New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-01-06


with the utmost delicacy We can muster, that
it's name is Intemperance.
CANALS AND FINANCES
We approach tho one subject to which the
Governor has devoted more than half his long
Message and, though We cannot now take
time or room to expose its misrepresentation
and false coloring in detail, We will at least
draw the outline Of the true picture.
The More Speedy Enlargement that is,
the Enlargement of the Erie Canal by the aid
of Loans-was commenced in 1888, on the re-
oommendation of William l.. Marcy, then Gov
ernor, and with strong Democratic SEN
ate. True, the Wings were in its favor as
they still are, and as that wing of the Demo-
cracy to which both Marcy and Seymour then
belonged, also ,cere All that Coz. $. says
against the policy of borrowing TO complete
the work condemns them as much as it does
us. But in truth it still more condemns bor-
rowing to construct the OrigiHa! Canal, which
was built almost entirely on Loans. That was
an experiment, and might possibly have proved
failure not SO the Enlargement, which was
impeled by an ascertaned necessity aud with
ample assurance of reimbursement The fact
that the money can be borrowed on six per
cent bonds at par payable out The Surplus
Canal RersHues, settles that question.
A to the suggestion that We cannot spend
-Four Million Dollars year (the Marcy hgure)
on the completion of our unfinished Canals
without corruption and extravaganza, it seems
really childish. If We spend Gov. Seymour's
Million effectively, il must be spent soms,cher,,
end We cannot see why other Three Millions
might not as honestly ard prudently DO ex-
Fended elsewhere on the various lines of our
Canals, reaching from the Black River to the
AllsgsDy. as well as from the Lakes to the
Hudson. Nay: We venture to say that Gov.
Seymour could this very month contract for
the completion of our Canals for less money il
the work were 10 be completed in three years
than if il were to be spun out through fifteen
wears
Nothing can be more disngenuOus than the
Governors contrast between the cost Of max
ing cur first Canals through vast extent of
dense forests aud pestilential swsmps," and
the cost OF our more recent works. The Erie
Canal was made through region afiording far
less natural obstacles than are encountered by
the Genosee ard Black River Canals Forests
and swomps may be disagreeable, but the cost
of cutting Canal through them does not APP
prosch that OF enlargiDg il through thick
succession ii villages and cities, such as now
line the Erie and Oswego Canals. And every
Srmer who ever dug ditch knows that to run
mere furTow Is far less expensive than 10
cut miil.race-which is very nea ly the pro-
portion Of the Enlarged as compared with the
original Canal. Bear in mind tia, they were
rot Whg estimates whereby the State was in
VOWED n a Job Of Thirty Millions on official
assurances that the entire cost would BE-
Twelve Millions.
TIE Governor SAYS that the State stopped
the Enlargement in lsil-2 because she wa:
unable to borrow money az SIX per cent. Il
continue il and lie seeks to give the impress
sion that our heavy preceding expenditures an(
loans had created this embarrassment. Ye,
be Knows, perfectly well that the Genera
Government, though not owing Ten Millions il
the world, had just then haEked loan o
Twelve Millions all over Europe, such al
would COW he eagerly snapped up at twenty
per cent. premium, and could lot get BID FOL
il. There was a very brief season vi ex
treme and general pressure and discredit
We were heavily in debt to Europe, ant
she vas disinclined TO trust US further. Sew
eral States had failed to meet their obligations
even for interest. Industry lingaished, Reye
nues fell Off For the moment, the solvent
suffered with the insOlFqnt And our Stat,
was cursed with faction eager TO dsered
and dishonor her in order to hoist itself int
power. By its efforts, acting upon IN unna,u
raj and temporary state Of things, her credi
was transiently shaken. What them
The Governor talks Of the State increasin,
the tistresses Of its citizens by borrowin.
money in competition with them. But sine,