, 1860-12-22
THE CANAL AND THE ILLINOIS
RIVER.

The suggestion contained in the letter o!
William Gooling, Esq, published in the
TRIBUNE yesterday, relative to IN appzo-
p7iation by The State Legislature for the
employment Of two steam <lrcilges upon
the Illinois River, during seasons Of low
water, is deserving of:scrious consideration.
The business Of the Illinois and Michigan
Canal requires that the navigation Of its
o'ltlcl anil icct!cr be- rendered easier ant!
more certain during the summer and fall
moa'''s. The figures given by Mr.: Good
las, showing the falling of in the
'o!is during Seasons Of low water
IRON til" amount received in seasons
5a:orab'c to navigation, pr'vc conclusiye1y
11'at Il l:lvral appropriation could tc made.
anl the State he the gu;ncr thereby. A.
1li' prc<en; financial and political troubles
'a;lar it almost certain that no action will
l~ taken by the Legislature for carrying
t'''' any Of the plans Tor i ship canal ant.
tae turni.l. III Il volume Of water from.
Lake Michigan ;nto tllc Illinois River, VIC
trns: that boay will give the suggestion sucl!
consideration us its important bcarin: upon
the Commercial and Agricultural interests
OF the Slate, lis well as upon its Revenue.
demands. The fact that the Canal is still
III The hands Of LII: Trustees Of the Bond
h.ldcrs, and that its management is, there
fore, i'll the control Of Il foreign body no,
identified in interest with the St!tc, NAV
possibly influence, more or less, tic action
81 t'r Legislature on this subject. And
this affords us m occasion for one or two
suggestions relative to tic subject, which.
II carried ont, cannot fail to cnure TO tit
benefit ri the State.
Illinois is now IN intcrcst-paying State
MOI only 50, hut she is rapidly reducing t]ir
principal "i her indebtedness. The causes
which led to the creation Of tile Trust, anu
1o giving up the management Of the Canal
ana lis revenues tn tie agents Of tlc
1'on'lti"ldcrs, no longer exist The arrange
1nent Was the btst Thing possible for the
STATE 1t the time it was made, because III
no other way could the completion of 1ha:
work be secured. But what was a cuot:
and wise thing in IFS inception, is, unlcr
changed circumstances, .ctrimcntal and
unw'sc in lis continuance. We suppos..
tie ]~ndf'ol,lers would not Object 10 the
surrender OF the Trust They would I'LL
tl"lfncd!y prefer the ordinary, interest
bearing bonds Of tic State, payable in full
At Il certain datc, u i1lc present arrange
1ncnt h,r which Il pro-rata distribution o.
the canal fund Is nude to them annually.
diminishing l,y intin.tcssimal amounts thc
lace ot their 'nnds. If the BondlloIders
7Tc willing 10 make such change, the in
1e7csts Of tho State would bc sul,scrrcd liz
agreeing 10 it. The canal would pass Il;
s':icc into t1ic possession If the State, it,
revenues would 60 directly into the Stalk.
Treasury, and tho IRE gulation Of it's tolls and
il general management would no longer
nc dependent upon The will Of men who,
living on tic scanar1l, slo not appreciate
''lr l'cal wants, nor are in any way idcnti-
lied with The interests Of orr Stxtc. VT
h"pc the suggestion, in connection will,
Mr.. Goodins's plan for improving tlc nav
'Eation oi tho Illinois River, will, in due
scasun, receive the earnest consideration
"f the Legislature.