The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-11-18
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URGENCY OF CANALS
Cheap and Reliable Water COmmuni-
cation Necessary.
HOW THEY DEVELOP THE COUNTRY
The Erie Canal Itself the Best Evi-
dence of It's Right to Exist
HOW THEY DEVELOP THE COUNTRY
EVERY YEAR BRINGS EVIDENCE
Of the Inadequate Railway Facilities
to Do the Increasing Business
of the Country.
Special to THE CRRoN1cLE.l

Special to THE CRRoNICLE.1
New YoRK, Nov. 1S. The import
ance of the Erie canal to N. Y, is shown
by the Buffalo convention of a few
weeks ago, and may perhaps have
been reflected III the vote of the
state north of the Harlem. The
Buffalo convention pertinently called
attention to the great canal works being
constructed in Europe and to the mag
ni6cent traffic of the Sault Ste. Marie
and st. Clair canals in this country. It
therefore urged on the people of New
York the election of legislators favorable
to giving the canal the improvements it
needs to keep in the front rank as
commercial factor.
The Buffalo convention need not
have appealed to other canal works
to demonstrate the Importance of
internal waterways. The Erie
Canal itself furnishes the best evidence
of its right to exist. Limited and Grip
pied as it is, it still maintains a cheap
ness in the transportation of large mass
es of bulky freights which the railroads
cannot rival. If railway facilities had
stood still for the past 80 years
with no more improvement than the
Erie canal has had the railways could
not be counted as factor against the
canals. But by suppressing all PROPOSE
tions to improve the canal in the New
York legislature, the canal has been
kept to the narrow facilities designed
for the commerce of half century ago.
1t is hoped that the continuance of the
policy may yet extinguish this last of
the old canals and thus check the pop
ular demand for improved internal
waterways.
1t is difficult to avoid the recognition
of the same influence in the fact that the
political conventions of both parties this
year indorsed the loan of 500, ,0OO, 900 of
government credit to an inter-oceanic
canal over thousand miles away from
United States territory, while PROPOSE
tions for much less costly encourage
ment to the internal waterways which
will do the people hundred-fold more
good are treated with scant considera-
tions. Corporate influence is undoubt-
edly inimical to the development of a
comprehensive system of canals connect
ing the rivers with the lakes and the
lakes with the ocean. This was very
short-sighted, as it is becoming more ap-
parent that the proper functions of the
canals and railways are entirely separate.
Political Notes.
The oficialvote of Vermont gives a re-
publican plurality OF 21 ,667.
| Official returns show the election of
Belknap (rep.) to congress from the Fifth
district of Michigan.
| The chairman of both committees in
Wyoming claim the state legislature,
and it will take an official count to de-
termine the result.
1t is stated the fusioniets of North
Dakota will ally themselves with the
prohibitionists and inaugurate a most
vigorous war on saloons.
On the face of the returns from the
second district of Kansas, Funston is re-
elected to congress by 6s. Moore his
democratic opponent, has given notice
of contest.
The latest returns from North Dakota
give Shortridge, fusionist for governor,
1,S00 majority. The entire fusion state
ticket is elected except Dahl trep.) for
secretary of state, who has 200 majority.
The supposed princeless jewels and
sacred relics, owned by the late Rev
Father Mollinger, and which played such
a prominent part in the thousands o.
cures performed by the priest at Pitts
burg, Pa, prove to be bogus, and the al.
legged golden altar in st. Anthony chapel
is nothing but wood, covered with q
cheap gilt. The man who built the al
tars and put the relics in position, says
there is not truly valuable stone in the
whole building.