The New York herald., 1875-03-24
2,61S.172

ordinary EXPENSES OF tue state are
PAID .......................... 267s.l7s
Total. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Sla612, 500
The fiscal consequence has been to
postpone the payment OF a remnant
OF the cana debt, winch was lett at
the close OF 1874 outstanding, TO the
amount oi.....:;.,............: $40, 23o, 43o
to be paid rom the surplus tolls 10
accrue thereafter.
IL is tnus seen that slGl2 SOS OF the s3I 3ss 51s
levied by direct taxes was really lor general pur-
poses, and Tor winch general taxes might properly
and justly be laid, II necessary. so lar as the
residue OF the S3l 3S6 SIS been applied To the
payment OF the cost of the canals II may have
gwen cause OF discomfort In some portions OF the
state; out the people or the city OF New YORK,
and. indeed of every portion OF the State Geriy-
metropolis or OF our large interior cities, should
consider how largely the construction OF tue trunk
canals has augmented The aggregate value OF the
property 10 be taxed Tor general purposes and
iightened the buraen Dy widening the Gass or tax
alton.
WHAT THE CANALS HAVE DONE.
Ii certainly cannot denied that the greatly
Increased activity Impaired TO the internal az
well as the external commerce of the 81 ate is ina
almost exclusively TO the construction and the
use or our canals and railways as the great labor
saving machines OF Interchange and intercourse
annually Saving in the cost OF Transportation ana
thereby creating and ditusing yearly large
amount OF wealth. When we see that IN the iorty
years now under review the assessed valuation OF
the real and personal property in the State rose
from S52S, 500 1873 In 1885. to o9 .l5 IN 1857
and again TO So, $780, ,4sl in 1874 certainly
may take courage. Our most tmd legislators
may even venture to believe and to decide that
We are not only able to deepen the water in our
trunk canals. bat may Also without dangerously
enecbltng the fiscal resources OF the State, reduce
the descending tohs on wheat TO the TWO cents
busnel which was expressly specified and pre-
dlcted as possible ana eventual rate In the
financial report or the Assembly committee IN
1885,
Whether such q reduction OF rate would pract.
cally diminish at all the pecuniary amount to be
received by the state. and whether the dlmnu-
tiOn OF toll Will not be fully compensated by the
increased amount to be carried, may depend
largely on tne saving In cost OF transportation
~ al ffaHfR fha III lQRl - Fhnfs
1eet oI water needed Tor the advantageous use OF
the canal by boats, whether drawn by norses or
propelled BY steam.
PROSPECTIVE INCREASE OF TONNAGE AND coMPETI.
TION.
From the best attention, which the committee
have been able TO devote to the more general In
quiry. they see no reason TO apprehend that the
aggregate amount OF cereals now sent from the
interior TO the port OF New YORK, either by water
ways or railways, Is destined to any great or
serious dlmuniIion unless the completion OF the
enlarged rival canals, now In progress IN Canada.
Should eventually permit them to pass large YES.
sells carrying from $4,000 to 10000 bushels. We
nave, III lact, the ceareSt evidence OF u large and
gratifying increase IN the quantity sent to New
York during the last eight years. In 1866 the
amount received was 5s $50, ,3e7 bushels. which In.
creased TO 60 92 579 IN 1862 81, 1875 in 1878,
and 10 l06 45l, ,0Sl IN 1874, shown by the vauab
tables nearly ready Tor publication by NJ. Walker.
the aule statlsticlan OF the New York Produce EX-
change, Dy whose permission the amount Ior 1874
Is now stated.
The total bushels received at New York in 1874
(of when 57,57t, 322 were carried by railroads.
were lOJ, 45i,oSl. Adding the same amounts when
were received aU Boston, PQlaQelDnll and Baltl-
more IN 1873, beng at
BOSTON,. IL, sos, 5O6
failauelpnla "a, ,9+9 1877
Baltimore. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. i9, ,O9o 5lT
1t will show q total OF r.......... .lss O4s, no
as the measure Of the great commercial prize for
when these rival Atlantic ports with their re-
specuve water ways and railways. are now con-
tending.
