The sun., 1898-02-14
OUR COMMERCIAL LOSSES.
SUPE ALDRID9E SATs THET ARE
DUE TO THE Ell ETAT0 COMBINE.

Ne nseeusHends THAT n Law ne Fassea Civ
ing Authority 20 the Canal Board ts Fix the
TerrninnI Charges Canal Grain Trnfnc.
ALBANY, Feb. 13.-Tho way TO check the
decline Of tho States commercial inter.
ests is suggested by Superintendent George
w. Aldridgo Of the State Department of
Public Works. In his annual report to
be submitted to the Legislature tomorrow
night, Mr.. Aldridge recommends that
law be passed enabling the State, through tho
Canal Board, on the recommendation of the
Superintendent of Public Works, to fix the ter
mnal charges on canal grain traffic Mt Buffalo
and New York. Superintendent Aldridge dis
cusses this question at great length in his re-
port, and charges. the so.called elevator oom-
bine" with being responsible for the failure Of
the State to reap the benefits commercially
which 1t was expected would ensue as q result
OF tho abandonment Of tho toll sytem in tho
early eighties. He refers to the various propo-
sitions which have been made in the past to
combat the evil Of tho elevator combine. and
deals with tho subject Of establishing State
grain elevators in New York and Buffalo har-
bors. question which has been agitated during
several sessions Of tho Legislature.
''Of what avail 10 It." says the Superintend-
ent, ''for the State to maintain FREQ waterways
II private greed shall BE- permitted to build
Chinese wall at either end Of these waterways
and say to boatmen and shippers, Yield us our
price or 60 forth and navigate with empty
boatsf"
Mr.. Aldridge calls attention to tho fact that
the excessive charges OF the elevator combine
long ago 1888 led to the passage OF a
law fixing the maximum charge for "elevat-
ing. receiving, and weighing grain" at five
eiyhths of one cent bushe He says that in
spite Of the efforts of tho combine to nullfy
the law, it has been held to be constitutional.
He argues that II the State can lawfully fix a
price for "elevating. receiving, and weighing
grain" 1t may also fix the rate for storing, load
ing cars from elevators, blowing grain, and for
all services performed by the elevator com.
panies. for which exorbitant fees are now
charged. which combinSd fees. he SAYS, en, n;
boatmen and forwarders." To correct the
abuses. praciced by tho combine he recon-; n
1883 SO that the State. through the Canal
Board. on the recommendation of the supsrin'
ty to fix the terminal charges which shall be
levied or collected by elevator and storage
Seye hs wSud be oetes Se
State TO undertake on its own account the CON
strpotion and maintenance Of grain elevators
AS another means of restoring to the canals
and to New York city the waning greatness of
the waterways, Superintendent Aldridge favors
the removal Of the present $50, 600 capital stock
limitation which now governs the formation or
canal forwarding companies. With , law I;ai lee,
charges the superintendent says the !ear which
has operated to marshal the influen'e o. boat
men and forwarders against the proposition TO
allow unlimited increase OF capital by trans
portation companies wou.d ne entirely oimi-
mated. He asserts that u nurnoer o capl tasts
stand ready 10 embark lheir money and ener.
gies in the constr ct!on and operation OF canal
as the $50. 600 prohibition l. removed. The pro
posed increase In capital stock would result IN
the formation OF energetic companies with
a aI ,st aud, rnltt a
no cause to fear that these new concerns would
enter into combination with existing companies
procaution against the DO, sibility Of such new
corporation becoming detrimental TO the best
Interests Of commerce through tho ADOPTION ado OF
intendent AldridRe recommends that the Legts-
lature insert in the statute allowing an increase
Of capital stock provision making 1t unlaw.
full for these companies to fix discriminating
rates.
Black in his annual message and by State En-
gineer CaIppbel w. Adams in his recent an
recommend i mend that authority be given II the cover. r.
report as to the best means that should be
adopted by this state 10 prevent the gradual loss
Of its commercial supremacy.
Superintendent Afdridge goes into the sub
iect OF the general canal Improvement exten.
sivey. He argues that the adoption of the con.
stitutional provision that the canals should re-
t6e thi
canals should be maintained commercial
waterways and that such declaration implied
prove the canals and to keep them in a naviga.
bio condition. He refers to the suggestion that
announcement was made that the $4,000 900
Appropriated would not &C ccomplish all that was
desired, that work should be suspended and
the existing contracts abrogated, and takes
the same position in relation to this sugges.
ton that he did in his reply sent direct to Comp
shadow of proof that the state Engineer and
Surveyor ever made an official statement prior
! to the vote of the people raifying the raising
would be a sufficient sum for the purposes
quired. On the contrary: he says, the State
Engineer furnished his estimates % to the Consti,
estimates being founded on incomplete data and
called for expenditure of NEARLY $4,000 900.
that such estimate was as nearly correct as
could have been made by any living man at the
time and under the circumstances which then
Mr.. AIdridge places tho total expenditures of
his department for ordinary repairs and oper-
SO. 1897, at Ss63.O92. The number OF boats
which navgated the Eric Canal during the past
season was 1882, Of which liz carried grain;
other coarse freight boats.
The report calls attention to the fact that the
to So
unusually low that many individual boatmen
ate them at prevailing prices. He instances
reasons for the unprosperous condition OF canal
traffic the rapid deterioration OF the canals dnr
ginning Of tho general Improvement work; to
the little or no Improvement which has been
made In the adaptation OF canal boats and
past forty years, and to the excessive terminal
charges in the harbors Of Buffalo and New
Tho superint endent renews his recommenda-
tion made last year that contractors for public
work be compelled to pay common laborers at
least 15 cents an hour.