New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-10-11
The Canal Policy Of New-York.

that the great body Of those termed Fede-
Ialists,' 'Clintonians,' Peoples Party and
wings, have been from the outset earnest
". actively. zealously favorable to the con-
struction extension and enlargement of our
Canals, while at least nine-tenths II not
ninety-nine hundredths OF the opposition
they have encountered has come from the
ranks of the party which claims to be ex-
clusively or preemineutly Democratic: 1t
Is this party. and no other, which has sent
Legislative Delegations from this city in
structed to vote to fill up she Ditch which
has since made Newly ork the first City Of
America and the Commercial Emporium OF
the Union and it was precisely because
the intelligent and sagacious yeomanry OF
, Western New York. to whom the Canal
question was a vital one, knew that the 500
called Democratic party could not be trusted
on this question-knew that It's instincts and
prochvities were radically hostile to the
great enterprise-that lmpelled them to
elect De Witt Clinton Governor over Dam
iel D. Tompkins in the memorable struggle
of 1919 This profound consciousness that
the mental habltudes, the lneradlcable ten
denotes, of party Democracy are hostile to
such public enterprises as the Erie Canal
Enlargement, has largely contributed to
keep Western New ork emphatically and
steadily Wing through the chances and
changes of the last twenty years.
When, therefore, the oracleS of preten-
tious Democracy proclaim that all the Ca
mails have been begun and completed by
their party, they deceive nobody, not even
themselves. They know, as we and every
body else know, that, while the party most
generally in power has of course directed
the execution of the work, the momentum
which caused that work to be undertaken
was supplied by the antagonist party and
that but for this the works would have re-
NAMED mere projects. Had partisan De-
mocracy controlled the State undlsputedly,
it would never have done nor permitted one
fifth of what it has been impelled to do or
allow to be done through well-grounded fear
that further resistance would excite a local
disaflection which, uniting its forces with
those of the natural and steadfast champi-
ons of the Canal policy, would subvert the
ascendancy of the party In this way
the Chenango and other lateral Canals were
extorted from the fears of the party leaders
when nothing but fear would have eXtorted
those leaders assent to their commence
ment. In this way, the Erie Enlargement
was authorized, in defiance of the calcula-
tons of Wright, Flagg & Co., that the Ca
nal was large enough already, and that It's
tunnape would rather diminish than increase.
by reason of the falling off of the Lumber
business. But that Enlargement was only
authorized on the strength of the shameiuny
delusive if not grossly fraudulent estimates
of the Regency Canal officers that it would
be completed for less than half the sum
which those same officers afterward admit
ted would be requisite, but for which 1t Is
doubtful whether the Legislative assent to
it would, under such auspices have been
obtained. And when it ras authorized, 1t
was on condition that it should only be pros
ecuted as fast as the surplus tolls would pay
the expense-a limitation which, IN view OF
the LARGE amounts of Canal Debt falling due
from wear TO wear, was equivalent to the in
definite postponement of its completion
The Wigs obtained control of one
branch of the State Government in 1888, OF
another in 1899, and of all three in 1910.
Their accession to power was naturally sig
nalzed by the passage OF an act providing
for the More Speedy Enlargement " of our
great artery of trade, based on Report
made to the Assembly by Mr.. Samuel Is.
Rupgles. proving the urgent necessity and
genuine economy of such a course, IN view
If the inevitable and rapid increase of trans
noftation on that Canal in coming years.
That Report was received with one general
howl of execration and derision by the organs
and oracles Of party Democracy throughout
the State. If it had proposed tunnel under
Lake Ontario and an underground railroad
from Oswego to Toronto, it could not have
been more jeered and hOoted at. Yet Time
has already proved its calculations just and
statesnan-hke, its anticipations of the In
crease of business on the Erie Canal rather
within the truth than beyond 1t. Had the
Enlargement been pressed and completed
according to Mr. Ruggles's suggestions, the
Canal Revenues for the thirteen years which
have intervened since his computations were
ax.ao.lat hrs