, 1870-11-22
PLuNDERIRG TIE WEST.

We have been furnished with a COPY of
n letter written by the Hon. Alfred Ely, of
Rochester, New York, in which he strong
y urges the passage, by Congress, Of bill
proposed by the Hon. A1r. Bennett, of Buf-
falo.- appropriatiDg Slo, 900 from the
National Treasury TO enlarge the Erie
Canal. Among the arguments used Is that
most absurd and humbug one that,
in case Of war with ENGLAND, British gun
boats could be put on the lakes, and could
burn Detroit, Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, MI
wnukee, and Chicago, all of which calamity
can be successfully averted by anlarginR
The Eric Canal sufficiently TO permit gun,
boats to be brought from New York to
fight and bum the British boats.
Mr. Bennett's bill ia a barafaced fraud
upon the people Of the West. It is the
initial measure in an extensive scheme 10
sell canals to the United States. It is only
uecessary to state few facta to illustrate
/ The robbery which Tint bill proposes. The
Erie Canal WAS completed in 1896. In
! 1s4G it was enlarged. Subsequently other
enlargements of locks took place, and the
canh to oswego was constructed aud made
tributary. The Erie Canal has been used
by 10th political parties as partisan treas
u1y, from which to pension oficc-holders,
Swarns Of officers have been kept alive
from its revenues. The business OF "re-
pairs has been carried on in such way,
that at last it has been conceded that the
whole thing was an utter swiudIe. Never
theless, computing the whole cost of the
Eric and oswego Canals, adding to that
the cost Of all the engagements, and the
annual expenditures for repairs aud off,
Gers SALARY, and the net revenue received
by the State of New York has been, to put
it at low figure, SCI, 200. .osO. Tho peo-
pie Of the West hare paid for these
two canals, with all the e1travagant and
eastefn expenditure upon them, and
Se5, ,ooo, 900 more. They have paid this in
the shape Of tolls, This fact stands upon
the record, and cannot be dodged or de-
MED The State has not only been rei1n-
burEed, but has drawn profit of s25. Coo
600 from this canal
The State OF New York has, hoveva.,
undertaken to build other cauals, which
have never done enough business To pay
the cost of their annual repairs; and. 10 pay
the debt contracted for these bitches, and
to pay the salaries Of the officers, and the
contractors for repairs, the State has mort
gagged the revenues of tho Eric md oaxeso
Canals. Tho State has just voted, by
10000 majority, refusal to assume the
State debt, and release the canals; conse-
queutly, there Kill be c1torled annually.
from the shippers on the Erie Canal
s., ,oo0, 600 Of surplus tolls, to nav
for the lateral ditches which have
log since been practically abandoned,
What position, therefore, does the member
of Congress- from Buffalo stand in ? be
must sa5 to Congress, that the people Of
the United States have paid into the treas
ury Of New York, over aud abore all tha
cost Of constructing, enlarsiue. keeping.
and repairing the Erie Canal, SIS. 900, ooo.
That money the state hasused, squrndared,
and wasted. The State now annually COL
lects from TINT canal surplus Of
600, GOO In tolls The State has refused
By an almost unanimous sote to remit those
tolls, or to surrender ,tha. revenue. Tbs