The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-02

To THE EDIroR OF THE Sun Sir: In your
issue Of yesterday. ID. +. r." INDUCES In
some bits of pleasantly, and asks some ques-
lions which, 1t seems. should be answered. He
virtually admits without argument the propo-
sition that proper improvement OF the Erie
Canal must rebound immensely to tho great
city OF New York. and our own more modest
Buffalo, by reason OF the great growth OF the
iron and steel traffic
He asks. however. what the farmer at Phar-
salia, Oneonta Pompey. and Middletown will
think about further taxes for the canal2 A
few thou hts about these farmers may not be
amiss and will tend to set tho matter in its
proper light. The intelligent farmer is not
worrying about his canal taxes. nor will he
worry about the taxes necessary to properly
improve the canal, There is rs much good solid
sensible thought given to State matters around
the hearthstone Of the farmer as Is given in
the luxurious homes OF our cities. On the
Average there is more brain power expended
In solving the problems OF State in the country
than In the city. The farmers conclusions are
more nearly right than the conclusions OF any
other class OF men.
The thinking farmer looks at future canal
improvements in this way. This is tho first
time in the history OF the canals when 1t has
been sought to improve the canal for a pur-
pose which directly benefits the entire farming
community. New York and Buffalo will be
enormously benefited by improving the can al
for the iron and steel traffic. II. as predicted,
twenty years from now sees Buffalo producing
seven and half million tons OF iron and steel,
which is three times the entire output Of
Carnegie's Pittsburg works to-day. that city
If as Now Yort Bay az
aop Plants IT.. IN snS Sra the
La alv tran of rod TO Ma Nnrl
The ability to buy all glasses S Of pig iron and
can now be- done from Pttsburg will build up
new manufacturing establishments through
out the entire length Of tho state. OF course
the greatest growth will come at Buffalo and
New York, but Syracuse. Rochester. Utica
Troy, Albany Hudson, Poughkeepsle. &c.
must largely share in this growth.
Every inhabitant brought within the borders
OF this State means better demand for all
glasses q farm produce such as fruit butter
cheaper than tho Western farmer can bring il
to him. All this makes the farmers land OF
BLEED in size and Now York is eorrespondinSIy
Increased the valuations will increase, &c
S SSFSnsy and the farmers" taxes reduced &C
Four CORRESPONDENTS speaks Of the farmer
being taxed more than his farm ia worth for the
talk is Of oourss childish SIS o60 600 WeTe
expended on the canals and were paid on in
ty aetE a1 psl woS be- Hs
cents. The average farmer is assessed $1,000
He would therefore pay seventy five cen s each
year added taxes to bring about growth
which would benefit him ten 10 nifty times as
much as he pays in taxes. how foolish then to
talk about running the farmer by reason OF his
canal taXssl
The farmer also has another matter very
clearly in his mind. The counties OF Kings
New York. Richmond. Erie and Queens pay a
In the State for all purposes. They will pay
that amount OF all added taxes for, canal Inn
provsment and are entitled TO tho lions share
OF the benefits. The Pharsalia. the Oneonta.
the Pompey and the Middetown farmer knows
what those great counties are now doing for
at the following figures. The counties con-
tanning these towns received enormo usly more
from the state in school mon los than they paid
out in school taxes. What they received was
received almost entirely from the great termi-
nal counties OF the State:
School Canal
County. TnreS pdid. nonsR. t1rst
OnenAnSo.......... $i+ly5 t31.7+4 Sl,22O