New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-09-16
NEW YORK DAILY TRIBUNE. FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 1870


year enacted (sec. IL, chap. 57), that Moth
"ng herein contained, nor in the act hereby
"amended, shall authorize the appointment or
continuance in Office beyond the first day OF
"June next, of any Superintendent of Repairs on
"the Canals of this State, re On the day named,
the Republican Canal Board dismissed all the
remaining superintendent and their subordl-
mates; among them, host of political sup
porters. The duties which these superintendent
and their assistants were supposed to dis
charge had long before dev0lyed by law on
the contractors by whom the repairs OF 1863
were wholly made. Under an apprehension that
the Legislature was about to abolish the con-
tract system, many of them deferred work on
their sections until a few weeks before the
season of navigation opened. Ii Is illustrative
of the efficiency of system founded on per
sOnal responsibility secured by bonds, that IN
spite of the delay they had the Canals in re-
pair for general opening OH the 4th OF May,
and maintained them in good navigable order
during the season. The few interruptions that
occurred were in nowse due to the contract
ora. The receipts of the fiscal year exceeded
those of 1867 by $497,18S 80; the expenses were
less by S35.947 81 !; and the surplus revenue
was $3,293,3O1 10. 1t is conceded that the sea
son was favorable, and that the aggregate OF
tunnage had never been equaled; but at the
same time the result shows the capabilities OF
the Canals, the efficiency of the methods by
which they were maintained and operated, ana
the results attainable by both.
In January of the same year, the reign OF
the Democratic Canal Board began, and the
supremacy of the Canal Ring was assured.
One of its first acts was to place on the pay
roll some thirty Democratic partisans, whose
nominal appointments were to an Office when
had been abolished by law-that of Supenntend-
ents of Repairs. This was bad enough; but
sections were subdivided to permit an increase
Of appointees, and each superintendent
brought with him numerous staff OF subordl-
mates and regiment of employees. The Demo-
cratic Legislature crowned this wanton eX-
travagance by charging the Canal revenues
with the "pay and provant of tho tdnd~ehr
of the party under the fiction OF "patrolmen."
A resolute and faithful Republican Auditor
succeeded in keeping most of this horde from
the Canals that season he failed altogether,
however, to exclude them from the Treasury.
The annual loss of the two or three millions
the State has been accustomed to receive from
the Canals would be felt seriously at any time,
but at this iuncture it is peculiarly unwel-
come. Taxpayers will remember that, beside
this. a Canal debt of some thirteen millions
must be provided for. Under Republican ad-
ministration, in fewer years than the ueDt
numbers millions, the Canals would extngulsh
this debt beside maintaining themselves. 10
day, under Democratic control, the Canai De-
partment is paying demands upon it with Dor
rowed money only. Already, the Canal hing
the Commercial Union, and such patriots as
Mr. Nathaniel Sands, late of the Citizens AS
ISOLATION, are insisting that this debt be added,
practically, TO the State debt; but 1t never VIII
BIO paid except by direct taxation, all pretense
to the contrary notwithstanding. Before the
time comes when the taxpayers of the State
will DO at liberty to vote for OF against such adj
ministrators of the most important of public
trusts, they will be bound for more than a
million of dollars, borrowed on their credit TO
meet current Canal expenses.
Is it among the things possible on earth that
the people of this State will restore such
corruption and stupidity in positions which
the public good and individual welfare require
to be held by wisdom and integrity of the
highest type7 In the face of such warnings,
shall the main pecuniary concerns of the State
be again submitted to councils which would
be without a quorum if the extravaganza, the
corrupt and the incompetent were excluded