New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-06
C1N1L WITIFRS,


the Committee appointed under Senator Lords
resolution to investigate the terminal charges
for handling grain in Buffalo and this city,
made their report to tho Sepate yesterday.
They have ascertaiDcd that the total amount
of terminal charges to be added to the freights
and tolls OH IL cargo Of grain passing from
a lake propeller at Buffalo to the hold OF
gu ocean steamer at New-]ork, being the
aggregate of tho taxes for clcyating, weigh
Ing &C., ut Buffalo and New York, is no less
than eight cents per bushel. The outside pub
lie will be ready to agree with the Committee
that this is too much. We havc not any sta
tistics Of corresponding charges at Baltimore
and Philadelphia, but we presume they arc
less than at NcwIork from the rapid rate at
which the export trade i'll wheat and corn Is
increasing at those points.
From tho weekly grain circular of Messis.
Schroeder, Lindbom a. Co., dated at Milwau-
kcc. May /, VIC learn that vessel owners are
asking five cents per blishcl for carrying wheat
TO Buffalo The canal tolls paid to the State
of New-York arc three cents and one mill
from Buffalo to Troy. Before the reduction
made in the toll sheet i'll 1870,
they were double that amount. Exclusive OF
from Buffalo to New-Yolk by the canal and
river. are six cents per bushel. In comparison
with these current rates of freight and tolls,
do not the terminal expenses seem higllf IL
appears to us, as it does to the Committee,
that the thing necessary to be done Is TO re-
duco the cost of handling grain at Buffalo
and New-York. Smaller charges at Buffalo
would hayo n tendency to increase business
ra1 and
Erie railroads. Smaller charges at Ncw-lolk
would directly attract corn and wheat to this
port for shipment. Stocks Of grain at Chicago
and Milwaukee arc again increasing, prices at
the scaports not being high enough to encour
age shipments even ut the low rates OF freight
I now prevailing.
The Joint Committee of the Senate and AS
scmbly who have been taking evidence on
canal contracts have also reported. This Com
mittee have not more than scratched the sur
face of things, but what they have brought
out is amply sufficient to justify Gov. llldcn's
indictment of the contractors. The evidence
given this week by Horatio Seymour, 2d,
one Of the assistant engineers, and nephew
of Ex-Governor ScymOurs, i'll regard to the
performance Of the Denison contract, has doubt
less not escaped the attention of the Attorney
General lad the revelations which have been
made within the last two months been given
to the public "a year earlier il is safe to say
that the constitutional amendment reported by
the Commission of 1873 would never have
been slaughtered by the Legislature as it was
last Spring. The conclusion of thc Committee
is that the responsibility is divided and sub
"divided into so many fragments "a to he often
| .,1Is l,.t ha n4ns M Il
"have no common head no responsibility to
"any common authority and no common in
"tcrost in tho joint performance OF their
Irrespective duties. No public enterprise can
"hope to prove successful that is not
definitely organized under some known
land responsible head" Whether the
responsible head of the canal system DO APP
pointed Ivy tho Governor, as proposed by the
Constitutional Commission, or elected by the
people, one thing is certain, responsible head
is wanted. Access to the public money has
for long period been practicable through
Canal Commissioners, through the Legislature.
through the Canal Board. through collision
Of the engineers and through the Canal
Administers. Sometimes one might be
easier than another but never have all
been closed against the Ring at the same
time The public money, in short, was kept
in a safe to which half dozen persons had
separate keys, either one of which would
turn the lock. However opinions may vary
about the question of tolls and the Importance
of the canals TO the State, Oh this point all
are agreed-tlat more honest, economical,
and efficient mode of running the canals must
be adopted and henccforth adhered TO, or else
the people will 10 longer submit to be saddlod
with them. Twenty-Five and fifty years ago
the canals were young and robust and had the
field all to Themselves. Now it is q question
of the survival of the fttcst.
TIE CASE or CALHOCN
Tho ntoru nf xonnn Cnlhnnln who niininntrd