New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-23
TIE CINAL CONTENTION.

The men who are especially lnteres'e" III
orr State canals are to have their innings this
week. They arc to meet in Buffalo on thurs,
day for tho purpose of discussing the canal
question in its immediate practical bearings
with a view. among other things, OF determn-
inc what it will he wise to ask at the hands
Of the next Legislature. The present series OF
canal conventions dates from 1888, wheh inc
initial one was held at Utica with Governor
Seymour as its presiding officer. An earneS'
effort was made to induce it to pass result
tion taking the ground that the Federal uo'
eminent ought to help pay for the enlargement
of o,r New-York canals. But the convention
declined to make such q deliveMnce or to de-
clare itself in favor of ship canal. as 1t was
also urged to do. Instead. it called for tho
permanent maintenance Of free canals, recon-
mendcd that they should be improved by
lcnrthcninc their locks and deepening their
channels, pronounced against discrimination OH
the part Of railroads against canal shippers, ana
demanded the regulation by law OF terminal
elevator charges.
The policy adopted by this first convention
has been adhered to, so far as its really lmpor-
tant features are concerned, by all the succeed
ING ones. The friends of Federal aid have
hccn active every year, hut have been uniform
~ defeated. II may he added that the prophecy
mado in 1887 that tho canals would ultimately
be kept open in winter the water being heated
for that purpose. has not yet been fulllcd an"
that the proposition presented that same year
to make the railroads pay for canal improve
ment> is still in the air. II may he that inc
work which the Buffalo Convention is to do has
already been marked out for it, But we may
venture to say that unless it takes some action
looking to the Encouragement OF excessive APP
propriations for canal purposes it will make
serious mistake. The trend OF legislation d'
Albany last winter attcstrd that what are
known as the ant-canal counties are not 70 he
counted upon 20 vote much money Tor IN"
canals. The chief canal mca>'Tc OF the SESSION.
the one making IN Appropriation I" pay f"'
lcnythcning the l"cl.> and related work. ram'
uc,r heinz defeated in the Assembly. Tor the
simplc reason that many Of the members Ici'
that the canals were receiving more than their
share Of the peoples money. II was sat"'
without contradiction from any quarter mat
since 1850 tho canals have cost not l'S> IMAM
! ~ 600. 900 year. tahill:n"d Sta'"n'ch'
was submitted. according to which the bills f"t
rcpairinc. maintaining and improving the canals
since lSsn aggregate S"G.7s6.37t. If all the
| canal measures which were presented at the
last session Of tho Legislature had been passed
ovcr 80 600. 600 would have been taken from
| the treasury.
|, is hardly II hc wondered at that a good
many t,,uoycI, arc unable 10 view such NJ
ur,.. rs these with entire cq'mnIlnlty ah'
that the recent Farmers Governor which
v,. held NJ syracuse cam" on a2"'N>
h,c canal Appropriations. And II Is i"i!
T., conclude that il i only those WI" ai'
u,,,,ns ii 10 tn" canals who d"nand thai a GOO
deal l.,, money hc -p"nt upon them' '"'
f,c, is that some Of tho most 'aga"iouS ana mos
influential friends of these great public work
feel that there is great danger unless appr"pf'a
firms are moe modcilt" tha, a popular ir'lIh'
,,;u bc induced which will end III the TEN
no,ary SUSPENSION of tn" work of canal I'M
proycmcnt TIE TKlnI>E VIII not h'' a''">''
IF lacking in friendship for tho cana>-"' nav
,Ivay. been their ,hampons-when II ADVISE
the IIuffaIo convention To take stand for Dioh
e,a,c canal expenditures.