The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-07
Our State Canals.

The Information concerning the canals
contained in Gov. RoBfSsoNs message is
worthy OF careful consideration. IL clear
ly shows that the canals cannot fulnl
their constitutional obligations in regard
to contributions to the state treasury from
their own earnings. They have been run
ming behind in this respect for several
years, and IL il plain that they will never
be able TO catch up.
1t was n part of tho policy OF CLINTON
and the other founders OF the canal sys-
tenn that the income OF the canals in the
form Of tolls should ultimately hquidate
the cost of their construction. pay their
current running expenses, and annually
furnish handsome sum toward carrying
on the State Government. They met all
reasonable expectations on these subjects
for twenty wears after the completion of
the Erie canal. IN the moan time railroads
came into existence. AMI began to run
sharp competition with the main trunk of
our canals from Lake Eric and Lake On
tario to tn Hudson river. In addition TO
this, the State had got well into the very
expensive job of enargiug the Erie canal,
and II had laid out large sums in building
some utterly worthless side canals like the
Chenango and the Black River canals, con-
tracting heavy debts for these purposes
Notwithstanding this, the Constitution
OF 1916 loadoi the canals with heavier bur
dens than they had ever borne before.
IL required them TO first pay out
of their earnings enough TO meet
running expenses. Then they were
to contribute annually sl,3)0.0O0 to-
ward paying the outstanding canal
debt until the year 1855; and after
that to give annually for this purpose
sl7O00o9 TILL the canal debt was wholly ex-
tingushcl. Besides this they were to give
ronrlv 'oword disoharvino tina general
debt OF the State s3jOOOO until the canal
debt was wholly liquidated, and then they
were to pay yearly sl,5o0,OoO toward the
general debt until 1t was entirely extin-
guishcd. In addition to all this, they
Were to contribute annually 5000 900 to help
carry on the State Government
ms was u heavy load. ID ssides paying
large sums for keeping them in repair and
for running expenses, the canals were re-
CURED to contribute out OF their tolls near
Nv s2,00,0OO annually to pay debts and help
the state along. Then came the constitu-
tioual amendment of lsji which loaded
the canals with additional debts amount
ing to Sl1,500,O0J. for the purpose of COM
plcting the work of their enlargement.
This was too much for them. They bore
up against the burden many years; but its
weight finally broke them down. They
could have struggled ON, perhaps, a little
longer except for proiligatc jobs, cormo-
rant contractors ana corrup, onicill'.
These causes have left the canal debt
pretty much where it was many years ago;
and there it will stand forever if we wait
TIL it is paid ont Of the surplus earnings OF
the canals. What, then, Is TO be done with
the canals? If Gov. ROBINSON is not in
favor of selling all of them ut the best
prlce the state can get, he has changed his
mind within year. But We think IA sale
would be out Of the question at present,
for the reason that nobody would buy
them.
In this view OF the situation il would
seem wise for the State to abandon all idea
of paying any of its debts from the earn
ings OF the canals, or making money out
of them in any way Whatever. Having
adopted this policy. then let the state re-
dnce the tolls to rates that will barely pro-
duce an income sufficient to pay thclr run
ring eXprn-cs, and thenoeiorth give TO
the agrcpltLral, mercantile, mlnuflctur-
ing numbering, and boating interests,
which chiefly n the canals, all tho heno-
fits that flow fro" this great water high
way from the lakes to the Hudson.