New-York tribune., 1898-01-12
Mr. ALDRIDGES REPLY.

The natural presumption that the Superln-
tendent of Public Works had been vexed and
disturbed by the Controllers action in post
ponng a sale Of canal improvement bonds, by
his recommendation that large amount or
work under contracts already let should be sus-
pended and by his statement that 1t was re
peatedly represented and never denied at meet
ings Of the Canal Board that the Improvement
was proceeding on the basis Of its being COM
pleted for the sum Of S9,000,000, IS amply con-
frmed by Mr.. Aldridgc's tart reply to Mr.. Rob
erts But no particular attention need be paid
to indications Of an unhappy temper 1t Is Mr.
Aldridge's view Of the situation which is inter-
esting He asserts that the work is being prose
cuted honestly. skilfully and expeditously, In
sists that so much Of the projected improvement
as the original grant Of S9,000000 will pay for
will promote successful and profitable naviga-
tion-though il IS obvious that with parts Of the
Erie Canal untouched larger boats cannot pass
through it-expresses the belief that when the
people voted 10 spend S9,0oO,r0O they gave no
thought to the amount involved, but were only
intent upon conserving the commercial great
ness Of the Empire State. says that the Con-
troller could have easily ascertained In his own
office that the cost would far exceed the appro-
priation fatty declines 10 suspend operations
and promises to welcome and facilitate a suit
able investigation.
The points of chief interest in Mr.. Aldridge's
letter are his refusal to stop work and bis opin-
Ion that the question Of cost Is one which the
people did not stoop to entertain In 1o9o ana
care nothing about now. The former has prac-
tical importance. whether approved or con-
demned The latter is personal dismissal OF
financial considerations which may not appear
either magnificent or amusing 10 the taxpayers
At any rate II is likely TO make them wonder
why Mr.. Aldridgc neglected so many excellent
opportunities TO take them into his confidence
and elicit an expression Of their fine dlsdan for
so trihing deficit MS S7,0OO,0O0 Aside from
that they will find little or nothing in the letter
to excite surprise. 1t contains many statements
which only need to be verified TO make them
satisfactory, and it leaves the necessity for such
a verin cation Mr. Aldr!dge invites precisely
what 1t was before.
II It be assumed that the people are as fully
convinced as they ever were, the Supern-
tendcnt OF Public Works now s. that the canals
ought to be enlarged and maintained IN a con-
dlton Of the highest efficiency. the most impor-
tant question concerning their future remains
unanswered namely what the relation to them
of the National Government is to be. That is
question WHICH, us IL HdpPcos' reueiai oLi-
Gals have recently had under careful consid-
Grafton. BY authority Of the Secretary OF War,
General Wilson Chief OF Engineers OF the Army.
assigned to Major Symons. OF the Engineer
Corps IN 1896 the task OF making preliminary
examination OF the project for a ship canal
capable Of transporting the tonnage Of the Great
Lakes TO the sea. His main conclusions, sub
mitted 10 the Secretary Of War through Gen
erol Wilson last June are that "the construc-
"t.on OF a ship canal from the Great Lakes to
"the sea is not project worthy Of being un-
"dertaken by the General Government. as the
benefits 10 be derived thcrefrom would not be
properly commensurate with the cost; but
that "the enlargement OF the Ere Canal rs sug-
"Gested, with everything adapted to transport