New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-06-16
THE AUDITOR AND CANAL BOARD,

Our Canal finances are in sad plight. Tue
general sragns,ion Of business. the short Western
crop las. year, and reckless rarosd competition,
have combiBed to greatly reduce both up and down
freights 90 the Csnols. The revenues, therefore,
ale unusually light, ~bie, at the same time, the
drafts upon them ara uncommonly large. In such
an exigepcy, current expenses should be reduced
as low as possible. All familiar With the subject
know that for many years past, larger number OF
officials have been employed in the management of
tie Canals, than was necessary Little politicians.
1--WE allnGe to 20 one party in particular. for all
have tolerated the sbuse) base beeu allowed to
fssten upon small Canal appointments, and leech-
like, deyour revenues needed for the completion
of the public works. Indeed places h,ve been
created. or increased in number. to sppease the
camor of partisan cormorants. Thinking that re-
trepcbment was demanded in this quarter, Mr..
Benton the Auditor of the Canal Department, by
virtue of law of last Winter, recently removed
xix superfuous clerks from certain Canal Collect
ors' Offices whose salaries amount to about $3.50
per month. This was not much; but it was be-
ginning It was recognising the obvious truth,
that economy, whether ia the State or the family,
is mstter Of detail and that the proverb, :" Take
" care of the pence, and the pounds will take care
" care of themselves" needed to DO practically
set before the Democratic officials at Albany who
control the Canal revenues.
But 10 the party chiefs who sit in the State
Hall and declaim through The ALIAS and Argus
against Black Republican extrayagauce. and 10
favor OF Democratic economy. have suddenly put
veto upon the Auditors inltiatory step toward
retrenchment At the recent meeting Of the
Canal Board. the Democratic majority, while they
could not rrnstate these dismissed clerks under
that nsme. appointed them Assistant Collectors"
thereby evadug the law of last Wibtec by legal
qulbble that must excite the envy of tho most
adroit Z" hyster" of the Tombs Court. Mr.
Treasurer Vanderpoel, who keeps watch and ward
over empty muney-bags, offered resolution cen
surfing the Auditor for removing the clerks, aud
comforting upon them the offices Of Assistant Col
lectors. This resolution received the votes of all
the Democrats present, including in addition Mr..
Vanderpor, Dir. Controller Church. who is now
" shining" Wall street for money to meet the
July interest on the Canal debt, and Mr. Engineer
Richmond, an honest man who ought to be ashamed
Of himself, and Mr. Secretary Tucker and Mr.
Commissioner Jaycox, whose Hard heads these
Soft clerks wiN' assist" in bringing to the Cagger
block OF the next State Convection Mr.. Attorney
General Tremain, who ought to desplse such qu'b-
bling Was absent Lieut.. Gov Campbell, tho only
Republican present, Commissioners Sheriff. aud
Gardper being away their respective divisions of
the Canals proposed an amendment to Mr. Van
drrpoel's resolution, approving the course of tho
Auditor, and censuriug the appointment OF mere
clerks in Collectors Offices under the guise OF
assistants. All the Democrats voted against THIS
amendment, and Lieut. Gov. Church recorded his
vote against the original resolution. We warn the
Albany officials, that if they would maintain re-
spectacle standing in the party they must repudi-
ate petty larceny aud steal the grand scale like
their brethreB at Washington.