, 1869-06-30
THE ERIE CAEAL.
An open Letter from Hon. 1. T.
Hatch.

An open Letter from Hen. 1. t.
Hatch.
r., -. r,,,. BuPPALo, June1a 1863.
sHi N quoting tne following anguagr tom the
1--WE have been sssa1ed By Mr. Hatch shs. the
e{d sa ao6 asaeoduent authorizing oan II
which ne urged At Albany lsss winter. and Fntcn
ne A1gnd bitterly opPoFet, contemplated tn his
to-wit: the conversion Of the present canal %
go as to enable reduction Of tolls"
you made the following comment: 1.-THE next
tsaaed TO promulgaie the idea Of funding The pres
ent cana' debt, but admits that II was not 90 e1-
Believing that you would not intentionally give
currency to anT errur although 1t night seem to
forrfy your position, / wish you 10 publish nv de-
nia1 q :he above statement. quoted by you from
rom words used In a casaal conversation win tie
editor OF that Journal, and he has promptly cor
iss 5ssted nv It pGstsn 10 recent papss ,ss foy saq
lapse Of sualcient time for il. ieel justi-
opportunity. usually awarded b the courtesy oI
the pzess, NJ expressions would bare certainly
been JUSTIFIED IN is rst version of then but 80 80
lar from ever admitting that the proposed amend
ment did not express the intentions Of its friends
that It did express them fully and explicitly; and
that 4 It were adopted 1t would enable the Canal
Koaru 1t once to reduce tolls tWDthirdS; and that
sequently decreased transit time, Vo1lI stt:act
such an Increase Of tonnage that the caual rese-
nues would not be impaired THIS Ia fogans.l b.
sond contradiction By I'll past experience, as vel.
It IL necessary to comply with the financial pro-
vtslons of the constitution Of lsaa A careful e1s
H. tss 1 as ,as eo5 - ps,a@ss saSS
constitutional diMcultieA,
The amendment recelyed the consideration OF
Canal Boasa aatea a nos .eauesce ID The u pct, s
progressive sentinenr-so Inconsistent with the
imperial ieauuy Of this State-e1pressed IN a re-
dest.aele, that our cans.s should do all the bust
ness md prevent competing routes"
dhave no tenae,ty 1 % my msEs form: + you
eighteen years, aeleccuty proposed IN your paper,
tn the bhape Of an amendment 30 that means can
constitution of 1873, and thus Iherate the canal
Board from the iro1 rule o1 the tol-shcet Of 1ss.
| and will present tt 70 the next 1es1alatuEe, wi!
trs passae, and to advocate IT as member Of The
Legislature, as IN similar crisis OF our canal
afat1s advocated the enlargement Of 1854.
1t the LIST Legislature, . It would, wthous doubt.
have secured the six votes which alone were nec-
to s M1Et z ne
Committee and supported bY myself, 1t received
ff.5-nine r0tes-a majority Of all present, but not
q constitutional majority
All that was sought to be accomplished was
| low tolls, and an improved tunnel way, in the
canals Tint amendment proposed a loan Of
standt1g canal debt after applying the sinking
irnd. I am willing to leave discriminating pub
Nc to determine whether there Is any pTac,iea,
difference, In the results between the TWO propo-
iunded" at eighteen years without creating 4
@ent men sinilar t to tns one proposal ast Winter: nor
ea1snce Of canai deo. q ieR millions is paid Or
| tion to "fund,7 and the Assembly Amendment
| !" to borrow, practically mesn nothing more than
the extension Of the canal debt eighteen tears.
Whether thts Is reached through an amendment
Of the constitution authorizing the LEGISLATURE 70
fund the debt or to borrow to pay the debt, Is not
Tnc financial and commercial results sought by
both amendments are he zamc, Both seesto
supply tie Eants, not ol to-1noHow, but Of today
movement that Is hnrrying Up tie sluRs:aflIs Or
smmplIng them under Ioot. The attention Of
public men IN all parts Of our state, well n
the Northwest, is turned to this question, Among
other letters which received ID Albany during
the pendency. Of the amendment In the Leci.la
men among US, whose long public life gave htu
| An Intimate knowledge Of our true cana! pel:c:.
It cannot be regarded as violation Of rssya'<.
which refers to "cheap carrying" ne says:
lit IS great question; the question OF the day.
haEY locked into 1t and given II much thought.
4AEt9 - 2A El.bAE ~ k1ntsN 1O'it4t ~
ter routes. The Erie Canal, choIed up with tolls
and boats, hlndesed BY breaks and frauds Wns
never ~ more neeIaa than Il ts today. TIE grain
growing States VIII !ee1 this year, The need OF rc
l!ef, AMI We cannot hope tG send any wheat to
Europe unless the cost OF Carrying Is cut down"
II the Committee from the Commercial Conven-
ton at Chicago state correctly In their pubishei
report the results Of their ,oleryie1 with our gL-
Ianr young Governor, he, tho, Is . frieni or the
canal He Is reported to have said: II would. 1t
any time, recommend the abolition OF al! the tolls
rather than lose the trade NJ osr canal" 1t seems.
then, we have pot!c anil progressive representa-
tiye in the Executive chair, who comprehents the
situation. We can see lhc dawn OF q more en-
ligbtened policy In the Administrations OF the aNatrs
Of State. For such q sfatcsmaulike position he
Will ind worthy precedent in the recommends
ton Of his lfustr1ous Democratic predecessor, II
htH message TO the Legislature, In 1865: ''Nec cau-
not walt" -..-......
The boasted prosperity OF our canals last yearI
only apparent. Inr decrease IN the to1nigt OF
the R1eat stahle OF our canal commerce aau tae
no6s pfoduttiSe OF revenue anu lfaue-tae cefel