Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-05-05

is one ofthe principal difiicnlties with the
Canals st the present time-they have been
brought into direct competition with indi-
vidusl effort and enterprise :est which
no machinery propelled by the public. can
very long Withstand.
an sware, Mr.. Speaker, that many claim
that the Canals are not indebted to the
State, that they have largely increased the
taxable property on the grand duplicate
and that the Canal counties have not only
paid for the Canals but one at this time
paying an annuity to the State as part OF
the fruits of the system for the benefit OF
the now Canal counties. That the grand
duplicate has, TO some extent. been in
creased on account of the Canals readily
admit; but the balance of the proposition /
most emphs.ically deny.
have before me tsbula statement pre-
pared BY the Auditor Of State, in pursuance
o. Senate resolution of January last,
showing the amount of Canal tax paid by
each county in the State from 1926 to
1886 inclusive, and State and Canal tax
from 1886 20 1858 inclusive. With thirty
three of these classified as Canal counties
and fifty-fve as non-Canal counties. From
the former list l take the counties of
Hamilton, Cuyshoga aud Franklin. Not
because their pecuniary interests have not
to some extent been promoted by the Canals.
but because their prosperity is attributable
mainly to other and very different causes
The one is located on the Ohio River with
a natural outlet unsurpassed by any channel
of communication in the world; containing
a city, from. whose very position, the COM
merciaI centre of the great Mississippi val
ley was destined for grandeur and great
ness without the contingency of Canals
The same may be said of Cuyahoga. with
her commercial city of Cleveland located
on the Lake. and forming as she does, a
Northern commercial centre between the
East and West. And franklin, with her
city of Columbus, made by the State
Capitol. and having the advantages o. the
National Road through her Territory. 1t
will be admitted that she has been greatly
the recipient of public favor and the sub
ject Of progress. Independent of any aid she
may have had from Canals. Leaving out
these three counties then, add 10 the list
of Canal counties. Morgan and Washington
which makes thirty-two Canal counties.
and leaves fifty-shree counties not directly
interested in the Canals or Muskingum in
provement.
According to the AUDITORS state.
ment the thirty-t Two Canal counties
paid Canal tax in 1926 9.0,26I
And in 1853 the same counties paid
State and Canal tax 1854 ,375
The ffty-three non-Canal counties
maid in Is26 Canaltax sl4ooe
And in 1858 State and Canal tax, Si,4O2.l9i
Taking for basis then the Canal tax
paid by each county in 1926, we find the
relative increase of taxes for State and
Canal purposes for the year 1853, to be in
favor of the fifty-,hree Canal counties to
the amount OF one hundred thousand dollars.
A result although decidedly in favor of the
counties not directly interested in the Canals
is yet most singulariy close, when we re-
feet that i, runs through period of thirty
three years. The foregoing exhibit, drawn
from the Auditors sfatemeni, most effectu-
ally refutes the modest claim set up by the
friends of the Canal policy, ",hat the
Canals are not indebted to the State, and
that the non-CaRai counties are not only
exempt from taxation on account of the
Public Works, but are largely the recip;ants
of public favor from the Canal counties
That the early development, of the natur-
al resources OF the thirty-two Canal coun-
ties has to a considerable extent been pro-
NOTED BY the Public Works of the State,
no one will presume 20 doubt. And that
the ron Canal counties have contributed
largely in the shape of dollars and cents,
to the construction of these improvements
is equally true, as the figures addueed very
clearly prove. Taking 1t for granted that
the Public Works have largely promoted
the prosperity of the Canal counties, and
have been of some incidental advantage, t.
YOU please, TO the non- Canal couaties; does
i: follow upon any fair principle of reasou-
ing that that portion of the State which
has not been materially benefited by those
Works should now be taxed to keep them
up, Taxed for The purpose of securing low
frei ghts to this highly favored part of the
State! Taxed to run machinery at clear
loss to the State Of $3.50 per day for every
day it runs. estimating the time for nine
months in the year.
Would any gentleman claim that it would
be right TO require the non-Csnai counties
to pay directly part Of the tolls on goods
shipped on the Cana!s,in which they had no
interest,in order that tolls might be kept at a
low price; certainly not. Yet has been
the practical operation of the system for
the last three years. Shall this state Of
things be perpetrated for term of zen years
and system thus perman,ly in augura'ed ia
benefit part at the expense Of the balance
CT the State. or will we retain possession
of the Canals end limit the appropriations
from the Treasury to their actual nett earn
ings, and thus make themseif sustaining
The latter plan I would adopt only as an
alternative, to remain until sale and trans
fer could be made to private paaies. If the
Canals are to be kept up at all, it must be
done at the smallest possible expense. and
this can never be done by the public. The
State degrades herself BY entering into
competition with her citizens in the carry
ing business, and scarcely ever fails to come
off worsted, both IN point OF mnneV and
reputation; worsted not only BY her CON-
pet itors but by her own agents and their
su ubordinstes whose name. unfortunately fol
the State, is said 20 be legion. Look al
the disgracetul scramble between the con
tending political parties for the control o.
,h. publ;c Works that the successful rar,y