New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-04-29

III tIbtA ~ PiOfNAs 49,
securing the completion of this work.
The facts show beyond disguise that this
party has ever been untiring and unsParing
in It's opposition to the canal system
When it has dared it has expressed It's OPP
position in the broadcast and Plainest terms
when it has not felt itself secure of power,
and has been doubtful whether the people
would be led by il, its opposition has been
veil,d and partial. Still its one great idea,
its constant motive, has been hostility to
all internal improvements by the State.
Ard vet. all its predictions have been fall
sized. all its measures proved erroneous.
The Erie Canal, which was to plunge the
State inextricubly in an abyss OF debt, now
fills the treasury with its income; the stop
law, which was TO arrest the progress Of
extravaganza and to save Us from ruin, has
cost millions upon millions that can never
be recovered, thrown away to no purpose
whatever, save TO arrest the tide Of adj
vsncipg prosperity, and inaict upon New
York a blow from which the infctOrs seem
resolved that she shall not recover.
The real theory of these politicians is
that the State expenses should be paid by
a direct tax upon the people; they are
vexed TO the heart to see them paid by
great and triumphant system Of public
works, and could they get the power to do
go they would sell out the Canals to phi
vate corporations, taking care of course to
secure humping shares for themselves and
their relatives,) leaving the corporations
to get rch by their bargain, and the peo-
pie 70 pay taxes forever for the support Of
the Government. But as they cannot do
this, they do The next possible thing to It,
They oppose the enlargement without re-
gard to means or consequences.
1t is true that their organs pretend not
to be hostile to the enlargement in itself
bat only to the measure now proposed for
carrying it out. Just now they dare not do
otherwise, for the people have decided
against them on the main question. But
how sincere their pretension is, as to the
bill they are resisting, let their past history
and their recent needless revolutionary act
determine.
Beside the long standing and incurable
hostility of this party, deep but pro
foundly mistaken opposition to the enlarge
ment proceeds from members and repre-
sentatives of certain private corporations
which may now to some extent compete
with the Canal in tho carrying of heavy
freight. AS that work now stands the
Northern Railroad, the Central line of
railroad, and the Erie Railroad can deliver
Western produce attide water at rates vary
ing from one sixth to one third cheaper than
the Canal after the enlargement the Ca
raj can deliver such articles considerably
cheaper than any railroad can possibly do
it. Then it will leave to tho railroads only
the passenger business and such through
freight as requires rapid transpoitaIlon'
Now, this business would be greatly in
creased by the general extension Of com
merce resulting from the enlargement so
that the true interest of the railroads is in
favor of the speediest execution of that
work. In some quarters we are happy to
say this is felt to be the case, but yetthere
is a strong and active opposition in others.
Here, then, we see the antimprovc-
ment party sustaining the cause of private
corporations against the interests of the
people of the State. Will the people sus-
tain them in that oppositionl Will they
endorse it, adopt it, perpetuate it! We
cannot believe it.