Year: 1877

to remember the poor voters when they are
making their nominations. As the bapust
minister in Maine remarked in the opening
of his prayer. "we would not presume to
advise, but only to suggest" and our sug-
gestion is that both parties shall, SO far as
is compatible with strictly party interests,
nominate honest and capable men, especially
for the Legislature; and, where they can do
SO as well as not, give US men who Will go
to Albany with at least a slight knowledge
of what the city needs, and feeble de-
termination to help it along.


We are asking very little for city which
pays the greater part of the State taxes. and
which contains greater part of the State'c
inhabitants. But long disappointment has
made US modest we shall be content with
only that little we have set our hearts
on. II, for instance, We shall find among
the candidates of either party any man
who is opposed to rapid transit it will
be our painful duty to expose that
fact, and try to defeat him; and we trust
the rapid transit committee appointed by
public meeting some months ago will aid
us in this. The majority of the city voters
are in favor of rapid transit; and with
proper efforts any man opposed to this
necessary improvement can be defeated.
Every candidate for the Legislature, of both
parties, ought to be asked his opinions OH
this question very soon after his nomina-
ton; and whoever does not fully and freely
commit himself to the support of the needed
,>iI pcit ri fO ha
We believe can be defeated.


Our streets of late show, by their crowded
condition, some signs Of revival of busi-
ness. The next Congress will probably
strike from the statute book some of the ex-
listing restrictive laws which hamper COM
merce. The President and Secretary OF
State are known to be engaged in efforts for
the remodelling Of our commercial treaties.
In fact there is fair prospect that the COM
ing year will witness an important ameliora-
ton of those laws and regulations which
have SO long made commerce. if not
crime, yet glaring impropriety, and
which have made Of New York for
good many years city placed at the wrong
end Of a railroad. Now the country is so
full of factories and machine shops Of NIL
kinds, most of them now idle, but very
anxious to begin work and ready to sell
their products abroad very cheaply, that
whenever better laws and improved treaties
give us chance to seek o foreign market
we shall have good deal to sell and shall
be able to buy much also. Our port ought,
in such case, to be again as busy Us it was
before the war, but with IL volume of busi-
ness enormously increased, and for the
proper and cheap handling of which we
are, thanks to the politicians, by no means
prepared.


It used to be said of the third Napoleon
that he would have done o great deal for
France if only he could have got leisure
but it was as much as he could do to keep
his place. We do not know how it may be
with the democratic and republican bosses
of New York. Probably they too, have
Us much as they can do to maintain
their own predominance, without troub-
ling themselves about the city's welfare;
and yet we wonder some one Of them
does not see that man of sufficient ability





city for it's own good. We believe, for in
stance, that man who should give us rapid
transit neod not fear the politicians, be-
cause he would have the people on his side.
We believe man who should give us clean
streets all the year round could even afford
the luxury of defying his party We be-
lieve that man who should not only bring
about rapid transit to the upper end of
the island but should give us in addition
steam freight roads along the docks and
convenient terminal facilities might ask any
thing in moderation from the people Of New
York with certainty of getting it.


But we did not mean to let imagination run
away with us in this manner. The fact is
New York, well managed, might be easily
and cheaply made the greatest and the most
healthful and pleasant commercial port in
the world Nature has done all that we
could require of her, but it is with us as,
according to celebrated Scotch Judge,
it was with culprit brought be-
fore him for ce-''Providence,
said he, ''has gifted you with health and
strength, instead of which you go about





stealing sheep" Providence has given us
a magnificent harbor, large enough for use
and not too big for security; double water
front; great inland sea in the Long Island
Sound as help to tho coasting trade; o
great river to make cheap communication
with the interior; and after many years of
hard work We have not yet been able to
mako more than half our island conven-
iently accessible; have left our water
front but quarter improved are filling
up our harbor with garbage, and are very
handsomely helping Brooklyn to build a
bridge which, when it is completed. will re-
move the centre OF our population from
Fiftieth street, where it ought to be, to the
other side Of the East River, unless we get
rapid transit ut once.