New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-22

| Canal interest 50 hong az TIE Itica and Sch.uHc-
tady Road wa. no, permitted to carry any faigtt,
or property, except the ordins-y baggage Of pas
seDgers.
| IN 1913 continuous railroad traci bad been a.5
| from the water, OF the Hudson io the lakes. The
several Companies desired the privilege OF carrying
| freight and ON the ground that the public interest
| and convenience would be subsryed, they united ia
asking 81 the Legislature removal of The prohlb-
hon 20 far 10 permit the Transportation GEy.Eg
| The SsPeHSio" Of anal n@r'sat'on Z" s9ca gar
| only"
| b. chen. 49, laws Of lSit page SIC, the re-
| quest of the railroads granted, on coDdiiou,
however that returns should be- made 10 the Com
missionrrs of the Canal Fund, al such times and 10
such manner as they should direct, of all metchan-
die so transported and the same tolls pad into The
Tr,asurt as would have been received had tie sama
been TRANSPORTED on the canals. The Syrsc1ss and
J'tira. the Auburn and Syracuse, the Auburn and
Rorhrst.r tba TonawanJa. the Attica and Rlf-
Calo and the Utica snd Schenectady were spec ally
named in this bill The Mohawk and ilndson. and
the Troy and Schenectady were not named, and had.
therefore, the privilege of transportation WITHOUT
making returns or paying tolls.
Three wears later the roads make another re-
quest and push their demands still further ny The
act of MAY ~ lst7, page 29s OF the Sesson Laws,
the law of 1914 was altered and II was about "a
say smendcd) the words during the suspension OF
canal navigation in each year only we're omitted.
The Mohawk and Hudson dts name having been
changed 10 the Albany and Schenectady. the Troy
and Schenectady and the Oswcgo and syracuse
Railroads were now brought within the PROVISIONS
recurring returns of freight ami payment OF tolls.
The railroads continued to pay tolls for the years
ls47-s-9-JO But can we'll remember that they
had their emissarics about who openly sad That
they only waited favorable opportunity TO sase
the tolls abolished.
The stop.policv Of the Democratic party, adopted
in 1912 had pasied the enlargement. The tolls on
the canals had been gradually from year 70 year re-.
tuccd al the urgent solicitation oi iorwarders ace"
largely BY the influence of the railroad seritors, -
that its receipts did not furnish surplus ever sno
above the charges upon the income, to go on sany
and rapidly with the enlargement. The Coas,,u,
ton of 1916 in which the malign genius ~ M'chafi
IIoamann bore sway, had imposed such charges
mon the canal receipts, for the purpose OF paying
of the State debt, that there was comparatively
nothing 10 apply in prosecution al the puhhc "Vrks.
In 1851 il became evident that the completion oil
the enlargement would be indefinitely postponed un-
less money could be raised beyond the paltry ,urpus
| applicable under the Constitution.
A scheme WAS devised by which $40, 0oO, OcO was
20 be- raised upon pledge of The future income 81
the canals. This scheme was recommt nded ~
Gov Hunt and adopted by the Wing p~ty. Tho
Constitution forbid the creation of any further State
debt. and the ultra conservative, falsely called
radical portion of the Democratic party, denounced
the scheme as an attempt to eyade the Constitution,
| and incur debt in the nature OF mortgage upon
| the canal revenue. Distinguished lawyers gave
opinions in favor of the c0nstltutlonalty Of the aw.
portion of the State Senator'S were 40 hostile To
the law that after combating it through every stage
of its progress in the Senate they signed protest
against IT, and resigned their seats on the 18th day
OF April. The Senate was left without quorum Oh
three-fiths necessary Ia pass appropriation DIS
An adjournment took place until the 10Th OF Juno
following. aud in the mean time special election
was ordered Ia I'LL the vacancies thus made. OF tho
thirteen Senators who resigned, eight were ~.
elected. and five were replaced by other men,
friends TO the Canal revenue scheme.
The resignlng Senators committed an act which
cent them all into deserved oblivion. The people
did not approve mode Of defeating the passage OF
laws so disorgsnizng and revolutionary. The pop
ular verdict emphatic, and the Legissatare,
upon lis reassembling promptly passed tho act snii-
tied An act to provide for the completion OF the
" Erie Canal Enlargement, aud the Genesee AMI
Black River Canals"
But the price which was paid for this act has
proved IL be more than il worth. IL cost the
people of thirteen Senate Districts the trouble and
expense of an election. II cost the whole State tho
expense of an extra session of the Legislature. H.
drew upon the Canal Board, which had the duty Of
ettiDg the Canal contracts for the completion, the
reprOsch Of the most shameful and corrupt bargains
md sales in the awarding of the contracts. Almost
very member of the Board s accused of having a
schedule or slate, by which all the fat jobs were
distributed to his personal and political friends
Money was raised upon the certificates, contracts
were made Sr the work, and thousands Of dollars
were expended by the contractors, and the State
has had to pay damages for the n0n-fulflnent Of it's
Contracts.
The Court Of Appeals declared the law unconsti-
tntOna and void The Constitution was amended
IN the way provided by the resolution OF two sue
cessye Legislatures aud approval Of the people,
and ten millions of dollars borrowed. The work of
the enlargement therefore delayed for three
years by the c0ntrivance which was intended 10
hasten il.
But all these losses and delays were not the
greatest cost OF this unfortunate law. The railroads
had not been unconcerned spectators Of the contest.
They had their friends in and out Of the Legislature
They were willing 10 throw their influence in favor
OF the law for an equivalent The special election
gave them chance to demand the price Of their
support The money to carry the election was
raised, and judicOusly expended in six seven dis
tricts. The Others were left to go by default The
only resigning Senator reelected whose seat was
vigorously contested was Henry b. Stanton Of the
Seneca T6mpkins and Yates District. Another
Senator, George Ii. Guinness of the Stanton and
Chemung District, was defeated by tie vote upon
the returns, but the seat was awarded to WIN. J.
Gilbert, his opponent, by vote OF the Senate.
1t was alleged, with what truth | am not able
TO say that the law could not have been passed by
the Legislature the Senatorial sanction won 40
triumphantly but for the money and influence Of
| the railroads.
| They are, rewarded for their ASSISTANCE in the
doubtful fight, by the passage of the act TO abolish
tolls on railroads" passed the same day az the
| act for the completion Of the canals.
The thigh contracting parties, so far as i am
aware entered into no formal and public treaty
by the sipulations OF which the people bound,