New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-08
THE STATE CANALS USEFULNESS.
A CORRESPONDENT WHO THINKS 1T HAS
BEEN OUTLINED. AND THAT CANAL
TAXATION SHOULD STOP.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

TANAT1OE SHOULD STOP
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir. ! am an old man. / am older than The Trib-
une am older than railroads. was living be-
fore n Now-York state canal, as such. had an ex-
is,ence | am no fraud, no crank have for moro
/ than twenty years used my voice and my pen try
ing 20 inform the people that the money expended
on the canals useless loss and injurious 10
the common good. Blu; so far have failed 10
have a single city paper publish an article ! have
sent ii upon the canals although signed by my own
hand and name now try it again.
The time vas when the State canals were a
source OF our people gain in our own State. and
also Of all the country west Of it.
Between ls25 and 1876 the State gazetteers tell US
that the State canals actually paid the cost Of
;heir construction. repairs and operation by tolls
received during those Intervening years. Such
being the case it Is no marvel that the canals at
hat tine had no lack OF enthusiastic friends.
During the decade OF 1890 railroads made their
appearance in the STATE. and from their frs; sue
cessful use the canals began TO wane and the rail-
roads 10 wax in power usefulness and influence as
common carriers Each continued its mission for
good until after the close OF the War OF the Re
bellion but since that time the canals have sig
nally failed 70 bear their own weight since lSo
they have been supported by State taxation ana
FOR more than thirty years they have by such IN
Wise legislative taxation been continually essenng
the agricultural values OF our State. and have so
rapidly and erectually done II that NewIork
state IS no longer the Empire farming State or the
Empire railroad Stat. or old New-York city any
longer the Empire c.iy OF numerical voters In the
United States. Chicago's forty years OF railroad
DEVELOPMENT row far cclipses he Northumberland
old city q the Empire STATE. It formerly truly
was.
such being the truth what do these ;h!ngs prove ?
They prove tina. the canals have served their
time ar outllvcd their days Of usefulness They
have finished heir beneficial years IL proves, 100,
that for all those las: thirty years noiwthstand-
ing all our peoples efforts and outlay Of money
srd a free canal policy. this period has fully dem
onstra,eJ the mistaken policy OF this continued
state cana, taxation. II much longer continued It
cannot fan tc end in ouy States agriculture being
financially ruined Providence. not our wishes.
has 30 decreed. "A carrying success they VIII
forever remain a failure They can never supply
the needs ~ this progressive age II Is useless Tor
our STATE Legislatures. no matter how much their
efforts or the money they appropriate even 10 re-
suscitate these long-dead canals. They are actu-
allv dead and 20 my certain observation have
financially been 80 for the last thirty years. =.
dead lion" This truth Is practically and siaust-
caly demonstrated all over our rntire cogn nj
The old lion : dead The modern i've cog Oh RAJ raj :
roads has randlv grown into immense proportions
and OF prod g!ous power. To-day the railroads in
our Union worth nearly twelve billions OF DOL
lars Where stand The canals II mere Is any
legislature 20 subsaniiaie that faci. am reauy
and intend TO assist. although outside OF me Capl
iol 81 arriving AZ the ruin IN that nsl t,''aI
demonstrated facts shall or should furnish the
necessary proof
oar state IS important part ~ or great
A-n.ricar Heuublic. J. cannot AFFORD to be in the
wong In such An important matter. Right and
truth In f. should prevail. no matter whose inter
erts NAV faW We cannot long stand such ruinous
taxation. Already II j. sapping all our Industries
,riuDlnc our resources and impoverishing our peo-
PIE. , , t,. ., ....
American institutions. WEI our Legislature dare
tcst is rights and power 10 continue such I'M
no,itfc state faxation the decision OF the ST.
rer1e Court of the United states Time vii! tell
Oneonfa. Dec g. 1897. HAkN FL bAhEh-