New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-15
THE FREE CANAL EXPERIMENT.

With the closing of the season of canal navl-
CATION the time has arrived to examine the free
canal policy in the light of years experience.
Has it worked well, so well as to justify its con-
tinuance Or would the State do well to return
to tolls
1t appears from statistics furnished by the
Superintendent of Public Works that the number
of tons carried by the canals this year was
5,775, 631, as against 6, 450,4 in 1882. This
year the total miles of boats cleared was
so, 94S; last year it was 68,463. 1t will be
seen that on the main test, that of tonnage, the
new policy does not meet popular expectations.
There is an increase over last year in this de-
termining particular but it is not large enough,
by itself, to justify the costly change that has
been made in the management of the canals.
Ex-Governor Seymour, who has made the
canal problem long study, in the face of
the figures, states that he feels encouraged.
He argues that the fact of any increase of ton
mage indicates that the turning point for the
better has been reached in the history of the
canals. He is reported as saying, in recent
conversation, that he is satisfied that under the
encouragement now offered there will be
gradual increase of business, provided boatmen
turning to it by the agitation of the question of
abandoning the present free policy. He adds
that any agitation now for a change VIII be
worse than useless "because even the friends
" of the toll system must know that sufficient
u time has not elapsed TO institute fair test
and that the people will not, therefore, con-
sent to a reversal of the vote which secured
:" the constitutional amendment last year, with
out further trial of its results" We believe
there will be pretty general concurrence in
the views thus expressed, so far ms they relate
to the expediency of giving the policy fuller
test before talking about superseding it. 1t
was only adopted after debate in which all
the pros and cons, theoretical and practical,
were fully considered. If this policy proves a
failure it may as well be confessed that the
canal system has Outlved its usefulness.
High tollsn and GLOW tolls" each have been
subjected to test covering many seasons. 1t
would be the height of folly to abandon "no
tolsn after trying the experiment just one
season.
Two considerations are to be borne in mind
in scanning the figures standing for this years
business. First, the condition in which the
canals were kept during the season of 1888. A
good deal of testimony has been presented
going to show that the locks were in wretched
condition, that water needed for navigation was
appropriated by mill Owners, and that the State
scows were inefficient. In October, 245 boat
men signed paper in which they bore witness
that already it is extremely hazardous to nav
igate this great internal highway of commerce"
The other consideration is the need of charging
the canals. The enlargement scheme met
with a good degree of favor last fall, but Gov
ernor Cleveland came out against it in his mes
sage so the Legislature let it alone. He did
not, indeed, oppose the scheme itself but adj
vised that it should not be taken up until tho
effect of the abolition of tolls was fully appar-
ent
1t certainly is in order to inquire whether the
free canal policy has had fair chance on
waterways which confessedly need enlargement
and which on the testimony of experts are so
greatly cut of repair as to render navigation on
them Extremely hazardous"