IL wilt be seen that this amount does not IN
clude the receipts at New Orleans, some portion
OF which may nnd It's way to New York. They
amounted, 1868. to Il, 500 436 bushels; In 1871,
to 1896 sos, and In 1873 to IL 295 1888. A large
diversion from the valley OF the Mississippi lnto
the great basin OF the iaKes, and thence down the
River ST. Lawrence. is seen by the table showing
the receipts at Montreal IN 1865. to have reen
Sos bushels; IN 1871 14.165 o66, ana IN 1873,
l9,7l3,529
Wnile we must naturally expect the vigorous
Engllshspeaking race now directing the affairs
(Which Will be mucn aided by the gravitation or
their great continental river TO the Ocean) par
terror OF North America, We have no good
reason reason, 'or supposing tnat the amount
WITH the increase OF the producing population IN
the United States, and III the consuming popula-
ton IN Europe aud elsewhere. The remarkable
faculty Tor lncredullty IN respect to the commerce
or our canals, manifested or many years ny many
very worthy people may possible lead them to
apprehend that the power OF producing wheat In
our country has reached or will soon reach Its
''cumlnatlng point;" to which 1t may be simply
answered tnat our wheat product OF the year 1874
exceeded tnat OF any preceding year, ana, cher,
thar tue growln! desire OF Europe u consume our
lndlan corn mas been recently manifested in the
significant lact that the United States in the year
1871, exported to Europe 9.545,036 bushels and IN
the year 1873, 40, 465.5S2 bushels.
When II Is also considered that the total amount
OF 1885, 20 bushels received at the Atlantic ports
In 1874 IS less than one-fourh OF tine actual yearly
product IN the states north vi the Ohio River IN
1870. as SHOWN by the census, 1t certainly cannot
be very visionary or enthusiastic to expect that II
the navigation OF the Erie Canal shall De improved
so tnat steam vessels may largely reduce tine cost
oi transportation the amount IL may yearly carry
may in due time reach So OOO 600 bushels. ON
which the toll, at two cents would be ST. 0OO 600.
exclusive the tolls on all other property with an
additional s1oooooo for every additional SO 1000 oOo
bushels.
THE CANAL DEBT.
The interesting table presented BY the Auditor,
showing IN detail the progress OF 'the canal deDt,"
EXHIBITS its origin and growth. with It's increase
and dlmnution, from the close OF 1885 to the pres
ent hour. Divided III historical periods, commenc-
ing IN 1885, win the debt then existing OF
1926, SO6 incurred mainly Tor lateral canals be-
lore tnat perlOol, 1t increased TO $207l3,9O5 in
1s4s; was reduced to sla 215 LA IN 1885, and again
Its 'cu.minatng point" From that time 1t Is
seen, first slowly, and soon rapidly. descending,
the oils $50 much ridicuied and stigmatlzed in
1882. anu Tor many succeeding years, AS
ne nay wona ann
down ut the close OF 1874 to the nominal remnant
oil $40 230 4So. at winch II now remains Tor further
reduction, as directed by the constitution. AS an
act OF taroy justice, plainly due to the early advO-
Gates OF the loans needed TO secure the active prog
reSs OF the enlargement, most OF whom now rest
IRON their laoors in This lower world which they
strove to benefit, it is proper in their benaf, now
claim and insist that 1t was only the lavish and
unexpected expenditures on the lateral canals,
and the large but wise reductions OF the rates OF
toll to ioster the commerce and welfare, not only
OF our own commercial State, but OF the p0puous
ana constantly wldeniRG group OF agricultural
states steady coming into vigorous and increas-
ing lie IN the great interior, winch prevented the
total eXtDgushment OF the canal deDt 'proper'
many years ago. without imposing any direct tax.
alton Whatever on our people.
Ii IL especially hoped lnat when our brethren IN
the interior = Sfates snail luly understand that the
more generous and iar-seelng DOllcy actually pur-
sued Uy our state not only retarded "a result
long deslred, but has actually imposed upon all
the property IN every portion OF our territory,
however remote from the canals or our great
commercial ciies. "a serious amount OF direct tax
alton, they may resolve, In the thoughtful phrase
OF scripture. so aptly quoted on another occasion.
TO come to themselves" B." and prosecute no lurther
measures Ior destroying the railways wltnln their
territory, so vta.y necessary Ior cneapy Carrying
the products or their INDUSTRY on its way 10 tue
seaDoald.
The intelligent communities which have gone