The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-18
What Is the Reason I?

IL Is remarkable that not one OF the pOlitt-
cal conventions or the newspapers which
have commended the astounding rapid
transit proposition, has ventured to explain
and discuss in detail the scheme for which
they ask the people to vote. They have all
supported 1t in lump and blindly. There
seems to be a concerted effort to keep the
people in ignorance Of its true nature, I'M
less IL be that these supposed guides for the
public are themselves in the same ignorance.
Undoubtedly, the passage Of the resolu-
tions Of the political conventions was due
to such ignorance. The delegates had no
understanding of the question, and they
committed themselves to a hap-hazard
opinion on IL as matter OF secondary i'm
portance. They were interested wholly in
the selection of candidates for election at
time Of much political confusion, and
they looked on this rapid transit scheme
as only side issue of no serious
consequence. IL is safe to say that not one
of them In a hundred knew anything about
1t or had given any sort Of study to the sub
ject. Even now such references AS are made
to it In the newspapers supporting the prof.
ect, indicate that they are put forth with
out any intelligent comprehension Of what
it is or any thorough examination OF the
provisions of the Rapid Transit act.
In not one OF these papers has
there been anything approaching a dis
cussion OF the subject on its merits as they
actually are. Not one OF them has made
any defence Of the scheme which has the
slightest weight with anybody, lawyer or
layman, who has examined the Rapid Tran
aif art full nd -hp To %
express valuable opinion on IT, Not one OF
them has ventured to answer the objections
to IL, on grounds of public policy and private
morals, which arise in the mind OF every
such impartial student.
Such ignorance and such indifference to
the public welfare are shameful both in the
political parties and the newspapers, for
really the most important question now be-
fore the people, SO far as this city is con-
cerned, is this rapid transit issue as it will
be presented to the voters next month.
Even il Tammany were as bad as it Is rep
resented TO be, and worse. its continuance
In the control OF the municipal Govern
ment would be infinitely less injurious i'll
its consequences than the introduction OF
the political principle and the est ablshmenU
Of the political precedent which are in
volved in this mischievous scheme. The
members of the Chamber OF Commerce
who are supporting il see no further
than across their counters The owners
Of landed property on the outskirts
OF the town, who hope 10 benefit
themselves selhshly by helping TO put
1t through are furthering policy
which, thus started, would be fraught with
dangerous consequences for all property
whatsoever. Bad men in public Office can
be turned out and bad methods of admins
tratiOn can be reformed; but when bad prin-
ciples OF government are once engrafted into
the political system, il may be impossible TO
prevent their growth until they dominate
the character of the whole.
Moreover, the people are deluded as to the
matter in the most shameful way. They
are told, for instance, that the underground
system, though built at the expense of
mortgaging the whole city, and all the
property of its citizens, would really cost
the city nothing because the interest and
principal of the bonds would he paid and re-
turned from the profits of the enterprise
But suppose there are no profits: Private
capital refuses absolutely to go into the
enterprise on the ground that there cannot
be any and why should the case be different
with public cspital' OF course, money
can be borrowed on the credit of the city at
less rate of interest than on bonds OF the
road itself, but that advantage would be
offset by the working OF the almost invs-
riable rule that the cost OF pub
lie construction is far greater than
private, and that the public bonds
would be much more in amount than il
they were issued by private company,
But whatever their amount, IL the road
makes no profit, and if its running ex-
penses exceed its revenues, how is the inter
est on the public debt incurred for its bene-
it, To say nothing of the principal, to be
paid, unless at the cost Of the people That
such would he the result is not merely
remote possibility, 1t is the probability, in
the opinion of fnanciers and railroad men
generally, and for that reason none OF them
would touch il as private enterprise.
The chances are ten to one that IL the hole
should he dug at the public expense, the
public money would never be got out of
it, but would remain there hopelessly lost.