FIFTH AVENUE STAGE LINE.

The New York Times
April 9, 1900

To the Editor of The New York Times:
The denial on the part of Manager Scribner of the Fifth Avenue Stage Line that Senator Goodsell's bill created a monopoly must be taken in a Pickwickian sense.  The bill gives the right to any company which has been running for a term of years to have certain privileges and rights.  Inasmuch as the Electric Vehicle Transportation Company is the only one which has been running for a term of years, this creates an absolute monopoly in the hands of these people.  They may give us as good or as bad service as they choose, and they certainly have given us bad enough service in the past.  It is an amendment of the general transportation laws in such a manner as to give a special privilege to the Fifth Avenue Stage Line.  It is special legislation of the worst kind and should be promptly vetoed by the Governor.  Monopolies established by law have been the curse of some of the Old World countries.  We should certainly not be subjected to the vagaries or management of a company which has done very little to deserve our confidence and which now proposes to prevent any other company from competing with it.  The terms of the bill out an effectual quietus on the disingenuous denials of the manager of the would-be monopoly.

E. R. JOHNES
New York, April 7, 1900.