New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-03


ne Legis oer Fv section Article H. IS pro-
.i1m mai in cities and villages having 800 nhap
tanis OF nncatjon only This makes necessary TO
extend the personal registration Mic,
which now apply only to cltles 10 Nj Nilat y, ex
contain 500 or more The section fci'',r W 90
empts cltzcns in cities or Ninases Oh Lev, ln' ''''
Hnotner IMPORTANT amendment bearing upon the
subject of elections is ombOdiei In section OF 'ls
sam article which requires equal rtpTes, H'Atom i S'
the two great political parties IN AL boards OF M
,ration ana election. IN his respect however, we
Legislature Of 1924 anticipated tho action Of the
convention by passing an act providing icT oFp"
tisan election boards.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE STATE CANALS.
The Improvement and administration Of the S'''e
canals should command most careful ana enhsAt-
cned attention a. the present session Since the IN
ccpton OF that grca, enterprise, the Erie canal
more than three-quar:crs OF a century ago. tHe
people Of this State have continually recoGniZen
the impetus it has given to the general pcHsrgsS
L, has been prime factor IN the estapIsnmeh
and maintenance OF the commerce., eI n , con, VI
s,ruc;ed and for many years aftcrward there Were
railways to compete win tnis Siei, Wa'cr nh
and the natural products of practically the "hoIe
OF the then limited new country to me norm , AM
to the markets OF the world The canal has now for
it's competitors five OF the most perfect FuhhI'h,
svstems Of railway in the world. administered ani
operaicd by master Minds and backed by enormous
capital the security Of when Hes ~ ~" nlalht1y
nance OF a successful rivalry. And while the ran
ways have made steady and fapii progress IN tht
line Of improved methods ana inventions. ne sEs-
n conseaueace largely oi these diverse conditions.
the tonnage OF the canal has SHOWN a on,i'uoar
decrease during the last few years inh Joy l'lc ~
lust closed the tonnage MAS TIE SMALLEST since -
Ia the past season the railway nave caii.el ~
per cent OF the t1tai amount ol s'1l' @ COM 49,
TIE port OF New-Iork ana ne canals So per o'',.,
For the eleven months T. N9Veino.r ~ i'f
exported abou; l5.rvoN bushels OF Lti''{ y.'r'
as much grain a. Ncw-lork while h1i,iinoIs,
ported 36l5' 81" bl'acls' OF "Nlcn -, nyy,r,
could have been diverted to New otk IoI cNI,i'
II the canals couli have furnished the ncccssal!
DETERMINATIONS AT Il low rae % cost Assuming
that On terminal charges. frc.sht ana nhnG!ihs
nssses through this state slsI57O was by ms
diversion lost the people employed IN tns sac
upon 4 produce IN transit wh,cl WAS neither rd's''
nor consumed within our borders.
TIE CANALS SHOULD BE DEEPENED
The question OF deepening the canals the Erie
70 nine feet AMI tn, Champain to seven feet, "lli
come before you this session, and VIII trust re-
ceive the serious consideration which ine great I'M
portancc OF the subject deserves Nfle u is rue
TIA; the railways al our own state aye ac..Ne rNAs
OF the canal. statistics show mai iH'rt ~ Hl'-
~ I'm. ~. other RAILWAYS. States and
ports have been growing opulclt Hni important IA
handllnl The rich burdens vnnct n'.e-i awe h''h;
~ rr.lf part fcontrolci for our oan commercial
alv9nftgr The Dominion of Can..al. too. nas ~
pended. and .- SIN cXpcHiirg. fl.i sums 10 ',F,
ernmca,aI ala o. the canals of thst country and
H. his, ,n active competitor aEtns' o.r ciu. sys-
TEN az well as again~, or railway D. l- unn'.'--
IT, danger taat ihrsnten- TIE commerce Of onr
state THESE details VIII com" before you n i-'
Official annual report ~ ihc Superintendent OF fu.-
Dr. Works. u Is my dDy. however e. crpn"s'he
the lesson which these figures teAcn. aal 10 ufS"
upon you me ncrl "i pi"ul' "'', $50 a.
