The New York herald., 1878-02-07
Free Canals.

munication with the West. We have
watched with keen interest, but no great
solicitude, much less with any feeling Of
alarm, the so-called railroad wars which
have been so often settled merely to break
out anew since the great panic Of 1873. We
have looked upon them as a natural conse-
uuence of the diminished volume OF busi-
ness, and as probably incurable while the
depression lasts. When there is but little
business to be done and number OF rival
roads seek to do it each will get as large
share as it can by cutting rates, and there is
strong temptation to evade agreements. Inc
remedy for this state of things will come
with n full revival of business, which Will
give all the roads as much freight as they
can carry. It must, be ever borne in mind
that the West, populous as it is, powerful rs
it has become, wonderful as has been its
growth, is still in its infancy. 1t has not
vet twentieth part of the population it is
capable of supporting. In proportion as its
marvellous resources are developed its COM
merce with the Atlantic seaboard will ex-
pand, and that commerce is sure to fill and
overflow all the channels that can be pro-
vided for it. Those leading to Baltimore, to
Philadelphia, to Boston, to Montreal and
Portland will not lack business, and those
cities will continue to grow; but the lions
share will always be taken by New York in
the future, as it has always been in the past.
When the West began to be settled, when
Michigan was the West, and after the wheat
growing region back Of Chicago was the
West, New York had for long period a
monopoly of Western trade. The depres-
sion in the Allegheny range for the passage
of the Hudson through the Highlands
created the possibility of a level artificial
waterway between this river and the great
fresh inland seas which form so remarkable
feature in the geography of this continent.
When the genius and energy of De Witt
Clinton had given us the Erie Canal the West
began to take the gigantic strides which
have made it's progress the wonder of the
world. Our substantial monopoly ofits COM
mercc continued until after the construction
of railroads, because until then the West
had no other means of communication with
important markets. But if railroads broke
our monopoly they also gave q new impetus
to the development of the West, and SO in
creased the amount of its productions that
our natural share of the increase is more
important than our former monopoly Of the
whole. AS the West continues to grow New
York will always continue to be its chief
outlet to foreign markets. Our capacious
and magnificent harbor has no rival. We
are nearer to Europe than Baltimore or
Philadelphta; We are nearer to the West
than Boston; our harbor is always open
while Montreal is embargoed by the ice
of the St. Lawrence for nearly half
the gear. Our advantages during the
period of canal supremacy made New York
the centre of foreign and domestic ex-
changes around which revolves all the COM
mercial capital of the country, as that of
the rest of the world does around London.
To doubt that New York will hold it's peer
less position among American cities is to
overlook and ignore the future majestic
development of the West and its capacity
to furnish unlimited business both for our
great metropolis and for all the minor
cities
| With these stable grounds for confidence
we need not get nervous about our CONNER
cial future But our advantages will avail
us little unless we improve them. It is to be
assumed that every community will sooner
or later see its own interests, and that New
York will evince as much enterprise and
public spirit as are exhibited by the smaller
cities that aspire to be its rivals. The
sooner we bestir ourselves for terminal
facilities and cheap port charges the less
exertion we will have to make subsequently.
And now in relation to the Erie Canal. It
is still the most important artery of our in
ternal commerce and the most efficient
agent of our supremacy. We have no doubt
that it is destined to be as free as the Hud-
son River, but some little time must elapse
before we reach that consummation. If the
Hudson, instead of being under the juris-
diction of the national government, were as
completely under the control of the State as
the Erie Canal, we think no attempt would be
made to levy tolls on its navigation. The
arguments against such project would be
insurmountable. 1t would be said and
said justly, that even if tolls on the Hudson
would deiray the whole expense of the State
government such policy would be sui
cidal The great interest of this State is
commerce; the great interest even of the
farmers of this State is the upbuilding of
New York city. What farmers most need is
a great market within easy reach, and the
destruction of this city would deprive the
farms of the State OF the greater part of
their value. There is no reason against
tolls on the Hudson, if we had power to
impose them, which is not equally reason
against tolls on the Erie Canal. But it is,
nevertheless, our opinion that Dr. Hayes
amendment is premature.
| heavy husinass firm sends 11s q lattar