The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-03
Assembly

Assembly
ALBANY, Feb. Q 1858.
THE CANALS AND RARoADsPRoPosID TAXATION on TIIfIG
EARNINGS ETC
large number Of petitions and unimportant reports
from standing committees having been disposed of,
Mr. LOOMS (dem) of Herkimer, from the Committee
on Ways and Means reported series Of resolutions
the consideration Of the House, follows:-
J. Resolved, That it the first duty CT this House. be-
lures to inquire into the causes which have produced
Them and particularly in relation to canal repairs and
to provide laws for the correction Of abuses and for
penditures OF public moneys.
g. Resolved, That until the Erie Canal Enlargement and
the Black River and Genesee Valley Canals be completed
1t is expedent to prohibit bylaws the expenditure OF
money under the name of repairs, except to maintain
and secure the finished parts of the canals IN good nayi
gable condition by such expenditures cny neces
sary by dilapidaon decay, accident and other nurie
affecting essentially their usefulness and navigation
oyed, That it is expedient to separate the
tracing from the disbursing department SO that no Off
Ger of the canals shall make contracts for labor and
materials and make payments for the same: that the
superntendents of repairs ought to make all contracts
Tor and relating to repairs subject only to the Canal
be to he the Of o s
used and the kind of structure required when they shall
see h give such directions in writng and that all
payments for repairs should at stated periods either by
Canal Commissioner person specially appointed
be made directly to the person entitled to receive
the same upon the certificates of the superntendents
certified by his own oath that of other person.
positively as to its correctness.
Ihat II expedent to provide suit
able penalties against the contraction of debt liabilities
on the part of the State by any officer assuming
for the State either by the prosecution of work canal
contracts after the appropriation has been exhausted
under any other color pretence.
g. Resolved That it is expedient to provide by law for
the reduction expense of engineering for the public
works. that it shall not exceed per cent on the
amount expended exclusive of repairs.
Resolved That it is expedient to require the appro
priaons for the canals hereafter to be applied exclu
svey in such upon the Erie Canal enlargement
as to render it naygabe through its whole length for
boats carrying $50 tons burthen at the earliest possible
period practicable and thereafter to increase its capacity
for larger bargcs from time to time in proportion
nearly as may be- to the amount OF money expended
Canals in such msnner to bring into each year the
largest amount which the appropriation will permit
Resolved, That. in consideration of the immunes
enjoyed by banks created and secured to them by the
sovereign authority of the State by which they have,
among other privileges that of furnishing paper cur
rency for the State by exchanging their notes. not
interest for their obligations Of others OF equal
amount on interest and by means of their special pri
yeges, they enabled to realize upon their capital
gains beyond those allowed by law to private investments
on interest
Therefore, it is just and expedicnt when the State is in
need Of extraordinary means to impose special upon
Them torccvc the state, and tighten the burhcn OF
general tax.
Whereas, The State has incurred large debt to facil-
itae the transporton of property and from market
both for this State and the Western States b. of
which their prosperity has been greatly promoted and their
products increased and whereas also it has granted to
railroad companies immunties by Incorporation, and
laws by which they enabled largely participate in
the profits of transportation of such increased products
and of merchandise in exchange for them and by which
also its revenues to pay the cost Of completing the canals
and to discharge its debts incurred for their construction
has been diminished by the completion of such railroads.
therefore
Resolved That it is expedicnt to require of all such
railroads the payment of special tax upon their gross
earnings, in aid of the canal revenues
Mr.. Ho,IEy, (whig) of Niagara, said that however
tions, lie must confess that he neither surprised
disappointed They only confirmed the apprehensons he
had ieit from the first that the ardent professions Of
pf fba had
been frequently expressed on this floor not alto
gether sincere Therefore, he not surprised that the
responsible majority here had shrunk from the duty they
had assumed and profcsed their willingness to discharge
that they had oentreyhe would not say ignomuiousy
the questions involved, and had, in this extraordinary
manner, come to the House for relief and advice.
But, he thought. to others it must hc q matter
Of surprise that after the action of the majority
the joint canal resolutions after having defeated
them and found themselves in position where they
could not honorably avoid the responsibility they had
assumed 1t must excite astonshment that they should
now, through of their important committees pre-
sent themselves in such unusual attitude before the
on but aicr all ne was not surprised thu gentle
from the twenty two foreign despotims of Europe
scheme Of finance (thc btreasury to be adopted by
republican America, should seek from the royal para
ment of Great Britain for legislative precedents to be
adopted by this House He moved an amendment that
the resolutions be made the special order from and after
the day when the standing committee canals should
report by bill.
Mr.. LOOMS moved that the resolutions be printed and
made the special order for Tuesday next.
Mr.. BURROUGHS, (ind. dem) Of Orleans, thought the
gentleman from Hcrkmer should bring in bill involving
the principles of the resolutions and take the responsible
ty OF advocating them II unusual in this way to
get instructions from the House before making report
He dslked this Of shifting the responsibility
which the gentleman had assumed In taking the position
Of chairman of the committee of ways and means. II
the duty Of the committee to perfect their mca
sures, and report them TO the House.
Mr.. LOOMS sorry the action OF the Committee on
Ways and Means had failed to obtain the appreciation Of
the experienced legislator from Orleans lie dcspaired
of convincing that gentleman Of the proprcty Of any
course the committee might 1T to pursue He denied
that there had been dance Of responsibility by the
committee. The resolutions had been presented as an
indication of the views Of the committee and for the pur
pose of obtaining the opinion Of the Legislature and the
people in regard to them that they might be approved
or modified before the bill in regard to the canal enlarge
ment should be perfected
Ns. HonLy said he was not disappointed at the course