New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-15
WHOLE STATE IN DANGER.
THE CONTROLLERS ATTACHMENT OF
THE RAMAPo WATER COMPANY.

Mr. COLER GOING TO ALBANY TO-DAY TO
URGE THE PASSAGE OF Mr.. DEMAREsTs
BILL-HIs LETTER TO Mr., KELSEY
The Assembly Committee on Cities will give
hearing to-day on the bill Of Mr. Demarest, to
repeal Chapter 9S5 of the Laws Of 1898
which conferred enormous privileges on the
Ramapo Water Company. Controller Coler will
be in Albany to-day TO urge the passage Of the
bill. He has written his argument in the form
Of a letter TO Chairman Kelsey OF the Commit
tee on Cities The letter declares that the wis.,
dom OF municipal ownership OF water supply
has been concIusively demonstrated The Con-
tro1er makes his arraignment OF the Ramapo
Water Company in part as follows:
The Ramspo Water Company has been before the
public for many years but ii has had only paper
existence 1t has never furnished gallon OF water
have been regarded BY the public as Visionary and
ever, the people OF this city startled by what
appeared to be conspiracy TO betrey their inter
Water company - Tor the supply of water at cost
OF S09SOo year for forty years or sUCocVVU1 n
was met with such storm Of popular Indignation
have been abandoned or least delayed Such
was the public interest aroused throughout the
be entirely familiar with this recent history and
that further comment on that point is therefore,
What was 1t that after so many years Of harm
less soporihc existence suddenly made this COM
pany a danger to the State and its citizens, and
especially to the city of New York? The passage
of the Ramapo act Of 1895. In attempting 10 de-
scribe the enormtty Of this statute I almost at
a loss do justice to its provisions without the
aid Of language violent extravagant
those unconversant with the facts
IN the first place, the title Of the act is wholly
misleading, and the statute is possibly void as con-
travening Section 10 Of Article III Of the Constttu
ton. Instead of being act TO limit and define
the powers OF the RamapO Water Company II Is
make those powers unlimited and lnden-
mite almost to the point of infinitude- Let that
company once secure Its grasp upon the water
supply OF the city of New-York, let the taxes of
the people be poured into its treasury and the
financial strength thus acquired Will make Il the
master of the people Of the whole State.
Is the field Of this company limited to the Ram
apo water shed? Not all. The act adds the
words, and along such other watersheds and their
accumulating and storing the waters thereof"
Thus, its field is the whole State Of New-York and
the whole people Of that State its prospective vic
tins. If it be true that there is present feeling
of unrest among the people based upon the mOnop-
oliZauou of the necessities Of life in trusts and
other private trade combinations, what should be
said of legislative aid the private monopolZa-
ties such as sugar, oil, steel and iron and cereal
products are the Veriest luxuries.
To allow such law 10 remain upon the statute
books is to offer a perpetual temptation i'm
providence and dishonesty. and know of no great
er service that the Legislature could render than
introduced this measure in the Legislature Of 1895
has declared that he not aware Of its scope
or purpose It's enactment was then secured
repttiOusly. Its repeal is demanded by the
unanimous voice Of the people openly, in the light
Of day and with full knowledge Of It's purport.