New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-22
THE MAINTAINS PROPOSALS.

The formal application of the Manhattan
Railway Company for permission to multiply
and extend its elevated lines is not character
lied by modesty. The comrany's plans con
template undivided possession Of the privileges
which the Rapid Transit Commission is en-
powered to grant and If they were carried into
execution they would certainly exclude com
pcttors from the field. This brings up at once
for discussion and settlement the question
whether the community wishes and can afford
TO have such monopoly established in the
hands of the Manhattan Company. On that
point TIE TRIBUNE has already expressed an
opinion. We do net sec in the record with
which the city is painfully familiar any war
rant fer supposing that the enormous privileges
which are asked for would be 50 used rs to give
The public the largest practicable measure OF
sdvantlgc. The great corporation which would
like t. have NcwYolk at its mercy So far
as the transportation business is concerned, has
always been excessively devoted TO its own
supposed interests and Extensively Indifferent
to the common welfare Nobody expects an
individual or company to make charity OF
business and that is the reason that society
erdcavOrs to protect itself by guaranteeing
freedom of competition But there is such a
thing as enlightened selfshncss in the man
agcmcnt Of personal affairs and its conse-
quences arc useful and agreeable. If the Man.
haitian Company had served the community to
the best of its ability in the past it would have
also served itself and would have established
better title to generous treatment than IT
now possesses.
The failure Of the scheme for underground
reads in NewYok apparently reduces us to
the necessity of permitting new overhead lines
10 be built and operated, unless we are willing
TO endure indefinitely the misfotuncs and dis
comforts which the totally inadequate facilities
of the present day nhict. And public pa
fioncc has been so far exhausted that additional
roads through the air are not now likely to he
strongly opposed. But it is important We
think. that the Commission should use It's
rowcrs 10 establish lively and fruitful com
petition thromeh the agency OF strong and
Independent company The objection is made
that. If rival interests were thus created, II
would be impossible 10 prevent their conSolIda-
ton hereafter No doubt the highest sacaity
would be needed to forcstall that consequence
but we do not believe that it would be hope
less task. As to that. the recent experience
Of the Reading combination is suggestive and
encouraging That capital would eagerly com
Pete for such franchise as the Commission is
empowered to grant is undispntcd and if the
Comm ssiOn does not carefully, candldly and
openly consider the problem before it from this
point of view it will greatly strengthen the
unfavorable impression which some of lis pro-
cecdings have created.
As for the specific prop sails of tho Man
haitian Company, it appears to us that they
are not wholly Objectionable We soc no al
vantage in foibidding the natural growth Of
the cxisln. system. Its development by means
of extensions and third tracks would be Of great
bcnc!i. to the community If il were restrained
within reasonable imits-by which we mean
IN expansion which would neither hopccssly
dcbasc the appearance of the city nor cstab
li>h a perpetual monopoly. Some of the
propositions. contemplating practically now
lines along important thoroughfarcs, need TO
be considered at greater length before they
are either condemned or approved. To at
least one OF them, however. wc think public
opinion will promptly and cmpbatcally object.
If we are not much mistaken an elevated road
crossing Fifth and Madison ayes. at Forty
second st. would be exceedingly offensive to the
general sentiment of the community.
However opinions may vary on other points,
there ought TO be no hesitation about COM
pellng the Manhattan Company to pay well for
every privilege which it obtains. Its proposals
contain no pecuniary offer and even the most
reasonable tribute will probably have to be
extortcd if it is TO be obtained at all But the
advantages which the company seeks are SO
great and sure TO be SO lucrative that it can
be forced by a proper pressure to surrender
a handsome percentage of the profits which will
accrue if they arc granted. The course of the
Commission with reference to this matter will
be closely and jealousy watched.