The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-13

shall We Save the Erie Canal and
Insure tho Continued Prosperity Of
New York, Ctty and states
1t is now half q century since the compile
ton of the Erie Canal was celebrated with
great rejoicing at Castle Garden. No public
enterprise during fifty years of unparalleled
usefulness has suffered more painful vicissi-
tudes, has been so often the pet OF the State
and again under the popular ban. The causes
of this history we clearly discern There
have always been two canal parties, as there
are always two parties divided upon all ques-
tons of internal improvement. These Erie
Canal factions we cannot better describe
than by comparing them to the leaders
and wheel horses of stage coach. The
leaders are ever pushing on, leaving the
past behind them; the shaft horses are the
checks on progress, drags on advancement
and development Mr.. Samuel B. Ruggles,
the founder of Union square, statesman
who has always guided his operations with
prophetic eye, believing in undertaking no
great and permanent work without allowing
for the growth of the country, was
leader on the coach, as he is to-day. MIR.
Samuel j. Tilden, an eminent and useful
neighbor of Mr.. Ruggles, has always been
shaft horse-a conservative, advocating with
might and main slow conservative policy
with the canals. Both of these upright citi-
zens have had, and have now, their usefulness.
The State not only needs guide who will
MT ha OoDefruCf cohamQS
for the perpetuation of its material pros
perity, but also counsellors who will check
a too sudden and violent improvement.
1t is thus that we are enabled to recog-
nize that these two antagonisms, carried on
through two long and eventful lives in the
public service, have been in the main benef-
cal to the Commonwealth. MIR. Ruggles was
profoundly impressed with the necessity Of
the broad and deep canal to provide for the
immense products of the West, for which the
narrow and shallow canal constructed by Mr..
Clinton had become inadequate. And now,
with the growth of the country and the
increase of transportation, even this en-
larged canal is totally insufficient as q
great national highway. 1t is plain, then,
that the amendment now before the Legisla-
ture providing for the reduction of the tolls
an innovation which will practically reduce the
revenues Of the State by one million five hun
bred thousand dollars annually-is blow at
that broad and progressive policy by which
alone the city Of New York can maintain its
commercial supremacy on the Atlantic sea-
board. The elevators of Buffalo demand that
the tolls should be diminished simply in order
that the local interests of Western New York
may be aggrandized. Should this amendment
pass what would be the result? The revenues,
which, by constitutional amendment, could be
applied to improvement and repair, would, in
lieu thereof enrich the grain spectators Of
Buffalo The contemplated enlargement Of
the locks on the Erie Canal to twice their
present length and the construction Of
class Of carrying craft of twice the pres
ent length to replace the old-fashioned
boats, the employment of steam as q means of
propulsion-al of these changes, proposed by
Mr. Ruggles, would not only become impossi-
BILE, but serious blow would be dealt to the
importance of New York as the terminal city
of the grain trade of the Union. With the
active work on the Welland Canal proceeding,
does it not behoove the Legislature Of the
State, therefore, to inquire if a rival city shall
grow up on the st. Lawrence which shall be-
come the mart of our Western products?