The Ottawa free trader., 1879-02-22
CANAL MEETING.

The canal meeting on Thursday was yer.
largely attended the audience filling the Opt
ra House almos, to n jam and including dele
gates from all leading points from Peoria t
Chicago,
While Mayor Ellwood OF Joliet in his rc
marks on taking the chair, conveyed the idc'
that the main object Of the meeting Was Il
take steps 10 forward the snip canal project, !
soon became apparent that the body of th'
meeting regarded as of vastly more immcdiat,
and practical importance some prompt step
to save the canal ~ it is They therefore yer,
wisely forced into the foreground, and gave
their main emphasis, to a clear and earncs
expression in favor Of demanding of the pre-,
cnt legislature the setting aside Of IN ample
contingent fund to enable the Canal Board Il
keep the ditch in running order whether /
Weld, any tolls or not The meeting held
and we think correctly, that when the railroads
see that the legislature Of the state is ready tC
vote even 100000 II year, il necessary, to save
It's property from destruction, they can no Ion
gcr afford to maintain the present fight to dry
the canal up and will abandon It.
This point settled, the meeting was ready to
and we are gratitied to note did, pass appro
pirate resolutions in favor Of the ship cana
project, and in commcndation Of the efforts OF
our representative in Congress, Mr.. Hayes, in
behalf o. the river improvement.
While the convention deemed 1t incypedicnt
upon the whole, to give uttcrancc to any strong
expression Of feeling against the plottngS OF
the railroads to ruin our canal, they can in re
ality take little comfort from that fact for al
though Mayor Lynch's resolution demanding
Of the legislature such an amendment of the
anti-cXtOrton laws rs would raise the penalty
for their violation to 100000 and forfeiture OF
franchises for IL second oiicnsc, was laid aside
the hearty applause with which his earnest
speech ON the subject was greeted, showed
clearly enough in what quarter the heart of the
meeting lay. II, as one Of the speakers init
mated, the railroads are really beginning to
dread the popular feeling that is rising in re.
gard to their raid on the canal that applause
may indicate to them that they have good rea.
son for such dread
The Senate resolution, TO raise a commits
sion Of four senators and five representatives
to revise the revenue laws, was taken up in
the house on Tuesday and after brief debate
referred to the house revenue committee
The Governor sent to the house "A long mes
sage, on the same day, in response to a resolu-
the pay, the expense and usefulness ofthc board
Of railroad and warehouse commissioners The
Governor reports that their annual pay amounts
TO $50, l43; their expenses to about $4,000 in
addition, and then goes into a long argument
to show that the board Is of sufficient useful
ness to the state TO justify the cost.
Among the notable new bills introduced on
Wednesday was one in the senate by IIerdman
to punish the crime of rape by castration; and
one in the house by Crookcr to amend the vag-
rant act SO as to obviatc the objections of Judge
McAllister.
The first bills passed by the house were the
following, on Wednesday, and sent to the sen.
ate:
Bill TO amend the practice act'-sC that the
defendant may file his answer to "A bill in IA
court Of chanCcry ut the next term after his
failure to appear, upon showing good reasons
therefor and paying preceding costs
Bill to allow appeals from decisions OF courts
o. probate of wills.