The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-12

tors Of the Chinese war. prepared to resume our
commercial relations there when Eogiand,
France and Russia get tired OF hacking on the
heads Of the ceIessisis.
small cAs Trade OF New Ysr& bc Driven %
Pe~nsy Svs~as and OsnAdas
Tomorrow the debate in the State Scnate on
the question of toiiing the railroads will DO
brought to a close, and the vote will be saken
IN Wednesday. The issue will probably De
made in the Assembly Tomorrow or next day
The question is very staple one. Five mfi-
lions of dollars are required to complete tbs
enlargement Sf the State canaA Senator Stow
In the Senate and Mesrs Abbott Baker, Aus
tin and Others in the Assembly, propose to pro-
vide fund for this work by imposing tolls On
merchasdiee carried on the rsa(roads OF the
State. The question is whether Y is fair or
pcli,ie to tax the traffic which pseses through
the State tor the purpose of completing the
canals, or whether that work Of comtsetiony II
necessary and proper, ought not to be betrayed
by a general tax on every one who wiH benefit
By the completion; namely, on The whole people
of the State.
First. az to the fairness Of the measure.
Neither individuals, DOR corporations, nor
glasses, nor interests are expected in thus wofto,
to pay for thst which does not rebound TO their
peculiar proSt and advantage. 1t would
neither be fair nor constitutional to'pass ~ Law
recurring the newspapers of the State to make
I'D fund to complete the canals; simply
because newspapers have no greater interest 10
their completion than any other class or bedy
ia the community, Neither is it fair 70 impose
on the railroads the obligation of paying for
the canal completion; because they are 10
more interested in thss public enterprise
than any other corporations or bodies
in the State. II the completion of the canals
was clearly calculatedto enlarge the rec,ipts of
the railways, then these might be some ground
for ask ne them to pay for the work; but As, If
the completion affects them in any way, il will
actually take away business from them, it is
monsrously unjust to expect them to pay the
expense Of eaecting their own ruin. The IDEA
reminds one of that old Atherisn law winch
Obliged convicts to pay for the hemlOck wtach
| they were sentenced to drink Unfairness is toe
| mild term TO characterize the scheme fo1
taxing the railroads to complete the canals.
Again, is it politics The whole history Of
this State gives Fat negative to this query
| All that New York is, ii owes to the prodigio.f
| traffic which has flowed through It from East 70
| West and from North to South. Nature place.
| us In the gateway between the West and tie
| ocean: and ever since New FORK has had poll
| CIV and public spirit, it has been the especis'
| care of her citizens to render this state the
| most eligible, the cheapest, and in every way
| the most desirable channel of communication
between the seaboard and the great producing
States of the interior. The resalt Of our fortu
nate location, ably seconded by the sagacioul
effort, of our people, is seen In the mstropoii-
tan character of this great city and In the
proud pre- eminence of New York among all the
States Of the Union. These ere the fruits of {
persistent adherence to the policy OF ATTRACTING
TRAFFIC from oil parts, chespening transporta
lion. and Offering to foreigners and Wester
men every inducement to make this state N
hiab road between the West and the ocean
The scheme now before the State Legislator
ui,, IL II become, Law. be the FIST departur
from this policy. For the fret time New for
will then adopt the Jersey plan OF taxing ID
foreign traffic which flows through her border
in order to complete her own works OF intern'
:. Improvement And that the consequence vi
be lust what We see il in Jersey, no man ca
doubt Traffic will desert New York; no.
barrel Of -four or q bag Of wheat will ned the
vay to the sea through this State, where a
,. other channel can be found; nor will any Yves
ern merchant be 20 foolish as 10 direct his goo
10 he forwarded from the sea to his home in I
West Ly q road on which legislative highwa
= men levy prohibitive black mall
" II ever there was . time when the great ar
y ries OF commerce intersecting this State need
'. announcement, and ought to be protected frc
VI snolist;oo. IL is now. The letter which we pr
ii,b elsewhere from Harrisburg shows that
Legislature Of Pennsylvania are wisely red'
{. inc the tolls on the great rival to our railros
. the Pennsylvania Central: the late epeech
y the Governor of Canada OF the opening OF
" Provincial Parliament indicated resolute p
40 nose on the part Of our Northern neighbors
leave no means untried to win from us
Western trade. And this Is the time wtiohSe
tor Stow and Mr.. Baker select to cripple
- already staggering railroads.
VI The imposition of tolls on merchandise
ried over the railroads Of this State would (
:" duce two effects, and two only; il would DR.
- traffic from New York into Pennyissnis
w Canada, and 1t would increase the price
"a bread TO the poor Of New York. II would
80, begin to provide fand for the completion
a. the canals; long before the tolls revenue
~ sufficient to pay the interest on Eve uailli
-, there would be nothing LEFT to be tolled-
,rs A vice Legislature would make 1t lite bust
10 diminish the rates Of freight en- both
:. roads and canals, and to assume the entire CT
a. debt o. State debt; but some OF our repre-
tstives seem TO be bent on killing the 8
with the golden eggs