New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-20
HONE RULE AND HOME RULERS.

AOML hOLL AMI AOME 4GOl15hO
Senator Grady and Senator McCarren arc
busy trying to defeat the Public Utilities bill.
Two years ago they beat the SO-Cent Gas bill.
They oppose the Bingham Police bill The chief
distinction of their legislative careers has been
their uniform opposition TO all reform legisla-
ton desired by the residents Of this city. There
was a unanimous demand in New York for the
S0Cent Gas law, but that did not In the least
deter Grady and McCarren from voting against
| it. Though Grady thereby earned the name
Gas" Grady, and though the campaign against
his reelection last year was made on the issue
Of his betrayal Of the city to the Gas Trust,
he was reelected by a comfortable majority
Grady and McCarren represent interests, but
not the public interests, and the stupidity of a
great part Of this city's electorate is so dense
that they can go on year after year voting to
keep up the peoples gas bills, voting for fran
chlse grabs that betray valuable public pos
sessions into the hands of corporations and
fighting against the regulation Of tie traction
companies in the peoples interest They have
nothing to fear. They have misrepresented the
people at Albany ever since they went there. and
at every election the public gratefully returns
them to misrepresent 1t once more The process
verges the farcicaL The devotion of adj
miring constituents takes the sting out of high
gas bills. provided that the votes Of Pat" and
discomfort in crowded cars, provided that
Tom" and Pat in their wisdom have de
creed that cars shall be crowded.
Tammany's war on the corporations is wrapped
in strategy beyond the comprehension Of the
common man. Some deep consideration of pol
itics always explains Grady's or McCarren's vote
against measure in the public interest. They
are always forced TO choose between the dear
people and a political manRuvre of surprising
adrOitness. and they always choose the political
man9uvre. What good Tammany or Brooklyn
Democrat would be willing to have his gas bills
cut down or his car service improved at the cost
Of a shade of political gain to the Republicans7
Perish the thought Of such mercenary and
selfish considerations! So the constituents Of
Pat and Tom" get lots of strategy and
little legislation, through their representatives
at least, 10 improve their condition. So they
enjoy the unsubstantiai gains in political STRAIT
egg and are happy and send back Tom" and
Pat" to see that they do not suffer the terrible
political mishap Of having their gas bills cut
or their sreetcar service improved by the pro-
fame Republicans.
We have tried to do justice to the New York
voter and to show what kind of representatives
be prefers to have in Albany, so as to indi-
cate what sort Of corporation regulation we
might expect here IN New York II those two
noted home rulers" should prevail in the Leg
islature. Mr.. Grady would like 10 have the
commission 10 regulate the traction and light
ing companies an elective body. In n city
which greatly admires their services why
should not Mr.. Grady and Mr.. McCarren aspire
10 be elected TO such a commission? Would any
better men than they be likely, ordinarily to
be elected to such a commission, or appointed
to It either. for that matter. If the usual Tam
many Mayor had the appointment of the com
missioners?
OF course, we are aware that the zeal OF
Grady and McCarren for home rule" serves
to cloak other motives, but their shlbboleth
misleads a few honest minds. No doubt we
shall be told that If a local public service COM
mission would be In the hands Of the Muir
phys and Gradys and AIcCarrens It Is New
Yorks own fault, and that the metropolis viii
deserve no better fate. Local public opinion,
It will be said, can better be brought to bear
upon q locally selected commission. But local
public opinion endures the regulation OF cor
porations at Albany by Grady and McCArren.
No, even II the regulation OF state created cor
pOratons were not properly state matter, and
even If a uniform policy toward corporations
did not require the naming Of both commissions
by the state we should still hesitate to accept
the position OF those good people who give a
certain responsibility to the contention Of Grady
and McCarren that home rule means that the
city should stew in its own juice.