New-York tribune., 1889-12-26
oUR CANALS And THEIR CRITICS.

Year after year the canal system OF New
yorl, is assailed with more or less violence.
Meetings are held and vigorous, or at least
heated. resolutions are adopted. The protest
ants arpue that the canals have outllved their
usefulness, and that in any event 1t is unjust
n fax counties off their line for the benefit of
the other counties. This season some farmers
of Onondaga, who have organized themselves
into a club. would seem to be leading the IA
miliar movement They object specifically to
any further appropriations by the Legislature
for canal improvements These farmers have
brethren in jefferson County who sympathize
with them, and, speaking for these Inc
Watertown Times" after roundly denounclng
the canals as as Shiny, malaria-producing' AS
serts that they are no good to "our own peo-
ple.n and that whatever benefit results from
them goes to Western farmers and Eastern
eleyator-owners at Buffalo and New-York.
II is hardly worth while to give much at
tention to such talk 1t has its origin in u
narrow and selfish conception of the signif
cance of our canal system, and in ignorance
or forgetfulness of the important part which
it has played in the advancement OF the pros
nerity of the entire State. The statesmen of
New-York, past or present, Republicans or
Democrats, may not agree in many things re-
lating to public affairs, but they arc at one in
holding that this State is very largely indebted
to her canals for her commercial supremacy.
Have they outlived their usefulness? No man
has given the canal problem closer study than
Horatio Seymour. He was familiar with all
its phases, and he rendered to the State SER
4 Ina tbn chn np1pi nf
whatever measures were calculated to increase
the efficiency Of our great artificial waterways.
We commend to these Onondaga farmers and
their allies Mr. Seymour's views in reference
to the essential value of the canals for all
time. In 1882, in the course of a letter COM
mandatory of the free canal policy he wrote
We must bear in mind their (the canals) in
fIuence in reducing the charges on all other
routes. So long as they are kept in good con-
diton we shall be saved from the evils of com
binations or unjust determinations against our
State. If they did not carry pound of freight
it would be wise to keep them in order so that
they would be ready for use to defeat unjust
and hurtful charges against the business of
New York" 1t is difficult to understand how
any one who is capable of taking broad,
puDIlc-Splllteu view OF tne subject can redCn
any other conclusion. As for the allegation
that only one section of the State is helped by
the canals, that is absurd The general well
fare of a Commonwealth cannot be promoted
as the canals promote the prosperity of New
York without every section being more or less
benefited. This is true as general PROPOSE
ton to examine the assessment rolls of the
counties since the canals have been in exist
ence is to demonstrate it.
The canals have come to stay. This is so,
not only because the great majority of the
people recognize their value, but because the
Constitution provides that the main lines shall
be neither sold nor leased, but shall remain
the property of the State and under its man
agement forever" 1t is the part of wisdom,
therefore, TO maintain these great public works
in a condition of the highest efficiency. Some
years ago the State adopted the improvement
policy, and no good reason can be shown why
it should be prematurey abandoned. Legis-
laton may be necessary to curtail the power of
" the elevator ring" So-called, but that is
minor consideration.