New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-27

measurements more according to the estimates. than
s7sOO0; then the discharged and the con-
tractor released. law passed by the Legislature
May IS, 1872 which directed the Canal Board
to examine contract and the work done
at Black Rock Hsrbor and allow to the
contractor the actual expended for the work in
OF the they paid This received the vote
OF Senator present and the vote OF every member
OF the Legislature, and was signed by the Governor
They showed the contractor had already received $4,000
twice the OF the estimated cost The Legislature
passed law to allow him above that whatever had
been expended by him in addition, aud yet that con-
tract has been singled out by theSenator from the ld
District as containing fraud II that was fraudulent
the entire Legislature and his Excelency the Governor
were parties to the fraud.
OBJECTIONS TO THE CANAL SYSTEM.
But my object in stating the circumstances OF this
contract Is to show that the Legislature is at fault Tor
much the evils Of that system and for passing such
laws. Under that law the Canal Board appoint COM
mitee to examine tho work done tho contract anu
report. The opinion was given by tho Attorney-Goh-
eral in which 1t decided that the Board was bound
to find the actual cost and the whole excess or actual
cost above the amount paid by the State. Does
any one propose TO imputo fraud to the Attorney
Generals Tue report OF the Committee stated
that the actual cost s199l5. TIE contractor had
been paid little over s20o leaving an excess OF over
$4,000. The Committee composed OF John c. Rob
ipson, Thomas Raines g. H. Sweet, Daniel Pratt James
jackson, jr. Tle ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS q Repuohcan,
the Stale Treasurer a of party. tho Attorney
General Democrat the State Engineer and Surveyors
Democrat, the Canal Commissioner OF that
division also a Democrat These are men OF
character and ability who have received tho lncorse-
Of majority Of the people OF the State as nt 10
hold their positions On March 10, 1874 this report was
adopted by the Canal Board. assume that there
might have been change OF plan by the Canal Board
and the work honestly done. Therefore assume
that what has been branded great fraud. tobbng
the State Of $4,000 is not II this were fraud the
Canal Board are equally guilty for not making proper
Investigation to see 1t there were any frauds
Another objection to the present system Is that IL Is
the interest Of every contractor and canal Oiccr 10
underestimate the cost OF wOck before IL Is undertaken
Take any great public work, and If the amount was
known at the beginning how much 1t would cost Defore
ended, do think that they would UNDERTAKE
IT. II the people supposed that the new Capitol wheh
estimated to cost s0Oo0O0 would costs2oOOo' Is IL
D. obable that they would have entered upon the wofK
II they could have seen tho beginning bow much ex-
pense the lateral canals would be to the State they
would never have been made. II the people could have
seen that In the management OF the Erie Canal there
would have room for so much pecuatlon ana aul'
for agree that there has been vast amount OF tna
they would never have entered upon the WORK Without
such safeguards that there could he no money uuaw-
fully diverted.
NO SPECIAL CLASS ATTACKED N THE MESSAGE
The Senator then considered what he called mistaken
differences from the Governors message. IL Is mis-
taken notion, he said, think, that they VINO hhu iau'
with the Governors message have inferred that 'he
Governor this message arralgns any particular cass
or any particular body Of officials; but he beeVes 10
be lad sy stem because OF the lack OF responsibility
and openness fraud and peculation Het 1t mas peeh
circulated Though the press that these sta'e-
ments wero aimed against all the CONTRACTORS
and laborers on the canals. / 90 not 30
understand this message. It's only human tna' 'ho
shall protect his own interests leaving 10 no
state officials to protect the interests OF the people
hold that the contractors class OF robher-, banded
together as ring rob the State, one must oeieVo o
course that order 70 make the combination succoSS
fu men who have held the highest offices III tue Stdte
have been guilty of collision and fraud. Senator LIN
ming then referred potess reputation OF many Oh
the Auditors State and said that 1t is Impossible 10
ssume mat they could be considered derellct III duty
If we accept said he the charges that have been made
by some we must consider that the Canal COMMISSION"
ers elected by both parties for the last 20 years hao
beep guilty OF wrongdOiug and also tho Sate Eigneer
ana other officers. sucn charges cannot be limited 10
scope; they embrace many o'd'1 o''is' il ''''
truth Is accepted.
SENATOR LANINGs RECORD.
The practical question 10 settled here now Is now
IA nreyent the recurrence of the OWLS and disasters III
the future which have happened III the past oen""f
Ianing then referred to his own legislative exp''e"
and referred 10 his action Chairman OF inc ways anu
Means Committee i'll the ASSemOiy III 1922 """ "'
measures introduced by him in the way OF cana REFORM
He claimed that u these measures had been nono
% tho avis referred to n the Governors message wCuId
resul ed He then went into the history OF various
legislative efforts toward reform, some OF whch hao
been tried aud others had been tuntried anu caeu
that the Governors recommendations now were "n''
the Controller had recommended In 1865, ana Wuae no
himself had tried TO accomplish by the INTRODUCTION VI
certain bills. One of these bills which failed 10
hecome a law, provided for thorough safeguards
IN the expenditure Of public money on the Canals
voted against the appropriation OF over s'oVooo "
meet the floating debt Of the State at mat une' an
no, mare tyro n canal matters, like the Senator from
the lid District. II was seventeen years ago when
introduced bill to make thorough safeguards against
tho illegal diversion of public money In the canal ex-
penditures. Senator Laniug then spoke at con-
s,derable length upon the great evils result
ing from the present condition OF the engineers
Department and denounced the lack OF responsibility,
and attributed many Of the evils to the fact that suDor
dnates are not accountable to the engineer lie SAID
that ON the eth OF April 1868 he introduced Dill TO pro-
vide for this accountability, and enactng That no en-
should be bound by the Canal Board except upon
the recompen dation OF the State Engineer That Dill
received the support OF the best men IN oolh parties
Int failed to become law. These Dlis' iookine
toward reform had the cordial support OF my
friend turning TO Jarvis Lord. Senator Laning then
smoke of the evils which result from the appointment OF
engineers by the Canal Board in order to subserve poll
cal ends Human Ingenuity he declared, could hardly
devise system which would give better opportunities
for fraud and corruption TO run rampant thah
the canal system Of the past Is years WIN
ira lack OF responsibility and proper accountability
throughout the whole plan. We are called on now 10
exercise our best endeavors and our best facilities 10
devise schemes which will prevent the evils In future
which have prevailed in the past and to reform thor
oueby this bad system The evils represented py the
Governors message have been greatly Exaggerated u'
doubleday, but II Is certainly true tna' grave OWLS o
exist ..~,o.,
IMPORTANCE OF IMMEDIATE ACTION
rod hred R In