New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-23
NO PERPETUAL FRANCHISE
ROOSEVELT PUTS A FIFTY-YEAR LIMIT
on RAPID-TRANSIT SCHEME.
ADVISES RETALIATION OR POSSIBLE CITY
OWNERsHIP-PROvIsI FOR PRI-
.vATE CAPITALISTS

ADVISES RETALIATION OR POSSIBLE CITY
owNERsHIP-PRovIsIoN FOR PRI-
.vATE CAPITALISTS.
Albany. April 90 Especially Roose-
welt. as outlined In The Tribune to-day. in ad-
vance of it's being sent to the Legislature sent
message this morning to both the Senate and
, the Assembly In which he opposes the granting
of perpetual franchise for a rapid-transit road
in New-York. although he indicates that he
would sign a bill granting a fifty-year franchise
with the privilege OF twenty y-fve-year exten-
sions after a reappraisement in the interest of
the city OF the value OF the franchise and re-
adjustment OF the compensation 10 be paid
for It,
Soon after sending this message TO the Legis-
lature the Governor said: II received letter
from Seth Low a few days ago In which he said
he should be sorry to see rapid transit delayed
and still more sorry 10 see a perpetual iran
chise granted. And Mr.. Low reminded me OF
the fact that when abollshing the
horsecar system OF transit In the city ef-
forts were made 20 avoid any delay by the I'M
mediate adoption Of the overhead trolley sys-
TEN. Then he pointed out how much better II
had been, 1t proved. to accept the delay and
n result the underground trolley system was
adopted instead of overhead system. Mr.
Low also could have pointed out, II II had
Cured to him. that Brooklyn did not delay. did
adopt the overhead trolley system, and now
regrets it,
MUNICIPALITIES DUTIES.
The Governor also said that he had felt COM
PEELED In his message TO warn the advocates OF
municipal ownership that they must convince
PEOPLE that franchises controlled by municipall-
:ies would be honestly and economically man.
aged. Corporations he said. cannot be cor
rupt II public servants honest. If munci-
pal authorities are straight, corporations have
got TO be straight"
The Governor was asked what he had to say
about the belief Of the Rapid Transit Commits
sion that a perpetual franchise should be
granted He answered.: II have nothing to say
about the Rapid Transit Commissions idea Of a
perpetual franchise"
The Governor then at some length reviewed
the Ideas which had been current in regard 20
the disposal Of public franchises. and expressed
the belief that the people becoming con-
vinced Of their value, and would no longer favor
either giving them away or granting them per-
petually. Franchises, the Governor declared,
through the discovery OF new ways of develop
ing steam or electric power were becoming
more valuable all the time and therefore II
was we'll for the State city to hold fast TO
them and have them revalued and resod from
time TO time.
AIDING THE BILLS PASSAGE
The rapld-transit situation was cleared up to
large extent to-day by the passage by the
Assembly of Senator Stranahans two amend
ments tn the Constitution providing that the
debts Of the counties within shC tafritory Of
Greater New-York shall not be considered in
estimating the debt of New-York. The chief
amendment says:
Whenever the boundaries of any city are the
same as those of a county, when any city
shall include within its boundaries more than
one county the power Of any county wholly In
cluded within such city to become indebted shall
cease but the debt of the county heretofore eX-
listing shall not for the purposes Of this Sec
tlon be reckoned as a part OF the city DEBT
Controller Coler thinks that this enlargement
of the city debt limit will permit the city au-
thorities If they will, to build the rarid-transit
read themselves.
The constitutional amendments thus passed
by the Assembly have already passed one Leg
islature. and therefore come before the
people OF the State at the fall election this year
for their approval or disapproval
MESSAGE TO LEGISLATURE
The Governors message on rapid transit fol-
lows
TO the LEGISLATURE: There is now before your
body a measure looking toward the securing Of
rapid transit for the city of New-York. deem
It OF very great Importance that a scheme pro-
viding for rapid transit in the city should be
passed at the earliest practicable moment but
IL is even more important that this scheme
should he one which will work for the ultimate
benefit of the city. 1t does not seem to me wise
that a franchise OF this nature should he given
in perpetuity. 1t would, OF course. be pest 10
have 1t owned by the municipality altnougn l
would point out to the advocates OF municipal
ownership that IT is doubly incumbent upon
them to take the most efficient means OF rebuk-
Ing municipal corruption and of insisting upon
a high standard OF continuous fidelity to duty
among municipal employees Only If the govern
ment Of the municipality is honest Will 1t be
possible ever 10 JUSTIFY fully the N'hiHsS vi
municipal ownership.
While. however. giving full weight to these
considerations 1t yet seems unques'N; TO- at,e , @ r,'
nicipaity II should be undertaken. But II
the measure must be undertaken by a private
company, then the bill should be so rraineu as
II throw open the competition to all RESPONSE
bic bidders, and the franchise should rot IN my
opinion be given for more than htty years theH
to be revalued by arbitrators or by the supreme
Court: the franchise TO be Thereafter continues
for terms OF twenty-five years unless the CITY
desires to take the road at the valuauoh
agreed ,,
We are most fortunate in having as Commits
sioners under the present Rapid Transit ACT
men Of the highest character ana staholIs, III
whose Judgment the city has the utmost con-
fdence / believe that 1t is sage to give tnese
Commissioners very large liberty IN deallng
with the rapdtransit plan NeVerthesss, III ,iS aiS
Judgment certain broad lines snoulu De iaiu
down within which they are TO work. what the
value OF this franchise may be fifty years hehce
no one can tell and. while, in view or tne loI
mida bic difficulties OF the undertakings lull Pio-
vision should be made for ample reward TO the
private capitalists. yot the franchise should hos
be given IN perpctuity and provision shoulu w, w
made to remunerate the city if the lrahc"ise
turns out to possess exceptional value
The passage yesterday afternoon by the AS
sembly of the constitutional amendment sepa-
rating the debt of New-York City from that Oh
its constituent counties materially Improves the
prospect OF the city's obtaining rapid transit at