New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-24
THE BENEFACTOR'S SAD CASE.
MR.. DOLL WANTED TO DO so MUCH. AND
HE HAS DONE so LITTLE.

MR. DOLL WANTED TO DO so MUCH AND
HE HAS DONE 50 LITTLE.
William F. Doll. who seems to believe that the
place for everything is everywhere, has gained
point. Until some higher court reverses the de-
cison OF the lower one. he Will have the privilege
OF riding horseback or in n landau on the Har
lem River Speedway. from noon TIL o'clock. any
day or every day. He is the only person who has
that privilege. Some people would be proud to be
permitted TO do anything that nobody else was
allowed TO do but 1t is understood that this is not
Mr.. Dolls position. He thought that the blessing
OF the Speedway ought to be conferred every
body no matter what he riding. Bicycles
ought to trunde along there and get In the way of
the fast horses for which the Speedway was de-
signed. he thought. Landaus and drags should be
permitted to hold the tenor OF their way there.
while the light rigs with the fast horses should
turn out for them Mr.. Doll thought. He brought
a suit against the Park Commissioners TO restrain
them from interfering with his riding on anything
he chose on the Speedway. and he permitted him
self to be arrested In the Of the public IL
cense to ride anything everywhere.
The privilege OF riding bicycle on the Speedway
was promptly denied Bicyclists own the earth and
all but the fulness thereof. It cannot be denied but
the Park Commissioners have had the effrontery TO
reserve the Speedway a bare margin exempt
from them. and the courts have sustained the
Commissioners. But Mr.. Doll has nominally won
part OF his and virtually lost the whole Of IT,
through decision OF Justice CIilderSleeve that
he may ride horse In landau on the
Speedway at such reasonab Bile hours the Park
Commissioners may fix. They have fixed his hours
as set forth above. and he can go up there and
Sing boob 10 you. pooh, pooh TO YOU" to the po-
cemen and the Park Board. for two hours Of every
day. But President Clausen OF the Park Board Is
going to appeal the case, so there Is no knowing
how long Mr.. Dolls privilege will last And even
for the present moment Mr.. Doll is the only one
who can do II. that his dsinterested labors for
humanity have after ALL missed the little margin
OF humanity which lies outside himself and clings
10 the skirts OF his riding breeches for defence.
But Mr.. Doll has the spirit OF the reformer. The
true reforner always scorned at the beginning.
but in the end he trumphs. Mr. Doll should go on,
and doubtless he will. His next step should be TO
gain for pedestrians the privilege OF crossing the
surface of the Speedway. instead OF using the sub
ways After that they should be allowed TO walk
the Speedway lengthways. Next II might be well
10 establish the rights OF carriages. bicycles and
pedestrians on the bride paths in Central Park
II would be only a step from this to the opening
OF the footpahs in all the parks and the sidewalks
OF the streets to carriages, bicycles and equesrans
Perhaps trolley In all the roads and paths OF
the parks might be the next step
BY that time Mr.. Doll could hold up his head, II
II had not already been cut Off by cable car
crossing through Union Square, instead Of going
around t. or broken by the collision of his bicycle
with an omnibus along the Battery sea wall. and
feel that he had benefited humanity and COMPOUNDED
the Park Board by establishing the principle that
the place for everything Is everywhere.