New-York tribune., 1900-08-21
REASON AGAINST RAMAPo.

Amid all the food OF literature which the
printing presses of the world have put forth
during this century ending year there is
not a volume of greater import to the people OF
this metropolis. and not one for which we would
wish q more general local reading and careful
consideration, than the one just published con-
tanning the report of the Merchants Associa-
ton upon the water supply of New-York. 1t is
at once a splendid manifestation Of public spirit
and a scathing rebuke to the lack Of that same
quality. For here is association of busy
men, voluntarily spending many thousands OF
dollars out of their own pockets, and many
thousands of dollars worth of their own time,
in doing a work which the public servants OF
the city should have done and in trying to
protect the city against the results Of it's public
servants neglect, incapacity or deliberate dis
honestly and here are more than three million
people supinely submitting 10 a state Of affairs
in which such action is necessary The bitter
est satirist on popular government could wish
no more suggestive theme. Nor could the eulo-
gist of civic virtue easily find In these parts
a better subject than is afforded by the authors
and publishers Of this work.
The report deals with the entire problem Of
the city's water supply, and in it's treatment
of each phase thereof is worthy Of most careful
consideration. At the present moment we may
cussion of the Ramapo scheme. We printed
yesterday an abstract Of that part Of the re-
port, and we earnestly advise all readers who
have the good of the city and of their own
pockets at heart TO read it carefully and file it
away for future rereading and digestion. For It
is no mere expression Of opinion nor ex parte
special pleading, but judicial statement made
with a fulness of technical and expert knowl-
edge not likely TO be surpassed. And what is
the gist of it? Briefly this; If the city builds
and operates 1t own waterworks it will forty
five years hence own them all, free and clear,
and be about $1O0 100000 to the good on ac-
count Of profits from water rates; while If it
makes the Ramapo contract it WILL at the
same date. own no plant and be nearly $780,
100000 out Of pocket besides. The report
reckons the gross difference at S195, 100000.
That sum is what the city would lose by the
year 1915, when the proposed Ramapo contract
would terminate, if it entered into that con-
tract. That sum is, therefore what Is to be
gained or saved by rejecting Ramapo and
maintaining the present system of municipal
ownership.
Such figures, without going further into the
details of the matter, ought to be sufficient to
convince every intelligent man of the monstrous
folly Of accepting the Ramapo proposition. A
loss Of 100000 or $4,OOO000 a year to the
City Treasury is 8 prospect no taxpayer should
contemplate with any degree Of tolerance; no,
nor any rentpayer, nor any wage Garner either.
for in the end the looting Of the treasury means
looting of their pockets too. On the other
hand, what are we to say Of the prospect Of
gaining such a revenue, as viewed by a clique
Of unscrupulous political conspiratOrs? Is it
not enough to tempt them to the most desperate
measures, even to the deliberate wasting Of the
citys water and thus the creation of fictitious
water famine? And as for the alternative, 1t
is perfectly simple. Granted that the city is
now in danger Of a water famine-which it
isn't by a good deal-protection from such dis
aster is to be had merely by giving to the city
of New-York as much power, under its charter,
as this Ramapo company has under its charter.
Is there anything unreasonable in that? On the
contrary, is 1t not an unreasonable, an anoma-
lous. and a monstrous thing that private cor
poration should have greater charter powers
than a great public municipality-that part
Of the community should he greater than the
whole?