Year: 1869

in the solution of the approaching Mexican
problem. Let the Chinese come to this Cont
nent with their wives; they give us cheap
labor and they are quiet, orderly citizens.


New York Piers and Wharves-The EVIL


and the Remedy.


A bill is before the Legislature at Albany
involving complete revolution in the system
of construction Of the wharves and piers Of our
city, and providing for an additional commits
sion to our scheme Of city government. We
have not seen the bill, but subject Of such
great Importance to every interest In the city
merits earnest consideration and attention.
Commerce is the life of New York, and every
movement which affects it is either beneficial
or prejudicial to the immediate interests Of
thousands. It has been for many years sub
ject Of deep regret to every honest man that
the system which New York city has pursued
in the administration Of the piers and wharves
has been most prejudicial to trade. and reflects
the deepest disgrace upon commercial city
which ranks as the third in the world.


In seeking remedy we must first recognize
the cause of an evil. In the matter of the
piers and wharves this will be found in the fact
that legislation, while pretending to aim at the
laying of the smallest burden upon trade, has
been so contrived as to lay the heaviest possi-
BILE tax upon 1t, and at the same time to divert
the greater portion of the proceeds to the
benefit of political favorites, allowing the
small part only to 60 to the reimburse
ment of capital invested for the accom-
mediation of shipping AS at pre-
sent organized there are three beneficiary
interests in our system Of wharves and
piers. These are, first, the wharf rats and
thieves who derive profits to the extent of
from three to five millions of dollars annually
from their facilities of access to goods while
being landed or shipped. Second, the harbor
masters, who for an imaginary benefit, but
real evil, which they bring to the shipping
interest, are invested with an arbitrary power in
the granting Of berths to vessels which enables
them to tax shipowners and wharfowners alike
to the highest point which the needs Of these
will permit. The third and least considered
of the benefciaries is the proprietary interest;
and this, whether it be the city or private
owner, receives, under our present system Of
administration, such miserably incompetent
return for the investment that wharf property
has lost all attraction for new capital to invest
in the Improvement Of our facilities for trade.


In contemplating any new legislation on
this subject the first thing which must be borne
in mind is the rapid increase Of our city and
its trade Within the life Of the present
generation Of men New York will contain not
less than four millions of population, and its
trade will be increased in q far greater ratio.
In laying down, therefore, theprinciples which
should guide new constructions to facilitate
our trade, we must hold constantly in view its
prospective wants. The next provision should
undoubtedly be one which shall do away with
our present iniquitous harbor master system
and provide guarantees for the protection Of
commerce from the horse leeches of political
favoritism. When this is done and the
removal accomplished Of the present foolish
restriction which the law imposes on
the construction Of permanent works.
capital will find inducement for invest
ment in piers and wharves, and New York
will soon show that she has both skill
and enterprise to provide facilities and protec-
tion to commerce.


How this will best be done can safely be
left to the needs Of trade and the instincts Of
capital The Legislature should beware of
adopting and sanctioning any single scheme;
for, however broad may be the views of its origi-
nators, it is impossible that they can compre-
hend the constantly varying conditions Of
trade and provide for all its wants. The sim
plest plan will be the best. This involves
merely repeal Of the present restriction upon
permanent constructions and diminution Of
the power of the harbor masters to plunder.
1t has ever been found to the advantage Of
trade to concentrate its operations, and with
liberty of action and investment the merchants
engaged in cotton, sugar, grain and other
major branches of commerce will each be most
competent to arrange their own plan Of opera
tions and provide for their own present and
prospective wants. The merchants of New
York owe IL to themselves and to the vast
commerce which passes through their hands
to see that no great job is put privately
through the Legislature at Albany and wrong
fastened upon our city which will injure its
trade and divert commerce from it through all
coming time.





Specie to China.


The steamship which has just left San Fran