The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1856-12-19
"TfFF.E& Rd dB y NE.
80 iswsCI oBA1akvsss 4 Fso'a,rOs.
sa'i Friday December, 10, 1885.
ri ssi-sll-tl ai...aiil l4.i sslz -4.ll lall I.


Prldas, December, ID, 1885.
I'll - 80 ~ ai..1ii.i ll.l ,.ls -a.l l1il
.s5s qs Qua CANALS, &c.
= yAsouf Eesislagufe iwiii soon meet. ii
may net b ihftoptr loF iHo press 70
spsak om. as 10 what should Be The 20.
,g5S eTlhatbody. ono Of the mosl i'm
ponaht nat,ers for ,heif consideration
i viii BE- she CapsRponey, Tho Report Of
81 tho oammittee appointed last winter 20
examine into villisnieso Of the hst Lo-
cofoco Admihislration, wiz siattlo the
State with an exhibition Of speculation
and frauda Il may or may not scoom-
pliah q practical good. bu; It Is certain
that it win ''shsd light in dark places"
Our canala cost near Q $4,000, 600, aud
although they are not worth one dollar,
as an inyosumonl 10 the State we have
no doubt, They have contributed to the
s progress aud population Of the State vast
hly,1 Se ioa @
Thoir revenues have hlleu from ell
900, 900 to less than s4oo. 600 a year
and Wills. tho official reports Of 1855
SLOWED pet income Of eaoO, 600. the
facts were very different. There was a
Z dsbtof more than 1000. due to con-
trSctors Oh the canals, at The time these
reports we're made.
- The repairs had been le. by oon.rao,
IN inNOr6mbor 1885, at rate 500, 600 less
than tho average cost for years, but bo-
fore a canal boat moved in ! 1856. the debts
on account Of Oauals amounted 10 over
$500. 600. We are informed that the
AmouhlpAid oct this year 70 pay the debts
and maintain the canals 10 repair, exceeds
tho receipts by s7o,OO0. The people Of
che Staia have paid. this year s70,OO0,
IN taxes to keep up the canals, besid os
$3.50, 900 to pay in part on the debt con
traotod in building them, Is this just?
Should The State retain thOm? They are
and always will be the centre Of intrigue
p.- and competition. This Committee may
make an expose, but IL win be in relation
TO an Investment that is not worth one
dine. t.4.s r.1 saf r5. s-.ll
ta5 Arc the people Of Seneca county viii
ling 70 be taxed $1,000, to maiutaln can.
ais that do them no good. and are only
Of seryieo 70 few spetuhtorsi What
viii the people Of all the counties OF the
canals say 70 thisi The proposition is an
insult 10 eur Tightsl II they can DO sold
g Orgivh away lot il bo done. before Toe
breaks next Spring In this there can BE-
70 party bias foS i is simply a question
OfscOnOmy. ls .qr, Il. .a.i...o. '.
In the hands Of a private corporation,
these public works might DO managed
with some advantage, They would be
b0tter conducted. 1t is better for the
people along tho lines that private enter.
price should control thom.
3 \ Railroads are now building along these
% canals, that must soon render thom still
g. more valuoless. In letting the contract
for repairs in November 1855, thSLoco.
foco party just retiring from power, gave
fresh evidence Of their want OF integrity,
= % in managing the public business. Bot
what shall bO done? Can We IN good
faith and law Annul them9 We must
not repudiato. IfpubIio officers chosen
by the people disregard their duty. t;tho
party dealing with them should be pro.
teoted.
All sho time that is spent In discussion
IS to setting these contracts asidb, win
be time lost to the public, Under these
contracts the canals win cost near s4OO,.
600 a year, which is more than they will
yield. Set aside tho contracts, and they
viii cost no less. The obvious and Jus.
remedy Is in their sale. rhoy should
have been sold ten years since. and
1a would have been, had Ii not been for the
swarm Of oOrmoraRts that controlled them
fOr speculation. .'s h'
slal Sell them at once for what they will
u bring'f Il is supposed they would be sold
ate2,O00,o0o or near that sum. Our
foreign State debt is $4,000, 900. Here
We would obtain the means Of reducing
that debt to sil 100000. The interest
on s2.0oo.0Oo is $4,000. We arc this
year taxed $1,000 to keep up the canals
Sell them for the SUM named, and We
pay a debt Of se,oOO,oOO. for which we
must ultimately be taxed, and also sayo
an annual tax Of $4,000. collected to
pay tho interest Practically this is the
question. viii we retain them and bo
taxed $1,000 a year. or sell them and
avoid an annual tax Of si2O. O.Oo0, aud an
1 u innate tax e S9.OOo,olOs
Can wise men or pru lent legislators
hesitate q what action should be hadY
And besides the State bolJ. 81 zoo