New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-04
HOW TO CRIPPLE THE CANAL RING.

HOW TO CRIPPLE THE CANAL RING.
The control of the canals of this State Is
primarily vested in the Legislature. The ex-
ecutive power is welded by a Canal Board,
consisting of nine members, viz: the three
Canal Commissioners, the State Engineer, anu
five State officers. The Canal Commissioners
and State Engineer have the practical eXecu-
ton of the measures adopted by the Legisla-
ture, or referred by the Legislature to the
Canal Board. The recommendations OF the
Engineer and Commissioners have naturally
great weight both with the Board and the
Legislature. 1t is obviously contemplated by
the Constitution that the Commissioners and
Engineer shall be honest and capable men,
having due regard in all their actions to the
efficiency Of the canals and the sacredness OF
the public money. We have a right to eX-
pect them to give us good navigation, ana TO
get for us days work for a days wages.
They should be capable and honest. Are
they?
1t is notorious that the canals are managed
with far less ability than the similar works of
private corporations, and that the grossest
frauds have been practiced on the State Treas
ury by the canal contractors We have paid
exorbiant prices for poor work. How has
this happened7 The facts are that the canal
contractors and those interested with them and
owned by them constitute powerful engine
of corruption; well known by the name OF the
Canal Ring" This Ring has always its rep
resentatives in the Legislature. 1t is equally
potent in the councils of both political parties.
It's nominees fill the Offices of Canal Commits
siOner and State Engineer, and often, though
not always, serve on the Canal Committees of
the Senate and Assembly. 1t has its watchful
representatives in the lobby. In short, 10
holds the State Government, so far as the adj
ADMINISTRATION of canal affairs is concerned, help
less in ITS grasp
Is more specific evidence than this nccdedf
We will furnish it. TO begin with, there IL this
momentous fact that, in addition to from one
to two millions each year taken from the reye-
nues from tolls, direct taxes for canal purposes
to the amount of SIf,sOo.OO0 have been
levied on the people within the last five years,
being more than were levied for the same OBJ
jects in the eleven years preceding 1862 The
average annual cost of ordinary and extraOr-
binary repairs, superintendent, and collection
of tolls has risen from $1s3 per mile for the
four years ended with 1863, to 81 ,126 per
mile for the four years ended with 1871, and to
SLIP per mile for the year 1872. Now,
whatever bubbles may be raised about part
of the expenses of 1872 belonging to 1871, the
essential fact remains that the cost of main
tanning the canals has enormously increased.
until it is three times what it was ten years
ago. Nay, more you may scour the State
from the east end of Long Island to the St.
Lawrence River and Lake Erie and you can
not find an intelligent man who does not be-
lieve that for every dollar properly and hon
estly applied to the canals, another dollar has
been squandered or stolen. All this profit
gacy, incompetency, and robbery we owe to
the corrupt influence of the Canal Ring.
And now for the application. William B.
Taylor, for sic years State Engineer and Sur
veyor, which means Canal Engineer, is the
Canal Rings candidate for reelection to that
Office for another term of two years. Mr.
Taylor was Engineer and Surveyor in the
years 1862 and 1863 Had he been unsatisfac-
tory to the Canal Ring would he have been
renominated and reelected for the years 1864
and 1861 The amount of work performed
under the supervision of his Department was
1921 900 in his first two years, and $1662,OOO
in his second two years. In the four years
from 1868 to 1871, inclusive, a Democrat-Van
Rensselaer, Richmond-held the office, and the
Canal Ring in close alliance with Tweed,
flourished as it never hourished before. In 1871
Mr.. Taylor was elected for the third time, and
the amount of work performed in his fifth
year was S1,57SOO0, being nearly as much az
in his third and fourth years together and
more than the total of his first and second
years. What the taxpayers want is moro
work, better done, for less money. And the
only way to get it is to exclude from Office the
tools of the Canal Ring. Any change from
Mr.. Taylor will be an improvement.
Things cannot be worse IN his Office than
they arc now.
We do not in the least exaggerate when we
say that tho Canal Ring for the last fifteen
years has named the State Engineers and
Canal Commissioners, controlled the Canal
Board, and ruled the Legislature. These facts
are familiar to all politicians and to every
one who has had n glimpse of the inside of
things at Albany. From 1853 to 1861 and from
1863 to 1871, inclusive for eight years in all
the servant Of the Ring in the State Engi-
neer's office was Van II. Richmond. With the
exception of u single term (18G6-0, ever since
1857 the Ring has had either Richmond or
Taylor as Engineer and Surveyor. They have
had Taylor six years, and they want him two
years more. Friends OF honest government
shall this corrupt Ring not receive check
Taxpayers how long under the specious
pretext of duty TO your party will you sustain
Ring. " rob youf We simply ask you "