New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-26
ONE FARE. ONE SEAT.

The Appellate Division Of the Supreme Court
upholds the legal right of the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company to charge a ten-cent fare to
Coney Island. This is a victory for the COM
pany which can be made of great public benefit
If the authorities and the people take advantage
OF the opportunity. On this ten-cent line the
experiment might be forced of requiring the
company to furnish a seat to every passenger
Who knows but that 1t might be the beginning
of great reform in the prevailing methods of
handling human freight with a little less care
and regard for comfort than Is manifested
toward cattle on railroads? The cattle NAV not
have elegant accommodations, but each self
respecting COW has regular allowance of space
suited to its needs. In the human cattle cars of
this city, however, no attempt is made to save
for each passenger his allotted space He paws
his fare only to find that he has paid for the
privilege of having somebody's coat tails flung
in his fnce and being tramped on or mauled in
fashion no selfrespecting man-much less
self-respecting woman-would endure under any
other circumstances or anywhere but in an
American city.
A road which carries people a long distance
for five cents and makes no profit is naturally
disinclined to provide more ample accommoJa-
tons than absolute necessity requires. More
over the overcrowded streetcar lines in the
heart of the city have so accustomed people To
the idea that fve-cent fare need not mean a
seat or exemption from being buried beneath
standing crowd that nobody is impeed to call
for different regulations on suburban lines The
ten-cent fare, however, should prompt a demand
for ten-cent comfort 1t is not unreasonable 70
ask the railroad company which by raising the
fare practically doubles its income from the
Coney Island business to provide cars enough TO
seat for every M Tbor bort..
provided them, 1t should enforce rule against
allowing more passengers than there are seats
on car. If the company will not do this then
the municipal authorities should regulate the
matter. rule against crowding will not en-
force Itself. The people have too long been ac-
customed TO boarding full cars because there
were no others 10 exercise the patience neces
sary to secure their own comfort and rights
They must be rigidly and regularly prevented
from trespassng on those who have seats and
If adequate provision Of cars is made to accom-,
modate them promptly in turn the route 10 tbe
seashore might not be so tiresome and Indecent
because of crowding as to spoil all the good
effect Of sea air.
It is perfectly possible to secure this reform
on the ten-cent routes If the people want n
secure it. And If they once grew accustomed n
the enjoyment of seats and to thoughtful regard
for the right Of others to freedom from mani
ing they might carry the good custom with
them on other lines. Half of the oyercrowdinp
on Broadway and still more on Madison-ava
now Is utterly unnecessary. 1t is partly due 70
the vile habit Of the company of cutting down
the number of cars so that at other than rusb
hours the fewer cars are damned to rush bonr
fulness. 1t Is also due to the thoughtessness
and selfshness of travellers. They VIII stand
up in full car though q car with emntv soo.
is In sight The railroad managers take nd
vantage Of the standing habit to reduce ex
penses. II the people showed a tendency TO
avoid the full cars. even at the cost of a little
delay. they would find their business suffering
and supply more seats If the city government,
like that of Paris, forbade the carrying of stand.
ing passengers, they would soon find a way to
get the nickels of the people left on the side
walk But so long as the people Will rush into
overcrowded cars and pay their money for the
privilege Of standing on other peoples toes.