New-York tribune., 1871-01-04
controlled Ivy supcrintondonts. Observe tho expenses
for keeping the Chcnaugo Canal In repair the LIST OF

Amount cnnond ypairs section 1880 81
Amount rsi contractor for pain e'eon 2....... t96 10
A3o@ pg s' % c@dia TOT esIs % 'cseG' cr s Se ad M
10y The contractor at an anuual compensation NJ $4,000,
or $4,000 fer six months Tho contract surrendered
to September 80 Tie Superintendent has expended Ss
go G. IN The repairs thereof and the State has paid
contractors SsJ0 80 for the tools materials and impe
mcns that wore On the section NJ thc time it
rendered. The contract price Tor repairs Of Section g.
iuondont sanc section IN six months s2lO6j 49,
nHua compensation paid contractor Tor repairs OF sec
ton "a, EfiC, s2t0 amount expended on same In sir
months hy superintendent was s5l92s 9O aud the State
paid sS9 O. 10 the CH-cOntIacOr for tools, materials,
contract ir0s persistent efforts OF this Department
have proved ueGeca, 10 limit, materially lessen the
expendture Of money by supef;2tendent@
The only legitimate conclusion that can be drawn from
any impartial examination Of this subject is, that the re-
control OF the Commissioners in charge OF tAo several
divisions, with power To employ and pay their own
the Board OF Canal Commissioners the state Engineer
and Auditor of the Canal Department the interests OF
authorized TO let by contracts the repairs Of any portion
OF the state canals to the persons pai os who shall
Offer 70 DO the same a. the lowest price, with adequate
No stem OF repairs viii meet the requirements Of the
of the state to provide for the redemption of this debt
IRON the of ne past the Auditor is confident
mat the Necessary repairs The canals can be made ana
Nc'r ndrtgd5tfty perfectly nditGtRed, at ouelali the
present cost, by a well-dehned system OF lettings
REVENUES, TOLLS, AND INDEBTEDNESS.
ile importance OF this subject only be exceeded by
that tot canal repairs Thefaure of the enttoheet
to furnish sufficient meet and discharge tho
obligations which the Constitution imposes upon the
canals invests the subject. at hs ne with more than
ordinary importance The people at the last general
election, ny anoyerwhelmng majority III the rural dl, M
tcts rejected The proposition submitted to them by me
ny nrt contracted their construction and enlarge
ment ana r-sed to confer discretionary power upon
the Canal Board to ias ce9 Va GS & TpSe oeS% faoS 'n"'
By their emphatic vote the people have decided tnas
the canal debt shall not he FUNDED nor tiaslIIou ~
the shoulders of the taxpayers; but that must e ralo
from th3 revenues Of the canals In accordance WIN inc
provisions OF the Consnol May not the result of tls
vote be also considered an unnstakoabls Indication
that whenever IL shall have been demonstrated thaJ Uo
canals cannot e made to pay their debt end become se
sustaining, the people will he disposed To sell OF apandoI
tLcmi tsoaIl "a 1917, ~ the very cominoncenent OF
and Champaiu canals pledged to TIC payment OF
the interest and the redemption of the principal OF the
dct tECn being incurred for the construction OF these
Cauas Tts guaranty was incorporated in the Col4stl-
In the ConStuton Of Is4e the people recognized the
sacred character o these pledges, ai made ample pro
vision fos their frmCnt. The public creditor, also,
10 him for the payment of his debt should ~; bc i'm
pcred diverted, while the primary object OF the
pledge remained ursatted These contracts cannot be
abrogatcd or impaired by resolution oil tIo i-oSls-
,sgS no T5s fa Slt Ta lnXsh yeSe He 'n has %
rsht to say that The t sae sIam n2f die
may he said to the CONTRARY the state has practically
mOitgaced ali tho net income Of the canals Tor the pay
ment OF the debts contracted for their constuc ion, en-
IaFCment and completion The State, n this respect, is
slGiIv trustee Tor the bOndhOders. Therefore, the
good faith OF STATE tie legal rights of i's creditors,
and lust regard for tie interests OF tns people, require
that tolls shan be imposed and adjusted withrefef
1t Is not denied that the rates OF tolls established in
1854 cannot he varied increased or diuDished but II
contended. that 50 long as tne obgttlcns row iesh;
upon the revenues of the canals reEdn unsat>e such
TO satisfy them reduction below this star aacd -
violation of ths true intent and meaning Oh The ConSt III
tiOn inasnuch az destroys to security pedged o tbe
puhlo creditor and subjects tho taxpayer burdens
which that instrument Intended ne should not Oc coI
pelei 70 bear IL may also be affirmed tat any redu
tn iri Ndi & & in a. aka q violafjo f le
socinu compact between the State and the people.
