New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-05
POLITICAL PANHANDLING.

The Tribune Is In receipt of q communiCa-
ton from a correspondent finding fault with
its opposition TO the two-cent fare bill. The
writer instances inequalities Of rates The
mileage books issued by railroad companies
at two cents n mile seem to him to result in
low rates for the rich and high rates for the
poor. Several railroads, he says arbitrarily
charge two cents q mile whore there is COM
petition and three cents where there is none,
and he complains that in the face of these OBJ
vious iniquities The Tribune is against making
the two-cent rate universal by law. But"
concludes our correspondent amiably, 1.-THE Trib-
"une is always for the trustS-special laws for
"the rich and let the poor go to-the dogs"
There IS Il Daniel come to judgment for You!
Having been as strong q supporter as there is
in this state of laws TO regulate the public
service corporations and keep them within
proper bounds. we had not expected to be
roundly denounced being always for the
trusts" If some amiable person on the other
side who believes that every assertion of public
authority is an act OF war upon wealth should
now kindly write us that The Tribune was
always against the orderly and stable conduct
of business. and always for the predatory
poor" would it be necessary to conclude that,
striving TO follow our own judgment without
the bias of either contention, we had succeeded
in pleasing only our own conscience?
The Tribune does not believe that the saliva
ton Of the nation depends upon any magic
fgure-popuar or lucky or mystic :. We
do not believe that any marvellous virtue IN
heres in the two-cent rate which makes 1t ex-
actIy right under all circumstances and upon
all occasions. We should be sorry If In some
parts of this state, where the people have TO
use the railroads twice every day. they had TO
pay two cents q mile The rate would be too
much for them. In some other parts OF the
state. the nature takers not having as Yet IN
duced the wild animals TO take TO railway
travelling the sporadic settler uses the railways
too infrequently for his patronage TO be remu-
nerative at two cents a mile y fat and uni
versal rate for passenger fares would be like
a fat and universal price for wheat. say -
cents a bushel legally fixed, irrespective Of
the harvest-glut or famine, always 70 cents.
W0 do not believe In rate regulation at large
bv snap Judgment. Each rate should be con
sidered upon it's own merits, and we have in
this state a commission with ample authority
to inquire into and fix rates thus, with equal
justice TO everybody, to carrier and 10 public
alike.
We have no quarrel with our correspondent
! for denounclng us-for sitting down and tell
| ing the editor what he thinks Of him" We
! give his assertion that The Tribune is always
! for the trusts more publicity than he probably
! expected: but we do object 10 the spirit Of his
! last words. Special laws for the rich and let
! the poor go to the dogs has n fanlAar, aiDe!C
/ an unpleasant ring. It has in 1t the attitude OF
! the panhandIer There are agltators IN this
country trying politically 10 interest ''profeS-
sional poverty" They want a group who will
not ask for legislation on the ground Of Justice,
/ but who will exhibit their sores and cry Give.
give" who will 20 about wearing placards
saying, Help the poor blind man. or pity the
lame and halt; who will lacerate themselves,
if need be, to extort legislative or admnistra-
tive tears and aims. They are the sturdy beg
CARS Of politics. The profession OF poverty they
would make a lucrative one. From such men
we hear the political pauhandlers' cry, Special
| laws for the rich and let the poor go to the
"dogsw The self-respecting American does not
ask legislation on the plea that he is poor or
that he is rich; he asks IL on the ground th3t
! it is Just and will best serve the intsests OF
all. The sturdy beggar merits no more con-
sideration politically than he does privately.
The whine of professional poverty should not
become the keynote OF legislation.