Year: 1876

During the week we discussed the street
car nuisance with great thoroughness, and
our columns have been open to the complaints
and suggestions of the public. There is no
more important subject affecting the health
and comfort of the community than this
question of agreeable transit in great city
like New York, and, viewing it from one
side of the case, it is not surprising that the
subject excited so much attention or that
there was such general participation in the
discussion. From another standpoint, how
ever the discussion is in itself curiosity.
After all the question is a very simple one,
and this is perhaps the only large city in the
world where there would be so much talk'
over so plain proposition. The good ma
ture of the American character is so extreme
that our people are often befogged on the
simplest question of personal rights, and the
tolerance of abuses practised upon them by
great corporations has become so universal
that it sometimes requires good deal of ar
gument to convince our people that there is
a remedy for the plainest of outrages. A
practical solution of the problem of rapid
transit would not surprise anybody; but so
accustomed have we become to the street car
abuses that the application of the simplest
remedies is regarded as hopeless by many
persons, while it would be surprising to all.
A solution in the present instance is not i'm
possible, however, and let us hope that the
full and free discussion of the subject dur
ing the week has prepared the way for the
remedy.


The remedy in this case is as simple as the
disease. Let the Legislature pass an act
providing for "no seat no fare, " and the prob
lem is solved. Some member may be in
duced to offer such bill, and few will care
to oppose measure so manifestly just. We
are not unmindful, however, that the rail-
road lobby at Albany stands between the pub
lie and their rights in this matter. Had not
this been the case we should have had law
of this kind long ago. Only last year bill
of this nature was smothered in committee
by lobby influence. The bill which is to be
introduced at the present session must not
meet with a like fate, and every member
must know that in opposing the measure he
is placing himself upon the record in antag
onism to the true interests Of the people of
this city, and that he will be held respon-
sible for his vote.


| Another remedy, immediate in its effects
and almost as simple in execution, is for the
people who are in the habit of using the
crowded cars to hold meeting and raise
funds to test the right of the companies to
demand fare without providing each pas
senger with q seat. A single individ-
ual refusing to pay for standing room
only" has no chance against these
powerful corporations, but q combined
effort will accomplish much. 1t is not easy
to eject twenty men from street car, and if
twenty will begin it the war will soon be-
come general In London the passengers on
the railways take these matters into their
own hands, and refuse to allow more persons
to enter when car is fulL A combination
to do both Of these things will soon bring
the companies to their senses. and it must
be the remedy if everything else fails.


SENATOR MORTON has taken an eStraordi.
nary time to deliver his Mississippi speech,
and people are!in danger of forgetting the
beginning before they hear the end. Why is
this9 A speech always loses its effect by
being scattered over the greater part of two
weeks. Is it because Mr. Morton was wait
ing for the assembly Of bloody-shirt con


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