New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-28
"KEB OR hERRTDGF-KEB"

"KEB OR KERRIDGF-KEBf
Tho CITY Improvement Society has been APP
plying its energies for several mohths ~ '"o
difficult but noble task Of reforming the New
YorI, cab system Of which the most Objection
able feature is the Newly ork cab driver ms
is an aged and tough abuse, and many phlian-
thropsts have tried in vain to abolish II. mere
NAV he citizens who. weary Of lamcntng ana
nrntestinc have abandoned all hope OF improve
mcnt and ONLY ask To be allowed 10 die III peace
without further contributions OF time ana labor
and language 10 the cause. II sometimes seems
AZ If ancient wrongs were less WeatiS"ile IMAM
f,,,itles. attempts 10 euro them. II ma! DE
said that we have the exorbitant cab ana the
impenitcnt driver always with MS and that they
are no longer capable Of arouslng profitable in
donation. But this is the wrong spirit Inc
,oint * that diffcrcn sort of cabs and drivers
would be a good thing to have with us always
and that in honest endcayorS Ia achieve TINS
boon energy can never be expended altogether
in vain
We suppose that nobody. living or dead. has
ever had the hardihood 10 say that our can
system is well contrivcd or well conducted
The most amiablc visitors whom the metropolis
ba. lately entertained were the Christian In
1o,vor dclccates. They one and all perceived
nth Measure that they were welcomed with
sincerity. and in return they rewarded TINS
Community with compliments Of the most con
solotnry description. They praised our police
our streets our manners, Oul hotels, our parks
mr. suburbs. our stock Exchange. ana pretty
nearly every custom and institution with which
th.v came i'm contact But not even an eN
t,avapant idea of courtesy could induce them
Ia Sn,ol, well Of our cabs and carriages There
they drew the line firmly and unanimously.
Thirty thousand interesting and lnteiigeh'
Young men and madcns became convinced by
exncricncn and credible testimony that New
York is deplorably behind the age IN tins re-
card and are now engaged in disseminating
that melancholy truth throughout the country
Their verdict is the verdict of all who inhabit
or visit the metropolis. This question i DIS
t;rcuishcd in n remarkable manner from all
othcrs by the fact that there is only one side
10 if. Even the naughty and cXacerbatine au
thors Of orr misery complain bitterly oil thelr
hard lot Their avcrmcnt IS that the' arc the
worst victims of their own industry, that iheN
ouiov no pcacc of mind and are all steadily
nrocccdng toward pauperS graves on their own
vehicles.
The Measure of debate has frequently IN
duccd social philosophers Ia assume Tor the sax
of argument that the shape OF Mammalian iSl'inu
and tho circumstances and habits Oh lie "h''n
have proceeded from that fundamental caprice
Of nature make it impossible that we should
over POSSESS a satisfactory cab system. IL may
no admitted we think that the conditions here
forbid as low tariff as may be proiitably MAIN
famed in many other cities. But we refuse to
hol;ovc that tho largest possible profit is de-
| rived under the present system ot cN'rNaEd"
lawful charges and unlawful eXtortioh' Inc
tariff card under the cushion ana the paiu"
ON the box accomplish between thcm unhappy
results for both patrons and proprie'ois' IL
NAV be conceded, perhaps without much FISK
If refutation that 80 cents for the hrSt hlic lor
orc ar two persons i'm one horse vehicle Is not
extremely high in view Of all the circumstances
affecting the case But the double rate Tor Il
yo-borse vehicle and tho additional charges
for , longer distance are excessive in both cases.
Other cities have the advantage of rates which
we must believe 10 be proportlonateS lower
and they have. moreover at their command IL,
small prices certain cOmlOrIhDlc '"''o' '"
vehicles which are strangely wanting in New
York
But far more irritating and oppressive than
IN. legal fares which Newly Workers are com
pellcd to pay is the general and constituencies
cytortion of the drivers. Let no model Jehu
whose soul abhors an ovcrcharge complain that
he is unjIstly condemned. To all such we
offer the assurance Of our profound respect
regretting that they are not an overwhelming
majority of those who hold the rcins for hire
in this imperial city. 1t is upon the backs OF
their unworthy colleagues that we lay the LASH
and it is on them that the City Improvement
Society is specifically invoking the terrors OF
the law They daily violate the ordinances in
spirit and in fact They hide their tariff cards
they are prone to conceal their numbers, they
regard the passenger rs their prey. they face
him down with stcadfast falseh0ods if they can
and take leave of him with objurgations if they
fail to cheat him. Ii may be said that their
oatrons have the remedy in their own hands
and so they would have il all were familiar with
their rights, or in every instance had the time
70 obtain redress 1t is because under present
conditions individuals are sure to be wronged
women, nvaids, strangers, belatcd passen-
GERS hurryng to their trains-that those who