New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-21
NFW-VORK'S CON- MERGE.

Tho Governor has appointed commission 10
INQUIRE into the causes Of the decline OF the
commerce of this port. and TO Suggest reiieu''i
LEGISLATION The action Is taken III purSuance
of n legislative resolution. From one point VI
Wow II IS much needed. as everything Is hceo
cd that will operate TO any extent for the COT
rcct,on Of intolerable evils. II in any respec'
II seems unnecessary. 1t is that the evils are
already perfectly obvious without inquiry or
investigation. Perhaps. however. the trouble -
thu, tbov have so long pern so obvious That
mon no longer realize their t:uc character OF
ncrceive their runous efTec.. IT is I'D" o'd story
of vice seen t"c OF" II '"'' ''D
m,ssion sholl succeed in making men regard as
novelties the things with which they have been
familiar for many years It will d, its work IN
the most effective manner
The root of the whole trouble is that IN com
merc,al matters, as IN most other things. New
yorl, Is mira conservative u did not venture
70 build one cable rond until cities onetenth lis
s,xe had Ind them in successful operation many
wears. And now with electric traction IN use
I, ovon small villages all over the land mis-
second city of the world still clngs to horse
cors, While other cities in this and other lands
eniov comfortable and commodious rapid tran
sit a,
lays what to It's timorous s4ll seems perilous
owl rnhoord-of venture While other cities,
petty in size compared with this, have fine pub
l,c libraries. this one hesitates and haggles over
Tho Thought Of attempting to build one. While
rival ports provide free elevator service lor
groin shlpmcnts and the most direct transfer
facilities. this one still suffers from oil but pro-
bibitlvo charges and the slow and clumsy meth
DDS of years ago
So II Is all the way through. Fancying itself
secure in It's supremacy. New-iork has gwen
itself I'D 10 slothful neglect while rivals that
once seemed puny have. by virtue OF greater
energy and enterprise. become fornldaple ana
seriously menacng. Let New-lork restore 10
It's former depth the harbor she has wicked'y
filled up Let her open to commerce the great
eastern sea-gate which Nature designed ana
the founders of our commercial greatness recog-
nized to be the best way OF entrance ana exit
for our eastward trade. Let her give ncr ralh
road and canal systems adequate terminal laclil-
ties. IN direct contact with the ocean lines Let
her abolish burdensome tolls. facilitate ana ex-
pedite transshipment, and bring her CONNER
cial equipment to somewhere near an equallty
with that Of Machiasport or Barnegat Those
are the measures that are needed to check the
decline Of NETWORKS commerce.
This commission will do well to inquire why
It Is that vessels. not of greatest draught, have
TO wait for high tide to enter CT leave the mar
Dor: why De Witt Clinton's masterpiece of COM
mrrcial hlghway-making, between the hudson
and the Sound Is still unfinished and unused;
WHY elevator service Is not free In New-iorfi
alone of all Atlantic cities: why SLOW cum
brous and costly lighterage service Is still neces-
sary. and why in brief, New-York Is asleep
while others are wide awake. The five men
chosen by the Governor ought to be able to
find answers to these questions without con-
sulting clairvoyants or casting horoscopes.