New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-29
KEEP

There was little public interest in last weeks
cab strike in this city, and we fancy it would
have been difficult if not impossible, to arouse
any. Generally speaking, In a struggle over
freedom of labor and employment against
monopolistic arrogance, the better Judgment
of the public would stand for freedom. But
that issue was in this case largely obscured
by the still more general one Of cabmens
oppressive and extortionate treatment OF the
public. We have not been able to discern any
radical contrast between union and non
union cabmen in this respect. nor are we con-
fidentIy assured whether the fault lies with the
drivers or with the owners and employers.
What is known is that for years unnumbered
il has been all but impossible to get decent cab
service in this city at a reasonable price That
fact was doubtless borne in mind by the public
during the brief strike, and as between the con-
testants the general sentiment was, a plague
on both your houses" The result of the strike,
apparently, is to be a still further raising of
the price of cab seryice-a piling of still more
straw upon the back of this most patient and
long suffering camel of NewYork.
We are not unmindful of the burdens which
the cabman has to bear. and of the apparent
obstacles in the way Of cheap service. Our
streets are narrow and crowded, and many of
them are still i'll paved. Nevertheless, there
long ago have been vastly improved, the very
LAY Of the land facilitating such improvement.
Take the single case of the North River ferries.
Every day myriads of persons are landed at the
foot of Liberty. Cortandt, Barclay. Chambers
and other streets. The streetcar service at
those ferries is Of the most meagre and I'M
satisfactory description. Generally speaking.
all who want to get anywhere must walk to
Broadway or the elevated roads. There are
thousands every day who would greatly prefer
TO ride even that short distance. In time Of rain
or snow or slush the number of such is legion.
From them the cabmen might reap fortune, IL
they would. 1t would be a paying business TO
convey people quarter or a half mile for
20 cents or even 10 cents, apiece, and there are
thousands of people who would be glad to pay
that price for such service. But if you want
something spicier than the vaudeville stage af
fords, just make such a proposition to the aver
age cabman! What is to be thought Of the man
who will sit on his cab idle for an hour rather
than drive FIVE minutes for 20 cents? But now
we are told that there are to be no more 30
cent trips, even. but If a man wants to be
ried from his hotel to club theatre. only
five minutes drive away, he must pay dollar
for the service!
1t is commonly said that at certain hours all
over the city, and at all hours in some parts Of
the city, ii is practically impossible to secure
decent conveyance In the streetcars We be-
leve that is pretty nearly so. We are equally
assured that in most cases it is impossible TO
get satisfactory public cab service at reason
able price. The scale Of prices prescribed by
the municipal ordinance is high enough-tOo
high for general patronage. But who hopes to
get served by the average "cabby' according
to even that schedule? 1t is all very we'll to say
that the passenger should make bargain with
the driver before entering the cab. Yes; but
who wants to stand with his wife upon the
sidewalk, the cynosure Of grinning, guying
crowd, for ten minutes while he chaffers and
bargains with n profane ruffian? There are
those who advise. on the contrary. that the
passenger should get into the cab as he would
into a streetcar, without saying word about
the fare, and when he reaches his destination
should tender the legal fare, and no more But
to do so would in innumerable cases be TO in
wife insult. If not assault. and probably TO be
compelled TO go TO police station.
II by any happy turn of fate there could be
such transformation OF the whole cab sys
TEN would enable the average citizen TO
employ such means Of conveyance whenever he
had need of II, at a reasonable price and with
out annoyance, the blessing to the public would
be great, and we believe the profit to cab own
ers and drivers would be commensurately great