Year: 1864

before BOtutlOu II hrIlvtu ~


A REMEDY AGAINST THE RAILROAD Imposr-
rIoNs The real and proper remedy against
the railroad outrage is in the hands OF any
public spirited eitiz n who chooses to make
use Of it. In demanding more than five cents
Of the passengers who ride in their cars the
railroad companies violate the specific provi-
sions of certain State and municipal laws; and
In enforcing demand which they have no
right to make, they become outlaws. Although
the police are for the time arrayed on the side
Of the car companies their action is none the
less unjust; and the police might with the
same propriety be ordered to assist any high
wayman in the enforcement Of the demand
that he may make for travellers purse or
for any part of the contents of that purse
Now the laws which these companies thus vio-
late are the respective charters Of the compa-
MES; and it is for any citizen to test the simple
question whether or no such viola
ton does not vacate the charter. Have
the companies the right to run their
cars in any other manner than in
the manner specified by law Has the Sixth
avenue line the right to run its cars iu any
other streets than those specified in its charter
1t certainly has not; and its charter is just as
specific as to what fare shall be exacted az it is
as to what streets the cars should run in. Our
courts will in all probability decide that these
companies have no longer any legal existence,
and no right to cucumber the public streets.
Let some citizen who has been violently elected
from car 60 before the District Attorney, or
other proper authority, and move for an in
junction to prevent the running Of the cars.
Let the people test this question fairly at once.
Let us see whether the laws made for the pro
lection of the people are sufficient for the pur
pose, or whether they are TO be ignored with


mpunity whenever it may suit the interests OF
capitalists. Let US know whether moneyed
corporation is any less subject to the avs than
individuals are


The car companies say that they make this
increased demand 'by authority Of the United
States revenue law" This is . cunningly de-
vised pretext By this means they hoped to
take the people on the weak point of patriot
ism. They thought that every one would ac
quiesce readily in the increase rather than op-
pose tax laid by the government for the
necessities of the country. But the revenue
law has nothing to do with it The revenue
law requires one-eighth of cent on every
fare. Let the companies collect that, and the
people will not grumble. 1t is difficult. per-
haps; but the companies must get over their
own difficulties They say it is impossible to
collect fractions of . cent; and IL that is
true, so much the worse for the companies. It
is certain that the companies, under the pretext
Of collecting from every passenger one-eighth
every passenger seveu-eighths Of cent for
themselves, and 1t is this seizure of seven
eighths, and not the assessment OF one-eightb,
that the people resist. 1t is this seizure that
has violated and vacated the charter Of every
company except that on the Fourth avenue
and therefore these companies must be enjoined
from further occupancy Of the streets- Let the


people take advantage OF the opportunity that
the companies have thus made to reorganize
the whole car system. Let the charters be
given to new and better men; or better STILL


lot the charters not be given to any one. If
the people move properly in the matter these
charters can be made valuable pieces Of
property to the city. II they pass into the
hands of the city government, and under its
control, they can be let from year to year as
tho various ferries are, and can be made .
most effective means 10 tighten that vast load
Of taxes that our citizens are made to bear.


COsT or rHR WAR.-The copperhead organs
are continually ringing the changes on the
dead loss occasioned to the country by its
war expenditure. While it would be easy to
show that all the money expended in putting
down the rebellion is not permanently lost
yet it is clear that immense sums of money
have been utterly wasted and thrown away. But
the sums spent in fortifying the approaches to
our sesboard cities are, for instance, no loss
Sooner or later this work had got to be DONE
and it was, perhaps, better that the conscious
ness of our weakness in this regard should be
forced upon us by internal than by external
difficulties. The harbor defences Of New York
and Boston are now in condition which will
render those cities impregnabls to attack by
foreign fleets, and the money spent on those Of
the Southern ports will be so much clear gain
to the government by and by. When we see
Great Britain and France, after an annual
expenditure of millions on their barber defenoes
during the last half century compelled to over