New-York tribune., 1903-04-15
p.prn Transit FACT AND FOLLY.


Nothing could be more indicative or Dau
.rd9noent and had temper on the part of some
of those who have opposed the Mayors Dill
N amend the Rapid Transit act than then
dopuncia+ion of ii as grab" and II ther
good faith is not generally discredited they VIII
he fortunate In its original form it contained
We think. several Objectionable provisions anu
no are not sure that the changes recently maze
would have proved wholly satisfactory to I'M
martial citizens But it bore no resemblance 20
+be grab bills which public opinion mas ap-
narept{y killed. and it is grossly indecent 10
accuse the Mayor of having, by carelessness OF
Intention given his support 10 any measure
which that description hts-
FouaIIv wild is the current condemnation oI
rho RAND Transit Commission because after
lone effort it succeeded in letting the present
contract for the construction and operation OF
+,,a underground road now nearing completion
Whom he undertook that enterprise Mr.. NC
Donald r1sEed his reputation and all he owned
Men of the highest repute for saSaclty hao
rafusad 70 back him. The Metropolitan ana
Manhattan companies had declined to nave
ANYTHING TO do with such scheme except Oh
+orn,s which the commission and the public
vvaro agreed in regarding as intoierable. ME-
NcDonaId did find Tesourceful hackers just IN
time. and the company which they orSahlzeu
is likely TO be we'll rewarded. But much Oh
the talk about their profits is as foollsh as
nossible \ good sample OF 1t was me pre-
nos+orous assertion that they had already made
$40 oonOO0 out of the city. When it was
noin+ed out that the city had advanced in all
considerably less than the amount named, 1t
1,aconoa necessary to revise that estimate ana
attribute TO Mr.. Shepard or somebody else a
| nrediction that the company would make S3o
| ooo ooo or S4oOOO,OO0 or S50000000 sooner or
later bv means Of the operating trdnchlse
Perhaps it will and If it does it will be fairly
entitled TO its profits. Those who are now de-
/ cIarinc that the commission made a pronlgate
| contract should at least remember that lbe
| commissioners were almost alone in expressing
the belief year after year that they had gooo
| investment to offer, and that not Few Oh
their hottest critics at the present time were
| nonrinp cold water on their appeals 10 cap
| itaIists only three or four years ago. 1t is
| often easy to be wise after the event but these
late converts to the theory that subway ROADS
are sure to produce colossal profits are prob
ably almost as far astray as they were at
first. though in the opposite direction
AS for the Mayors decision not to press the
| bill which Mr.. Bostwick introduced at MS re-
| quest we think It is wise. He does not need
TO be assured that his motives were never ques-
TONED by any man of sense. but there is a
| somewhat prevalent impression that his bill IS
not in all respects judieious. The result may
be failure of all rapid transit legislation this
year. but that would not be an unmixed evil.
| There is as yet official or popular agree
ment on any comprehensive plan of rapid tran
sit extension. Mr.. Parsons's proposals are in
genious and interesting, but they need to De
considered with the utmost care, and there IS
reason TO think that/the law as it stands viii
enable the commission TO do all that should be
done for year TO come We can conce'7e OF
some advantages TO be derived from deferr1ng
arrangements for an extensive development OF
the underground system until the first subway
has been put into actual operation. The run
ming of trains may disclose facts of which
other contracts should take cognizance