Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-12-31
The Ohio PubIic Works.


justice to the memory of our first Presiden-
tial traitor.
The Ohio Public Works.
The total deficit of the Public Works for
the past year is 1922, ,733. There are some
items expended on former appropriations
and claimed as not strictly chargeable to
the current year, but not more, if as much,
much as similar items every year. The bur-
den has become so great that it throws a.
heavy responsibility on the party having the
control of the State, and one which will en-
danger their supremacy unless they can fur
nish satisfactory reasons for retaining it; for
it is skown by offers made during the last
three years, that the State can relieve her
self of this burden byselling or leasing the
canals.
There can be but one excuse for retaining
them; that is the public interest. But to
tax one part of the State to transport the
commodities of another part, is not public
interest. The taxation, only, is public. The
interest is private.
If the Public Works sustained themselves,
they would be one of the public interests.
When they do not, they become a local in
terest; and the taxes which they draw from
the whole State are expended for private
benefit.
If the canals were public interest, why
should the views of the residents upon them
and of the people of other parts of the State
differ so directly in regard to the interest Of
the public in tbem2 When representative
from a canal district talks of the public in
terest in the canals, be means the interest of
those who use them for the transportation of
their products. That is his idea of public
interest. And that they who have no use of
them should pay taxes to keep them up is
his idea ofpublic spirit.
If law were passed that one-half of the
people of the State should be taxed to pay
part of the transportation Of the wheat and
corn of the other half it is probable that in
stead of being called public interest, it would
be called public robbery; and instead of
exciting public spirit, it would create Sc
cession.
But what is the difference between paying
taxes directly on the price of transportation,
and paying it on the means of transporta-
tion2 No body can discover any.
People on 4he canals, and even in this
city, think they have got good thing in
the canals, which benefit them, while the
State at large helps foot the bill and that
they had better hold on to it. 1t is good to
look out for number one, but it will gener-
alI,- ha found tbst norrac+ ,,Ol;o,, Will 5 Ill
better than any unfair advantage. All they
get by this course is canals in notoriously
bad condition, rapidly deteriorating, their
business rapidly declining, and themselves
taxed for their quota of the deficiency;
while under the management of private in
terest, the canals would be restored, their
business increased, and their taxes light
ened. So it don't pay even TO those who
think their interest is the public interest.
A great many people talk as if the State
should hold the canals, in order to keep up
competition with railroads. This is a new
idea of the public interest, that State should
compete with the business of its own citi-
zens, and crush out their capital. If this is
republican principle of government, it
might be vastly extended, until every busi-
ness man should be kept to low prices by
State competition, at the public expense.
Another novel idea is that canals can
better compete with railroads under State
than under private management. Since
when has official control become 50 much
more efficientIhan private management 1t
| l.. 10 L.,
could best manage his own business. If the
State can do it better, let its province be
extended into all kinds of business, and in
dividual sovereignty be abolished.
The canals are not competing with rail.
roads now. The State is merely footing W
100000, or so, deficiency. There is no com.
petition. Nor will there be, until they &C
into private hands. If the canals are needed
they will sustain and improve themselves.
they do not it is evidence conclusive thai
they are not needed.
Business men, experienced in canal bust
ness, believe that private management car
make them profitable. 1t would at least re
lieve the State from the taxation, and poll
tics from q corrupting element. The wors
that can happen, in case the decline of tn
canals continue, is that they will be aban
doned to those Immediately interested i
them. If neither business nor private inter
est will sustain them, they can go dow
without being missed. There is no reaso
why every transportation-tub should nc
stand on its own bottom; and the Stat
should relieve itself of this entangling a
lance.
The Republicans have the Democrats a
ready committed to the disposal of ii
canals. If they present an efficient measul
this winter, the Democratic members of Il
: Legislature win have to support it, or sho
, that they were insincere. If they do nc
, the Democrats win make it the leading fea
ure of their policy, and will keep them bui
with it through the whole session, and pc
haps, carry measure through in spite Of Il
Republican majority; or if not, will put Il
, onus of the Public-WOrks deficit on them.
singular Idea Of Usefalaess.
; The Washington correspondent Of the 81
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