New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-30
OFFICIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CANAL
FRAUDS

FRAUDS.
TIE. CANAL RING THE ROOT OF TIE sYsTEM-THE
EVILS OF TOO MANY HEADS IN THE SERVICE
THE STATE ENGINEER PowERLESS Al TIE MOST
IMPORTANT STAGE OF CONTEMPLATING
OFFICIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR FRAUDS FIXED
EvERYwHEIE-THE RING RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL
ITS SERVANTS AND AGENTS.
[FRoM THEsREGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBUNEl
ALBANY, March 99.-The Canal contractors crum-
bic because public attention has been directed SO
exclusively to them. They dislike publicity winch
to them could only mean exposure, and they
disgusted with THE TRIBUNEs bad manners in
putting their names in large type They resent,
through their willing servants in the Legislature
and in the press this attack on individuals They
deprecate this storm of public indignation as blind
and hasty. They seek to divert the public gaze to
the system and away from themselves and hold
that too much is heaped upon them when they are
asked to bear the blame belonging to the system
and the officials as well TO those who made them
both what they are.
When Canal contractors stand aghast at the con-
tract system il is not likely that any will arise to
defend it from the attack which has by this time
become universal. The system is a plain abomina-
ton, and the officials who administer 1t are indeed
too often the mere fingers of the Ring; but it
must be remembered that this only increases the
themselves system cannot steal, or he or balance
bids 1t is very well to denounce the Legislature
and Canal Board in the abstract as count, 1ancing
and committing wrong. The Legislature anu Canal
Board are elected by aid of the Canal Ring.
and are captured by it, 1t is the Canal Ring, not
the Legislature, which passes swindng bills for the
relief of contractors 1t is the Canal Ring, not the
Canal Board which raises the contractors prices to
exorbitant figures and grants special awards for
nothing in particular. The Canal Ring is the
system, and it makes or mars, as it chooses, the
men who take charge of it,
But though a system has neither hands nor eyes
nor ears, officials have them all, and the weighty
responsibility that the Ring cannot shift upon the
system they can and must divide with the officials.
The odium that is being heaped on the contractors
does not belong to them, and one ought to give
canal contractor his due but how To measure and
where to fix official responsibility for the gross and
impudent frauds that have been long
practced upon the people of this State is
question which is full of perplexng complications.
The canal service has as many heads as country
newspaper There is the Canal Board composed of
the Lieutenant-Governor,t the Controller, the State
Treasurer. the State Engineer and Surveyor, aud
three Canal Commissioners The first three of
these are not usually men who have any prac-
teal knowledge of canal matters; they were
probably not elected from maritime
point of view Some of them doubtless as igno-
rant of canal history and the traditions of the canals
az the State officer ex-LieutGov Alvord told about
the other day, who wanted to know the difference
between q bernie bank and inter SILL and.
generally the three Canal Commissioners
and the State Engineer and Surveyor.
usually the abect slaves of the Ring
WELD a controlling influence over men who are
often as ignorant and Indifferent in canal matters
these are knowing and eager. This is the Board
which fixes rates of tolls raises the figures OF
contract prices releases contractors from their obi
cations. and makes special awards But it can
not canvass bids or award contracts. This
duty ia left to the Board of Canal Commissioners.
from which, by another of those hideOus anomalies
that Throughout thecanal system the official
head of the service, the State Engineer and Sur
yeyor is omitted. He approves the plans and speci-
6cations and estimates, and authorizes the
advertisements and letting of the work. and
nj this. the most important stage Of the
he ceases to have any voice in q matter
which passes under the sole control Of the Canal
Commissioners The State Engineer and Surveyor
an his report directs attention to this cHrious
feature of one of the most curious OF governmental
svstem and also to the fact that the Division Resi-
dent. and such subodinate Engineers rs may be
necessary. are required 10 DO present NJ