New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-12
TO IMPROVE THE CANALS.
COMMERCE. CONVENTION PASSES M
PORTANT RESOLUTIONS.
civil. SERVICE ADMINISTRATION FAVORED
PLANS TO PLACE CONTROL OF
FORESTS UNDER ONE HEAD.
inv TELEGRAPH I

Utica n Y Oct. 1.-THE State Commerce Con
vention passed resolutions to-day reciting the pres
ant inefcient condition Of the canal system oi '"e
State calling attention TO the growing competl''oh
of the canals Of Canada with those or this s'a'e
and concluding with declaration In faVor OF 'he
r,,r,her Improvement Of the Erie. Oswego aho
champlan canals. With these resolutions was
coupled afterward one approving OF the apphca"oN
of Civil Service the canal service or the STATE
FINALLY another resolution OF importance was
rassed fayorng the centring OF executive respohs'-
tn, Tor the care OF the forests OF the State by In
trusting 10 only one State officer their guardian
ship x
When tho convention met this morning Abraham
Abraham Of the Borough OF Brookiyn reao
naper In which he suggested that steps be taken
10 increase the prosperity of the state by having
-~.a, exnoettors OF the States industries IN New
York. >.
F. B. Thurber. OF New-York. commenced MI
Abraham's suggestion and moved that II De en-
bodied in a memorial TO the Legislature he adoeo
tina, Buffalo was TO have Pan-American Expo
sition in 1901. This would be fitting start 10 'he
enterprise Of great State expositions suggested 0!
Mr.. Abraham.
Dr. s. A. Robinson. Of Staten Island unroheu J."
map OF that island and gave arguments to sho"
that It would be the cheapest place AZ WHO"
TO ship and receive freight from Europe
STATEN ISLANDS ADVANTAGES
corne,,us G. Koln. secretary OF the Chamber OF
the manufacturers OF the Mohawk valley "ouu De
a. much interested In the development OF New-AorK
15arhor as the merchants of New-fork Itself
Staten Island people did not come 10 the co"veiE
ton asking money. but they did ask that "hen 'o!
should come the Legislature ana ask LOT PEI .
mission 10 issue bonds for the Improvement OF
Staten Islands waterfront the canal men OF lhe
State would aid them
R. Francis Bacon Of New-York- read a paper Oh
the Harlem River canal. He argued that II TINS
canal were properly improved canal ooa's couiu
run through IT 70 the East River and Long lsianu
Sound where warehouses and elevators couio ne
erected.
John D. Herman, OF Utica. then replied TO Johh
I Platt's argument Of yesterday. that the canals
were a hindrance to the commerce or the STATE.
III the canals are improved" said Mr.. Herman.
sif they are modernized, they possibly can compete
successfully with the railroads. We never nave
vet tried it. know that water transportation Is
rsualv the cheapest II the Erie Canal should be
abandoned in three months the railroads would
combine on certain higher rates. and COO heIp inc
people. No. the canal is the peoples regulator OF
railroad charges. This great waterway protects
the people against the abuses Of railway consoIida-
ton"
MOVEMENT TO AID CANALS.
Ex-senator George b. Sloan. chairman Of tho
committee canals, presented resolutions favor
tng the improvement of the States canals. These
important resolutions given below
Whereas, The comInerclal supremacy ana ue
prosperity OF the city and state OF New-York were
created by conditions OF traffic which We're devel-
oped by the Erie Oswego and Champiain canals.
and that from their inception these waterways
have been efficient factors in preserving such pros
Whereas Tie neglect in maintaining these canals
IN suitable condition and the inefficient methods OF
the decline of their efficiency and relative useful
ness, that they have become less important fac
tors In controlling freight rates from the west 10
the Atlantic seaboard than formerly principally be-
cause the same intelligence that has brought about
AaNaln
thereby increasing their efficiency and cheapness OF
service. has not been brought to the canal sys-
The Dominion Of Sanada res0sn II
canal connecting the Great Lakes with Montreal
Connecting Lake Huron directly with the 81: Law
rerse of Montreal ou and other Canadian
In such as 10 seriously threaten the uaoe VI
Resolved. That the Erie Oswego and Champain
canals ought to be materially improved to maintain
Promoting pro the prosperity Of its people, and
Resolved. That the outlay in making such hi i'm
for the people Of the State. With due regard
Of the p9 n sSond be on the line Of
proving the canals to secure the greatest penent
from the disbursement made in he shortest time.
The improvements must be progressive and cal
culated to attain definite object ana SO mace tU
Immediate benefits to commerce
Assembyman HILL of Buffalo. supported the
resolution.
Henry B. Herbert. Of the Produce Exchange OF
New-York argued that effort should be made
IN coma 10 an agreement with the owners Of the
terminals to see II they would not lower their
canal charges "New-York." be said. SIS threat
e3ed with n loss OF It's commerce. and so s Bur
falo and tell you that the members OF the
Produce Exchange Of New-York feel sad as they
zee the commerce Of New-York going 10 other
ports because It is cheaper to send goods or grain
to Europe by those ports
MR. PLATT OPPOSES RESOLUTION.
John /. Platt opposed the canal Improvement
resolution In his opinion the canals should bt
abandoned. Certainly II was risky to expend VA
10000 In the hope Of putting the canals In condi
ton to meet the competition OF the railroads why
should s24.OOO 90 be paid in canal Improvement
when the Legislature could compel the reduction
freight transportation rates by passing an ACT re
duc!ng railroad rates?
George H. RAYMOND and Assemblyman Hill, o
Buffalo made speeches in favor OF the resoluuoi
declaring in favor of the enlargement OF the canals
The canals the latter said, had paid into the Stat
Treasury many millions more than had been pa
mn. unon them In the last nine days over egh
,,y,,or bushels of grain had arrived at Buffalo
,rb. TRANSFORMATION Of this to New-York would cos
-. s2Un Was II not well that citizens OF tiiS o'a'
shcn,ld have this money!
1okn ID Herman added that the Legislature ma
.,.Abeen able 10 compel railroads TO carry freigh
-, as sbeap a rate az they could Mr.. Herman sal
49,. =. d,d not believe in such tyrannical intel
Irarca with the business affairs OF railroads IN
orlv safe and sure regulator OF railroad rates.
said Mr. Herman. rs the canal and we ought
preserve It," CAppause)
The resolution IN favor OF the enlargement % ="
canals was then adopted by vote OF o. 10 :.
por,au,n ID Gilbert secretary OF the Utica Dalr
roard Of Trade spoke in favor OF the passage OK
resolution declaring that the New-forK Ceh'r'
pa,lroad should supply TO the cheese makers
Central New-York refrigerated cars. ana aiso
resolution in favor OF reductoh IN OCEAN rs
49,. ,or cheese There had been a tremenoot
shr,nkage of late years in the amount OF America
cheese exported. ,.
The convention then passed the following resoi'
ton: -,
Resolved That the proper deye; opme ~ o1 Wi
Of Staten lsldnQ. New OF