Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-02

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The canal question IS Che chief excitement
Of the lobby at Columbus At present. The
House has passed a bill to accept the propo-
sition Of what is said to be 4 responsible
company, combining capital and experience,
to lease the canal for ten years Ftpu apuusl
rent Of $4,000.
The scent Of this unwholesome carcass has
drawn together a flock Of birds Of prey,
mostly ampbibious. These are all of the
opinion that to lease the canals TO that COM
pany will be an awful swindle; but they are
equally confident that to lease 10 them
would be a great advantage 10 the State. y
1t is singular that o difference in men,
which nobody else would regard as a profit
able exchange for the State, should make
such a favorable change in the nature of the
measure.
Some offer a higher rent liberality in this
line Of promise being in exact proportion to
the lack of ability for performance. Some
affect to think that a difference Of one or two
thousand dollars a year in the rent Of prop
erty which requires the expenditure of $780,
900 a year for its preservation, and a business
in proportion, is enough to induce the Legis.
lature TO put Tom, Dick and Harry in charge
of this immense interest.
There is a set Of very violent patriots, who
are for a fair, open letting by the Board of
Public Works, By a singular coincidence.
these happen to be the contractors who man
ipulated the Board so successfully at the con-
tract-letting. These are represented at
Columbus and in several newspapers in diff
ferent parts ofthe State.
It very natural that they, with their ex-
perience, should prefer a letting by the
Board but this very anxiety and the parties
connected with it recalls wildly the circum-
stances of that memorable letting, and sug-
gests whether it would not be rather a big
thing for the Board. 1t would hardly do to
require the Board to let, without discretion
as to bidders and security and discretion as
to either can be made to cover any award
that the Board should happen to take a
strong liking to-. AT the other letting they
had strong likings and discretion. At the
attempt to lease in 1859 they had discretion
as to the security and a strong dislike to
leasing. The canals were not leased-a
striking coincidence.
On the whole the lease is rather a big
thing, and it is doubtful if a direct lease by
the Legislature is not the most open lease
that could be made. But there are some
serious charges made against this company
Of would be ~lessees. It is said they are old
canalers-a serious charge. The Legisla.
ture should insist on men who have never
seen those raging waters. 1t is charged that
they deliberately purpose to get the canals
into their hands to make money out of them,
This should not be countenanced. None
but disinterested men, who will run the
canals from pure philanthropy, and pay the
loss out of their pockets, and the profits, if
any, to the Orphan Asylum, should be al
lowed to nave the canals.
There is another charge, still more serious:
it is that other men, not ostensible, are be-
hind this company, intending to take an in
terest with them as soon as they get the
lease. This should be looked to. 1t is bad
enough to have a responsible company bid
ding, without having more to back them.
On the whole, the most serious apprehen-
sion seems to be that the lessees will make
money, a very remarkable danger, consider
ing the profits under the State management;
and a result which, of course, will be very
damaging to the preservation of the canals
for the only way they can be preserved is by
a constant losing business, which will give
the State the satisfaction of calling on the
bail for damages. The first object of the
Legislature should be to see that whoever
takes the canals shall lose by them. Then
the canals will be preserved, and the State
can show such a sharp bargain.