New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-11-20
ltR HADOO,S OFFER.

Mr. NTrA1oo'S offer TO the Public Ser
vice Commission completely removes one
of the most persistentiy urged objections
10 the -rihorough route The criticism
that this plan Is I'll devised. and SO laid
out and designed that the city can have
M assurance Of its profitable operation
if completed. viii no longer have the
slightest weight. i'll view of the readiness
Of SO practical and successful rapid
transit expert as Mr.. McAdOO TO put
S500NG. coo of private capital into round
Ing out and equipping the uihorough
system.
The extensions which Mr.. McAdoo pro
poses To the Public Service Commission's
plans. as well as bis suggested moditica-
tions and temporary excisions. will
arouse differences Of opinion. but there
i nothing in them that is essentially
antacOniSJic 10 the scheme of the tTl-
borough route. There is good reason TO
hope thar GIr. McAdoo and the Public
Service Commission. both approaching
the subject. as they evidently do, with
sincere and openminded desire 10 secure
the best possible facilities for the least
LlELlek &lI II iIJt- 1tdSt tl4AiS ~ III
10 reach a satisfactory agreement. No
doubt either side stands ready to modify
its plans in detail after discussion The
important point is that a railroad builder
and operator of high reputation stands
ready 70 take hold Of the tribOrCugh sys-
TEN in all its essential features, CO.
ordinate il with his own and guarantee
to the city the operation Of a cOmpre-
hensive independent rapid transit line
traversing thickly populated and now
unaccommOd8Jed districts Of The Bronx.
Manhattan and Brooklyn. and giving &C
cess to the Grand Central and Pennsyl-
vania stations and TO the business and
financial districts.
The city has then before il q subway
plan Of unquestiOnable practicability and
utility. lis cost is within a sum which
can be made available. The only thing
that can excuse a failure promptly 10
undertake the work is the immediate
presentation of some proposal which OF
fers comparable relief, m less time and
at less cost. and on lines which would
not interfere with the subsequent con
! struc1ion OF the Independent system.
I Heretofore the attitude Of the Inter
borough interests has been persiStently
obstructive. The extensions which the
marlborough has suggested have seemed
calculated to OCCUPY streets which would
be essential links in any independent
line. and readiness TO build even those
has been in large measure dependent
on prospective independent offers. It is
noteworthy that 1Ir. McAdoo's sugges-
tons are not framed in any d0g-in-the-
manger spirit. They do not preclude
extensions Of the Interb0rough lines in
fields naturally tributary % them, nor
cut of those lines from great centres of
traffic like the Pennsylvania station,
which they should reach for the COM
pletiOn Of that system.
His policy is at once an example and
a warning. If the marlborough has any
offers 10 make for which it hopes favor
able consideration either by officials or
by the public. II must act in the same
progressive spirit. And it must act
quickly. The people are in no mood for
delay and in no mood for patience with
proposals merely meant to perpetuate
monopoly and prevent the building Of
the triborOugh line. II is possible that
some extensions of the InterborouGh
would give 50 great relief at so little
cost that 1t might seem advantageous to
use some Of the money now available
for rapid transit 70 secure them. even
though il involved some postponement
of the building OF the independent
through line. bur no such extensions can
he permitted to place the city for the
future a. the mercy of q single company.
either by the use OF all of the city's
available credit or the occupation Of
streets necessary 10 an Independent line
The ciry i at the present moment in q
better position than il has been for
years. It has the plans and bids for
the construction Of a practicable and
comprehensive line. It has the credit TO
build it. And it has the promise of its
operation on favorable terms. An alter
native Of exceptional arTractiveness viii
have 10 be presented speedily if the city
Is not. in cooperation with Mr.. McAd0o,
10 undertake the construction Of the tri-
borough system.