New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-06
TIE NTERROROTGH OEFER.


ANY one who compares the present
offer of the marlborough Rapid Transit
Company with its last previous offer
Will see the success of the Public Ser
vice Commissions policy of laying out
ii competitive subway system and seek
Ing a competitor TO operate it, and APP
preciafe the service To the community
performed by Mr.. McAdoo when nc
made his liberal proposal for the tri-
borough system. The hand of the IN
terbOr0uCh has been forced. and it has
at last had TO abandon its obstructive
tactics. The result is that the city has
BOW before it two excellent offers. each
with certain advantages peculiar To it
self. The offer of Mr.. McAdoo has the ad-
vantage Of bringing competition into the
field of rapid transit and of introduce
ing into it an operator who has won
the favorable regard of the public. The
plan of the InterboroUgh company has
the advantage of greater comprehen-
siveness. and while it spells monopoly
il contains important safeguards against
the evils of monopoly. 1t offers so much
10 the public. with its single fare over
an extensive system and its provision
of more than half Of the capital needed
To build the proposed lines, that ii is
certain 10 be popular. As its accept
nnce would definitely commit the city
10 q monopoly in rapid transit and
proba bly, also 10 the supply of funds for
the building of future subway extern
sions il will require careful considera-
ton.
Pressed into a corner ny the success
full policy of inviting competition. the In
terborough company has conceded prac-
ticaIly all the points for which Chair
man Wilcox Of the Public Service Com
mission has contended. It is willing 10
furnish S15.0000oo of the S12S. 100000
which the proposed lines will cost. 1t
asks only short lease upon them, with
a provision for profit sharing with the
city. instead Of the long lease for
which it has hitherto held out And
the contract for the operation of any
and all future extensions OF tn" system
that the city may build is one of the
concessions for which Mr. Wilcox has
fought IN all his negotiations. This is
important if the city is to have mon0p-
oily The greatest evil Of a monopoly,
according to recent experience. is its I'M
willingness 10 extend its system when
extensions are needed A contract re
curing the operat ors Of the subway TO
equip and operate any extensions the
city may construct provided that the
city guarantee II against Il deficit on
those extensions, will protect the city
against future obstructive tactics.
though such contract will proba bly,
be found in practice 10 oblige the city
to supply all the funds for future sub
way extensions.
It is impossible 10 discuss Al once the
details of the marlborough offer. the
regions that would be served by the
comprehensive system proposed. the rela-
five advantages to the different Dor
oughs of this system and of the tri-
borough. the terms offered regarding the
Fourth avenue subway in Brooklyn. and
the other interesting phases of the pro
posal 1t is sufficient TO call attention
to the fact that in the face of competi-
ton the marlborough company has
finally offered TO make reasonable pro-
vision for the city's transit needs and
has sought TO meet the objections 10
a monopoly by offering TO accept short
lease and by contracting 10 equip and
onerate extensions II has at last
made a proposal that the city can con-
slider and one that it should consider.