlncS
that il is possible t. man the elevated roads
exclusively with "pcrfcct gentlemen" Some
Of the employees must. in the nature of things.
he mon of rather feeble judgment and hasty
r..
cludes not n few stupid and troublesome per
sons But certainly the servants of the Man
haitian Company owe AT least much consid-
Grafton and self restraint to its patrons as ITS
patrons owe T. them. And yet except by way
Of a bogus defence to charges of matlcatmont
we never hear of tralnmcn punched ana jumped
on and dragged on the cars in return for blum
der, or rCmcnSimnccS. Colonel Ham appeal
for police protection for his men from the yio-
lcnce of passengers has been universally re-
cniyed N an audaciorlS and. under the circum-
stances. rather irritating jest. Americans are
a, rule remarkably good natured and orderly,
and one of the facts which prove II IL that not
single elevated railroad cmplOyc has ever been
hnchcd by indignant passengers. We make no
appcal for a neglect of reasonable discipline on
The trains and platforms of the Manhattan
Company On the contrary, we should be glad
to src the printed regulations enforced far more
strictly. 1t is an outrage that so much pro
family and obsccnity should be tolerated, that
cgar-stumps and puddlcs of tobacco-julcc
should be allowed ~ offend decent people. and
that 50 many drunken black guards should be-
admitted to tho cars. Public opinion would
sustain the employees III "A consistent enforce
men Of the rules and in handing fractions
las .cngcrs over to the police. But the COM
munity will NOT chcerfulll acquicsce in the the
DRY that the tranmcn are incapable OF doing
wrong. that the regulations are 10 be kept OF
broker according to their momentary inclina
ton that they are free to MAIN and dstigurc
the disobcdiont, and that the passenger who
demonstrates deserves t. have his head broken