Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-03-16


failed because Of short corps, aud cited the
fact that grain Is q small portion of the
most valuable Of our exports Our cattle,
hogs, sheep and wool are shipped away
almost entirely by railroads, aud never on
the canals. He contended that the amount
of grain shipments is no measure Of the
prosperity Of the country nor would agri
cultural prosperity be any guarantee that
the canals would pay.
lie said he was not surprised that this
question had excited so earnest o discus.
sion in this house. The argument so far
has been based upon the proposition that
in the future there is good reason to hope
that the public works can be kept in good
rcpair from their own proper revenue
The reasons assigned for the hlling off of
the revenue, are the general fnilure of the
grain crops in Ohio, and the competition of
Tailroads-that future prosperous harvests
is all that is needed to place the canals in q
self sustaining position. This argument ad.
mits that the shipments Of surplus grain and
its products are the principal means relied
upon for the future support Of the canals.
This deusiye hope and this unsatisfactory
argument has been repeated for the last ten
years. There is no reason to expect that
the average shipment of grain or manu-
features from grain in the next ten years, or
in oil the future, will be greater than the
average OF the last ten years. The reason |
is obvous--the raising Of grain for direct
export is no longer the leading agricultural
interest of the state. A more enlightened |
system of farming, which feeds a large por-
ton of the surplus grain to the fattening
animals ON the farm, thus preventing the
rapid mpoverishing of the SOIL aud at the
same time giving a more profitable return TO
the farmer, is being inaugurated all over the
state. The products of this system in the
shape Of fat cattle, hogs and sheep, are not
now, and never will be transported on the
canals The hope then for increased revenue
to the canals from this source, is entirely
e falacious. But it is urged that application
of steam for propelling canal boats will ena-
BILE the canals to compete with the faster
: railroads, and thus secure more business.
Indeed, the President Of the Board o!
i Public Works seems enraptured with this
J. Improvement, for he tells us on page Of
o lis special report that it will greatly in.
1t crease the navigation, and at the same time
r greatly diminish the cost Of repairs, by clean
D. ing the canal OF the deposits Of mud and
,o sand washed in by the food for twenty
!, years, and by wedding ont the grass that
now chokes up the channel, of its stagnant
waters. Truely this is encouraging The
d. argument has but one objection, and that
is objection perhaps ought not to be considered
a in connection with any question touching the
o; management Of these canals. The obec-
IL, tion is simply that the proposition is not true
- The navigation of the canals by steam pow
"s er has not been successfully introduced on
ln the canals. For proof of this see special
lie, report of The board of public works of Feb.
ed l4th 1861, page A. But Mr.. Speaker,
or shall not detain the House upon this argu
ment, it is generally conceded that under
state management there is no prospect that
OP' the canals will he sustained by their revenue
be- The reason for this common opinion need
nee not be explained here. Now, with thi,
ro common feeling, two plans are presented to
to relieve the state from future taxation TO sup
no. port the canals. To sell the public workes OF
tile 10 lease them. i much prefer the plan t
n SELL and / will condeuse my remarks upoI
e., this point to few propositions.
answer to the argument that the work
are worthless and cannot be sold, say thel
ery they cannot be leased, for if they cannot b.
ion so managed as to produce revenue, u,
parties will desire to take them
ne' Again urge that it is never a wise poll
her cy to trust the entire control and manage
t is ment of any business or enterprise TO par
tful ties who have no interest in the capital in
e., vested. This is the reason that so muc
'' waste aud extravaganza aud fraud hsv,
lce' been witnessed in the construction aud re
lot, pairs OF the public works. The parties fee
the no direct interest in the capital and see
ovc 10 make the most they can by increas
90 ing all the expenditures, for their profit
= T''' do not depend upon diUidends but upo
her expenditures. To such, a disastrous foo
ion, is always God send, and the washing
eo. away of neglected bank or the falling {
the a culvert is long hoped for expected sp.ti.
-. providence. Mr.. Speaker, shall not pursu
~ this argument. See the public works plaC
'uo- them in the hands Of parties who have q
or. interest in preserving them and whose pre-
one fits will depend upon their prudent manag,
ora men, and the canals will he preserved an
their usefulness increased
p'o' Mr.. VokIs presented the petition of
hey j. Allen aud other citizens of Akron
der Ohio, praying for q law providing for th
EN- leasing of the public works Of the state, an
ena. said, in the presentation Of this petition {
49,, this time, l do 50 as an arrangement agan
'0"' the amendment to the bill, 1.-The amendmeI
nts' provides for a sale) and in favor of son
hich well guarded aud judIcious plan for II
easing Of the public works.
ded These petitioners are largely aud direc
-. y interesting in the vigorous exstance
i"o' these works. They represent large man
1t Is featuring aud commercial Interests that a
bare directly affected by the future exisences
we're abandonment of the canals. They ha
seen and felt the hostile feeling that b
,;,. been exhibited in the legislation of the sta
'''"' for several years, which has prevented Il
Il making Of sufficient appropriations TO p
are and keep these works in proper repair
.ars, For years the Legislature has been coDpe
49,. ell to make up large deficiencies over Il
'H''' approI Tations. THIS has beeu so grudgin
ly given that the most hopeful canal frlen
(and you all know that have been one