ton In providing for the Improvement ~ ih. canals
and thcr administration upoa "a -1uni bI-in"sf
basis. unmiNcd Nltn political ~ oi""r -uD'fiiH'ie
purposes ari policies -
in which many farmers ~ th- s,tte are f,r,,S '.-
ter. ted Under the old ConsutuiIon hpuJi 'A-
method by which owners OF agr!c.ttnf1ii la:,.s
could construct necessary dit'hr' ior the dtNnHfr
= ~ "',nds mon which IN certain seasons ne
surface waters settled. have been Competed 30 many
"ould not conduct The water across neighbour
nreiufses even 10y paying a iu"' compensation fer
The privilege This righ Is given by section :.
mend that the Legislature pass an act ~ an eaIy
means Of relief Tor those who are interested IN the
matter.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE HIGHWAYS
The subject " cool roads Is one which merits
thoughtful attention ~ your hands FOR II is year
by year becoming of larger importance IN the p"'"'
eye. Neary all ~ the varoIs state IfE''"l"'''
which Will be I'm session during this year VII ne
engaged in efforts 10 sccur. practical results In INC
direction Of selecting approved stt2I. n9nEn 5
| taned by the once 81 Road Inquiry a hhfeln 81
the Federal Department Of Agriculture. ana "nl'i
has had corr,sponlencc On the subject with all u
| Inc state goyernments IL that wide divergence oi
! opinion exists the who.c question. ana J. Us
secure sond practical results BOT less tnin half
A dozen plans are In effect OF contemplation: q l"ct
that * undoubtedly regrettah.c. and r. wou.l seem
J desirable mat the Empire state should; win ~
Characteristic prosIessycncSs b. l'ii'r r,nd n
provement. extension and ma.ni, nhns. me auvn
| ing the establishment u temporary joint com
mission by The respective legislature, such com
! latlve houses. representatives Of toadmproycment
organizations II ms pan - FsSepa One o. Road
Inquiry proposes to act as medium 81 commune
lion bet woen them. well a. source Of inform1-
| Il. I ink hat
miitcr put Itself into communication WIN inc M,
| iionai and state authorize on the subject anl
acquire ali available Information AZ - pans ana cN-
| perments. with view to obtaining good r3ahH
| constructed wise and economical prlncip'es
throughout the state
EMPLOYMENT OF CONVICT LABOR
The constitutional amendment. which takes effect
two years hence. forbiddng the state from employ
ing convic,s at the State and county prisons JAMS
and refor,natorles In any Industrial arts or useiul
OCCUPATIONS the products Of which may come INTO
comnetlton with the work or products OF the people
| imposes a grave duty upon the la~-making power
nbys,cai disciplinc especially among bodies u men
Under punitive restraint ~ that OF idleness anu
The restriction now imposed upon TIER occupation
! Will render il easy task to provide employnent
/ Within the law and to make the c3nvcis ye!d
| tenance. II their service can be legally applied 70
the building and Improvement Of roads ana hlsh-
! ,Yavs the manufacture Of clothing and otter arti-
ces the raising Of food supplies on STATE iarns anu
other ike pursuits all for use In state institutions
the solution OF the problem may De less dhcult
than IT appears TO be- ne character oi 'he
laws framed to accomplish inns 'il' WIN ~ 'oS''y
! scrutinized by the people. and should be- such as
to relieve the Industrial workers and their employers
from the competition OF prison labor, against which
! they have for years past 50 earnestly protested
The civil Service laws OF me state nave beeh
powerfully reinforced by the adoption OF an amend
men 10 the organic law recognizing this great re-
form principle and extending is operation and the
! law-naking authority is required To give erect To
these provisions. II may be well considered whether
prudent and consistent extension ana perfection
OF the system will not exert most beneficial effect
! In avering and rendering impossible many OF the
corrupt and otherwise reprehensiDe practices which
| have OF late scandazcd many branches Of the
| public service. Under this constitutional rccOg-
milton the Civil Service laws will become applicable