New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-19
GO AHEAD OR STAND ASIDE.

GO AHEAD OK NIfND dOlDE.
To the courage and fidelity of Messrs. Starin
and Bushe, of the Rapid Transit Commission,
the city is much indebted They refused to
become parties to the schemes of the Manhattan
Company and Tammany Hail. and by standing
manfully against the concessions demanded by
the company with Tammany'S countenance, they
have compelled the elevated people to choose
between paying a fair price for the great PRIV
ilcges offered to them or giving up the new
field of operations and admitting rival to some
part of the old one Whatever the company
elects to do-and, if these two Commissioners
stand firm there is small doubt of its elcctng
TO pay-hc position of McSsrs. Starin and Bushe
is right. clearly in the public interest and de-
serving of praise and support. Equally certain
is it that their colleagues disclosed themselves
"a would be benefactors of the Tammany- Man
hattln combination. Commissioner Spencer, in
deed, was almost frank in admitting why and
for whom he acted. incidentally. he claimed
that he thought it to the advantage of the
public to accept $50. 900 year from the Man
haitian people when it can probably get twice
that sum ; but his irritation at the resolute atti-
tude of Mr. Starin and Mr.. BuShe, his remark
that the question was " not what is best for the
city. but what is the best we can get for the
city, as if New-York were at the mercy of the
Manhattan Company. and his improper state
mcnt that he would be surprised to learn that
the company had accepted the Commission :
terms, proved, if not his subseryiency to the
elevated road. at least his inability to see the
interests Of the city except through the eyes
Of that corporation
Mr. Spencer's theory. shared by Mr. Stein
way and Mr.. Inman, that the great city of
New York, with its spirit of enterprise and It's
enormous resources is humbly dependent on
the Manhattan Company, and must take what
that corporation chooses gr;ciously to bestow,
is theory as false as, coming from these three
men, it is dangerous. They appear to be under
a total misconception Of what they are in Office
for. They are net there to make out, as with
tantalzing and suspicious delays they have
done, that sufficient system OF rapid transit
is almost physical impossibility. If they had
been animated from the first by the right spirit
rather than by that which spoke in Mr. Spen-
GERS remark about the question being not what
we ought to have, but what we can get, such
a new and sufficient system would to-day be
building. The attitude and efforts of these
three Commissioners have been persistently
wrong. Whatever the motive, the effect OF
their proceedings has been to play into the
hands of the Manhattan Company and if il
results from the present deadlock thai the com
pany adopts Mr.. Spcncers Observation-Disclosures
~ conveyed in his remark about the surprise
with which he would learn Of their having ac-
cepted the Commissions terms-and, by re-
fusng those terms leaves the Commission free
to lay out new lines and to sell AT auction a
new franchise there will be no occasion for
public lamcntatfon. Mr.. Spencer and his col
leagues, the Manhattan capitalists and the Tam
many spectators may be left to monopolize
the woe.
There will be bidders enough Of character and
standing for any reasonable franchise the Com
mission offers. All that is necessary to bring
such bidders forward is to furnish assurance
that the franchise has no string 10 it," and is
not burdened with impossible conditions de-
vised ostensbly in the interest Of the public
but effective in serving the ends Of the Man
haitian people. There is plenty of business for
new line. The Manhattan Company's statement
that it would not take in single additional
fare on account Of the new privileges, and that
to accept them would result merely in enabling
the passengers to obtain seats who are now
compelled to stand contained as little common
sense as consideration. If experience teaches
anything, it teaches that the new business would
be enormous, and that the company on the
terms it now, and for the last time we hope,
has the chance to accept, could not fail to in
crease its net income largely. The issue is now
clear and simple. The Manhattan Company
may supply rapid transit to the city on the
lines proposed if it is willing to pay into the
city treasury per cent of its net income, as
usually ascertaincd. If it is not willing to do
this, it can stand aside and make room for
somebody else.