The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-03-29
The Canal Frauds.

The canal frauds in New York, the discov-
cry of which has greatly mnddled politics in
that state, seem to be little understood by
the more fortunate people of other states.
The New York papers presuppose knowl
edge of the subject, and their comments are
somewhat obscure to those who know moth
ing of the canals.
Tie New York canals are constructed by
the state for the purpose of facilitating cheap
transportation, and are justly regarded as an
important source of business and wealth
Great sums of money have been annually ap-
propriated to eep these canals in repair. In
spite OF the large appropriations the canal
beds have been gradually filling up with sand
and rubbish, and navigation has become year
by year more diatory and expensive. The
depth required by law is seven feet, hut at
present the average is less than six, and boats
in consequence have to be much more lightly
loaded, for they lose at least foot of the
depth to which they are entitled. The profits
diminish in proportion, for the expense of
running boat is the same; and competition
with tie railroads is correspondingly unsuc-
cessful. Another bad effect of the neglect is
to prevent the introduction of steam. Steam
machinery is necessarily heavy, and sinks the
boat to such depth thai In the present
shallow condition of the canals the cargoes
are too small to be carried with profit.
Governor Tilden, who has genius for fer
retting out fraud and corruption, has made
an investigation of the disposal of the large
appropriations made by the state for the re-
pair of the canals, and has discovered that
the greater portion of the money has gone
into the pockets of dishonest legislators and
contractors. In ten contracts alone there is
a swinde of upward of million of dollars.
The income from the canals from the fall OF
1869 to the fall of 1874 was $15,000,000, and
the ordinary expenses $9,000,000. The sur
plus therefore was $6,000,000. But the eek
traordinary REPAIRS" as they are called, have
cost about $20000,000. leaving a deficit Of
$14,000,000. These vast expenditures have
been of little benefit to the canals, for the
state has in nearly every instance paid from
two to four times the amount of the contract,
and in some instances many times more. As
an example one case may be mentioned of a
Job undertaken by the contractor for $1,000,
but for which he received $4,000. The
legislative committees have been in collusion
with the contractors, and have defrauded the
slate of over $2O,O0O,0OO.
With characteristic shrewdness Governor
Tilden did not venture upon this expose un-
til he had the canal ring in his power. He
exerted himself. to the utmost to carry
through the legislature the "civi remedies
BILL" measure ostensibly framed to recover
the money stolen from the city by Tweed,but
which furnished legal machinery which could
be employed as well against the corrupt canal
contractors and state officials who were their
accomplices. This bill passed he sent in his
message of exposure. A great commotion
resulted, and the ring, lead by the Democrat
ic Speaker of the Assembly, is preparing it.
self for desperate fight.
The fight cannot perhaps be called po-
litisal one, as the ring embraces both Demo
Gratis and Republicans, though largely made
up of the former. The Tribune, which GER
tainly cannot be accused of unfriendly feeling
toward the Democrats, says: ''There are
Democrats and Republicans in it. though the
former are largely in the majority" There
appear to be canal ring Republicans. as
there were Tweed Republicans in New
York city. as there were Butler Democrats in
Massachusetts,; but as the Tribune remarks,
the ring is essentially Democratic" The
fight is in the Democratic party. That party
it rallied to the support of Tweed, for the
thieves of New York city object to being rob-
bed themselves as much as do the honest
men of the metropolis, and are harsh in their
condemnation of theving in which they have
no share. The piunder seems to have gone
almost wholly to the counties above Albany.