New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-12


ycr an %msc... VIA: mill .sy.......: 100000
Total sum to be raised BY tsI...........$5t7o,Oo
This is the statement which truth requires 10 be
mace 10 you. -
The NEXT question is will the condition OF the imam
ces warrant any appropriations for new works
Tie answer to the fret question involves the answer
~ this question. %,
II m. legislature authorize new works and provide
for their pay ME IT. the will have TO Be nsrsased
~ four or four and hail. or even 1ge mills.
The amount of tax will have 10 be increased as new
works increase. The whole amount may az wen %
fully eai ed and considered. This is alike due TO you
ana To the people we represent Let it be well UNDER
stood therefore, that if new works are authorized taS
money is to be raised by direct taxation VIII the son
dton of the finances authorize the commencement OF
new worksl Having all come fresh from the people,
will your constituents bear additional taxation In
the opinion of the Controller new works, however
valnabe'tbey mty be, cannot with propnety oe COM
menced The demands OF revenue are lnexoraDle.
The third inquiry is For such other intormstion -
TO the condition of may be deemed i'm
portant 10 communicate.
In answer the Controller states that the revenue %
the General Fund is nearly all from taxes. The
mill tax will yield in round numbers, Says ,9IoVW
Other yield only about %"U
Total."........................ SlT3o
The canal revenues have heretofore been the great
inject of interest AND require the most consideration
We naturally look 20 the bast annual report OF me
Commissioners of the Canal Fund for information a.
these revenues. Bot tney are slent. Usa2e seens
TO have superseded the statue; aud we nov have no
annual report such from the Commissioners OF The
Canal Fund as 10 the management, snpern,e odeDce,
Improvement and state Of the fund. The late Con-
troler in his report does net give much information on
he subject of canal revenues except in the cheerss
tatement summed up the eighteenth page, that the
Canal Debt Sinking Fund ID bopeessly destitute OF
revenues, present and prospective
The Auditors Report is TO the Legislature by tho
Commissioners of the Canal Fund; but the Auditor
claims il as bis report aud expressly says, that il ID
ha unHa OnH or m
him. any of the deductions or conclusions drawn
from the facts stated or assumed have the sanction
" OF the Commissioners of the Canal Fund"
Bat all honor 20 the Auditor; his statement OF tne
condition of the canal revenues and remarks thereon
are very full We learn from the Auditors report that
the settled policy of the State suce 1851 has tended 70
diminish the revenues of the Canals dry up the Sink
ing Funds, and throw the whole borden OF replensang
them taxation under the 9TH section OF the 1h arti-
Gle Of the Coz stitution.
In other words the old canal policy of requiring and
expecting the canals 10 maintain themselves and pay
their debt and interest has been abandoned and new
policy has been inaugurated Of collecting the most OF
that debt and interest by direct taxation from The peo
pie. In opposition 10 this policy, the Controller de-
TO bring TO the consideration Of the Assembly tbs
constitutional policy of requiring the vast tonnage pass
ing from the great lakes 10 the Atlantic Ocean through
State ~ contribute 10 canal revenues tolls saf-
cent to restore those revenues to their former ineres
inc amounts.
Wis not The design of the Controller 70 go into
dsquson on the great wisdom Of the 9TH article Of the
Constitution, but only TO say thatt contains valuable
system OF finance, which if fairly administered, woala
have work ed oat its intended results.
Has il been IA rly administered
In 1896 when the Convention which framed the
Constitution Was engaged in that work, the tunnsge
passing along the line Of the canals, aud rom the
great lakes TO the Hudson River, paid tribute to the
Canal Fund.
The increase during a series OF years had become
matter Of record, and fro the increase and variations
OF the past, safe calculations could be made Of the
IN fha
That increase WAS carefully calculated by the Con-
venton, ana made the basis of the financial policy
contained IN the eth article.
Vide the following table |, submitted 20 the Coz
venon IN 1876 showing the ability Of the canals 70
provide for the Sinking Funds
We are obliged 10 omit the tablet
Tnis table shows what was expected by the Com
venton, aid experience s1terward demonstrated that
The revenues OF the canals properly cared Tor, would
have worked out the obje,s of the Convention. Bat
the process of reducing the tolls and diminishing the
revenues oi the canals was commenced before the ht
ten years had passed and the resu Of that process 10
exhibited in the following table, No. . prepared by
| the Auditor Of the Canal Department.
| The table IL necessarily omitted
The Controller believes that the revenues OF the
Canals. they existed in 1896 were set apzrs by the
Constitution TO pay the debt of the Canals and that
good faith 10 tae public creditors forbade their diver
sion. That although an alteration in the rates Of toll
may not have been prohibited, yet that such alteration
could only be made with vie " 10 revenue mainly.
When the policy Of the Constitution was Get IN mo-
ton in lS47 the language of the Legislature wss, that
The Constitution has made il the interest of MI the
people OF the State TO cherish THE policy The canals
are placed under constitutional bonds 70 pay All onr
debts and relieve the people from taxation, aud the
sooner those objects attained the sooner their
ample revenues will be unlocked for the ase 81 ne
whole people,"
II should be considered the policy Of the State,
mat the vast unnage passing through our avenues Oh
transportation, from the Great West TO the Atlantic
Ocean, must pay u sufficient TO provide Tor Inc
principal and iD!ersst Of the canal debt. 80,
The obligations OF tho Constitution, and good iatn
to The people, require this and nothing less hAn sns
Will be satisfactory.
Combinations may for time prevent &c, but WISE
conDees prevail with all concerned this pohcy snoms
be acquiesced in now, when il may be adopted ana
carried out in spirit Of moderation.
liz. AZ toh II.