tine c9jt Of tie school or United states Deposit Funds
squsndeTed 10 permit canal tolls 90 DO reduced
below revenue rates Either IT, in the opinion of te
auditor equally violation Of the Constant on 20 me
last years h5 tolls had been Judcily imposed and
arranged IN requirements of the Constitution, with such
wHe discrimination That tho trace ana commerce OF th
canals we've fOstered ANA cLcOulagcd; consequently the
its credit Instead Of diverng trade roin the canals ~
this hi III toll policy, as 1t WAS called, thg statistics OF
cra5o beyond any previous decade. In 1870 different
policy was initiated The IegtS3t5 M on @ fhat yer, ~
the following resolution; ....o....u. O.
Of the Canal board 50 esns
s '9 .ac a. eea rot ct Seeeg Exc 30 pr ct @ res & ' , s i
k eleat and as 'ae eisge e' o. .es la Stl aias me
ensuing san Of a9s to oIfe c sAe o. 'He % ~e
BY virtue Of this resolution, the3d day Of May last
the Canal Board reduced the rates cf to!l on majority
OF the leading articles of canal traffic nearly 20 per cent
below those 1852 The in which this reduction
Hitherto the Canal Board mas liked definite rate OF tol
10 be charged on each spIcc article. stains S
requested. In the in'Lee nlu.r GonSdei9u%on % inS
act of concurrence was committed TO the tahai beaIu'
However il may not come within The prescribed duties
Of the Auditor 10 inquire whether general resolution
of In Legislature comforting Discretionary power upon
he Caual Board, m advance Of Us 4cuo, u feGce
canal tolls extent not exceeding 70 Der cent ncl0w
the Constitutional limit, Is such compliance win inc
language spirit OF the Constitution az Iat lHatri,
Inet requires. Bl Il IS his dly to report we I' OF
encl reduction t. submit such obH on5 III reia-
tiOu IN ,retO as his experience may susS t.
from l6o, IerUd to Which pesou; trnre ~ e 90
h. been DE- the Of Tie 'eel f'" %
Dunas e eroI ae annual coH ol ,oeuo1 ~ IT, s9e II
Ier4ten.euo aAd rdusry Ieias aYeraG o''''''. Lyo
1s.,og q, ,,,a,l average surplus o. f..... 5s46s3lo II
m Foss revenues To- Gscil yesI ending on tie 3oL Of IN
Cot Of eoieeoa slperiatenisrce and ordinary repair or
~ .
.,,o,.a esG1gl 5
ThU il viii he seen that The gross receipts from the
canals IN 1870 3y7 % less td the lil average
f"r Inc ten preceding years; and the surplus revenues
S23s 1856 10 less than the annual average OF the sme
period. The modification produced iy TINS Clnh su ~
surplus is not it, worst results. lAt coh1oh Vi ILo
trcasnry requires the usual annual appropriation
The surplus revenues OF tie last icl year lail No
6qG 81 short of the required 20 ny caua lhleres
in gold upon the Canal debt But vhcn "aplropnaIe1
and set apart IN accordance WITT nc rcquhenes va
ISonnt reGuired under the provision OF sections and
OF Article OF that instrument, for te ayment OF lne
Csua debt as will DE by the Following statement
me constitutional charges upon th" surrus teyenucS oi
the canals for the last fiscal year ana lhey VIII bo' pe
less for several years. were a. loho"s' s1so,0s
For Canal debtaninS snd. 1.toO
a. "a, teo,ire,
II il also further provided, that after comply ing WIN
The sbove thcro shall he paid into tie treasury anhu
allie tl sum 500 GeTay the necessary expenses
~ Goycrpment" The disastrous results ai'ne RON he
recent reduction of tolls will more fully appear by an e1
ANIMATION Of the present condition OF the dcDt deehdehe
n1n the surplus revenues Of the canals for me rehehp
ou thereof On the 30th day OF sepcnDer dst he out
f9bdipg and unpaid balance OF tie canal debt Wa s
9Gs. 5s0 which becomes duo and payable as follows;
S527g95 Is.. ha. &, a37 100
TOtal........r u tbtrfu
In addition 10 the above Indebtedness, the chhl esc
pues are constitutonsily pledged for the payneh oi
n0ron of the general fund debt of this STATE k0"h rs