New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-30
OUR CANAL POLICY.


The attention Of the Legislature has been
tfIiciay called to the fact that the Nine Million
Loan v i'll not suffice to complete the Enlargemen!
Of the Erie Canal. That sum will pay for all tins
locks, enibabkments and other s!iu,tu neces-
ss1y for the enlargement; aud after its ex Seadl-
ture tie Cansl will be navigsble for iss whole
length by BEATS OF the largest c'as. Still! 1t Will
not be deep enough for tbose boats to be loaded
TO their full capacity; and more monsy Will DC
REQUIRED to e1:svste the bottom TO the necessary
deptb 20 that the entire prof: Of the previous
expenditure nay be enjoyed. Il is estimated BY
the State Engineer tina; this additional work will
cost three millions Of doll,rf; and as this SUN
cannot be borrowed aitno1t ss..other amendment
the Consultation, 1t behooves the present L-gis-
lature to pass q bill for tbs. purpose. If this
is cone now it may be acted upon BY the mex!
Legislature, and submitted to tho people 10 sea-
son for the money to be obtained when it is need
ed to complete tho work. Tnus all delay
in the contamination Of this great enter
prize will be prevented, aud the yer
1857, at tie furtbest, will zee it entirely finished
But if the preliminary measure for amending the
COnt ttution is postponed until the next Leg,ls-
iule, it will be Necessary to wait two years in
crctr that it may receive the sanction of The new
Senate, b,fore it can faally be decided upco oy
the popular vote. This delay will postpone the
sdcitoDsl loan loDg after the Canal is ready for
the iusl excavation; and thus for the want Of
this addition al expenditure the C,usl Fund and
the general Treasury Of the State will be de-
| priyed tf that increased revenue which would
naturally result FROM the perfec. enlargement;
while the people are also deprived OF that
cheaper transportation, which they have Ugh;
to expect from the same source.
These reasons we think cOnclusively establish
toe proprieiy of immediate action upon the sub
ject, sDd we earnestly commend them to the con
sideratiOn of the Legislature. We can see no
coed ground for delaying the question t. future
time. When the line million loan Was author.
lied, all persons familiar with the subject must
have Known that il would not complete the
work; but a timd ard narrow policy prevailed
for even the most intelligent friends Of the Canal
were clad to take thst SUN rather than have
nothing. But as the Legislature is now cOnst-
tuted, aud in the present state Of public seh!-
delay making up the deficiency. 1t is certainly
better TO begin the needed consti !utiona changes
now, and to have the Cssal completed without:
the loss of q day, than 1t will be to make them
hereafter, with he work III flushed aud cOnpar-
stvely uDproductive on our hsnds for years to
come
Here, then. we have an unavoidable necessity for
amending the Constitution; and though some Of
our friends may prefer not to commence upon |.
DOW it cannot be put of more than two years at the
outside, while, az we have shown, even that de-
lay must occasion a serious loss to the State.
But there are other reasons for acting promptly.
The funds in the Treasury are deficient; the
enormous annual sum which the Constitution
takes from the Canal revenues to pay the Canal
debt, must be diminished or the people must in
some way be taxed TO make up the deficiency.
We are now paying that debt at rate which in
sures its extinction in eighteen yesrs; we can
just ss welt just as safely. and just as surely,
pay 1t ia tbiiiy years. To pay it 10 eighteen, as
We bsve said, will require taxation so long ss
the business of the country and of the Canal re.
mains in its present depressed state. To pay it
In tnlfty, Will require 10 tdAhtiOn ana Will even
leave q surplus for general purposes. Now, it
teens to us quite out Of the question that the
people sbonld desire to tax themselves for the
merely sentimental qualification of paying for the
Canal in eighteen years. when in thirty il will
psy for itself without requiring any taxation at
all And we soy that the sooner this question is
brought before them in the form of Constisu-
tional amend ment the better. If they are to be
taxed for such sentimental and fantastic end,
they should, q. least, have the opportunity of
deliberately declaring their preference. And if
they choose to adopt course more consistent
with common sense and the judicous manage
meDt of business affairs, they should not be
taxed in spite Of themselves to make up yearly
deficit whore existence is totally unnecessary.
We suggest, then, that both these Constitu-
tieDd charges be provided for in single bill to
be passed before the adjournment Of the present
Legislature. The double reform must be had,
sooner or later, and as we have sho wn, there
will be great advantage in carrying il through as
promptly as possible.