New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-26

YORK TRIBuSy is only about 100 per cent Let
ace who dinned their bands in the Treasury an
took out this S1gC0J,OOO. Let u see VINO auih'n u
tered this fraud Mr.. Lord then read hStS VI 'n
Auditors, Controllers, Lieutenant-Go',ernor o'a'
Engineers. and other State officers who ma any
thing to do with canal expenditures after DO ant
1efed any one to accuse these men of connsTInR
fraud. He then pointed out the difference between
the circumstances of the original construction o.
the Erie Canal and Of the carrying ont OF the cor
tracts for its enlargement. There was nothing to
interfere with close estimates at the time when the
canal was first built. After the canal was completed
work had to be done in Winter. instead OF Summer
IS before, and the snow and other obstacles inter
iere with work so much that it should cost double
The amount of the original cost to enlarge the canals
will explain. if can, some of the reasons why an
engineer cannot calculate work within 100 yards, OF
200 yards or even 10000 yards AS the Legislature
makes the appropriation in Winter the estimates
must be made in Summer when tue canal Is full OF
water; and most of the engineers whom we have
low know little Of the bottom of the canals. In a
contract for mile. One-half may be found to be
and the wall will fall in, and must be
made much thicker than usual. Thus the cost viii
% much greater. 1t is Impossible for contractor
IT engineer to tell how much work may
% required In 1870 l made an effort
Or reform in canal management. In
hat year the Legislature passed law
% make the Canal Commissioners responsible and
lold them TO a strict accountability; bur the Gov
rnOr did not allow it to become a law. In 1870 we
cduced tolls and changed the contract system to
hat Of Superb tendCnt Mr.. Lord then compared
he net revenue OF the canals from 1861 TO 1870 with
he net for the past five years, claiming that
here had been a falling off of more than $2OOOOOO,
lue to the reduction of tolls and the increase of
expenses. In 1869 the cry of "StOp theft" rang
rom one end Of the State TO the other. If there
vas ever a Canal Ring, it was between 1861 and
SO. If Ibelonged to that Ring am proud OF 1t.
We paid into the Treasury S3,CO00O0 revenue per
rear. As The NEw-YORK TRIBUNE has seen fit to
characterize me as the leader OF that Ring, hope 1t
Will publish these words.
In CONCLUSION Mr.. Lord said have said all l de-
ire to say. have tried TO give fair statement a
atement that will bear the closest scrutiny. and
lefy scrutiny. ask that every Senator Will take
title pains to look into this thing. Ii has been iIn-
possible to get the Senate interested in this subject
When the discussion is over hope that every Sem
Itor will join in going over these contracts ana
make them better if possible. Tho honest people OF
his State are aroused, and believe that highway
oLbery has been committed and that corruption
Jas existed. / want to find the guilty men, and
rope that the Invest eating Committee. when 1t IS
appointed, will probe the whole matter TO the
POTION.
SPEECH OF SENATOR LANING.
Senator Llning ollowed Nj. Lord with q long adj
lress. He began by dilatlng upon the Importance
If the subject, and hoped that in spite OF the time
which had been consumed by senator Lord, the sen
tie would allow him to take up few minutes. lie
.l.rncd that there is no matter of greater moment
d the people of the State aud the Taxpayers than
he proper administration Of the canals. The canal,
If the State have cost the people over S6' OOOOOO
md they have furnished rs revenue, III round mum
Jers over Sl15OO0OOJ All these canals. ut the time
when they were built, were expected to prove j
benefit to the people, but experience has shown
hat some of them were mistakes, and they
ire q tax upon the people. There has moi
been the Same precision, accuracy, and ability
n work upon the canals that there has been III phi
,aty business Ii is not at all surprising that TIT
completion of the work has cost many times more
han the amount originally contemplated. The
original timate was much exceeded IN building
.hc Eric Canal but 40 one charged fraud. 1t does
not follow that there has been fraud because the
expenditures exceeded the estimates in canal con
tracts. What man ever projected building. or amin
orovement in business which did not cost more than
was expected Since 1875 there have been spasmodiC
cries of mismanagement, corruption and fraud III
with the canals. Some OF these excite
ncuts about fraud have done good; but most Ol
them have resulted in redOubled depletion OF the
Treasury. The idea that much money has been
drawn out of the people by taxation for the c1naL
is a mistake. The Erie Canal today Is creditor OF
the State by more than S22O00OOO over all cost OF
and repairs During the last I'VE yeaH
SO 100 39l 10 is all that has been applied to the Erie
Canal over aud above ordinary maintenance and re
pairs. During that time there has been a sur
plus revenue OF the Eric Canal, over anC
above all expenses of maintenance and Ordinary
repairs Of s. ,2j 81, leayinS deficiency OF rev
enues less the receipts of S24il63 -. The MIND
the people should be dIsaOuSed of the idea, given b.
the Governors message that SliOOO,OOO have beef
wrung from the people TO carry on cana! improve
ments. The total EXPENSES on all the canals o
the State for the last five years for work
over and above ordinary expenses of mainte
nance and operation, have been S779i,S!9 "a
There is undoubtedly just cause for criticism
in the administration of the canals and Il
the contracts made; but certain newspaper
seem to be of the opinion, and similar impression
was given by the speech Of Senator Jacobs ye'ter
day, that persons whoenter Lto contracts with tn
State arc bound to protect the interests of the State
They have no such duty. So far as they can hon
estly DO it, these contractors are entitled to get a
much for their services az they can. The servants
Of the State must look out for the interests of th
State The contractor, who takes care of his OWL
interests and gets as much Cor his wOrl
as he legitimately can, ought not to b.
called robber The Constitution Of 1916 prescrbes
that the contracts shall be given to the lowest bidder
if adequate security is given. The State officers ar
left no discretion. The law is emphatic and bindin!
on them. The frauds-it would be surprising /
there We're not some-are due 10 the viciOusness o
the system. In the mode of letting contracts there
is much circumlocuton, and responsibility is frit
tered away The estimates are usually made b.
some subordinate in the Engineers Depart