New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-22
NO CANAL BILL THIS YEAR
GOVERNOR IN FAVOR OF SPENDING SIX
TY-TWO MILLIONS, BUT AT A Or
FUTURE TIME 81
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE Tn1aUyE.I


Albany. Feb. 21.-The talk around Albany
tonight was that Senator Platt's policy Of
not having the Republican Legislature do any
thing of Importance this year appeared TO
be meeting with the cordial acquiescence' OF
Governor Roosevelt, for the latter is reported to
have dropped the bin appropriating S62.OOOOoo
for the improvement Of the canals OF the State
and other measures Of general interest.
Whether the Governor will come 10 the rescue
of New-York City and bring about the repeal OF
the charter Of the Ramapo Water Company is
not yet known. What is becoming obvious IS
that the hard work done by the Governors Canal
Advisory Commission and the Commerce Com
mission of Governor Black is not likely to lead
to any legislation. and. further. that it is not
probable that laws reforming the wretched tax
alton system Of the state will be passed
Thus, with a Republican majority in both
houses and with a Republican Governor. the
session promises to be fruitless one. because
of the fact that the Legislature is in the control
of the Platt organization. The organization IN
its wisdom proposes to go before the people OF
the State this fall with reformatory legisla-
ton of large Importance to it's credit.
Governor Roosevelt. it was stated to-day had
a conference on the Canal bill late last night
with John D. Herman. Of Utica, chairman OF
the State Commerce Convention held at Utica
in September; George ". Raymond of Buffalo,
and W. F. Mcconnell, members of a COMMITTEES
of the same convention and Assemblyman Hnl
of Buffalo. chairman of the Assembly Committee
on Canals
The bill appropriating SGD 100000 for canal
improvements has only been sketched out, and
has not yet been presented to the Legislature.
Governor Roosevelt conveyed the decided i'm
preston to the men whose names have been
given that the bill even if it should be intro
duced. had better not be pressed this year. The
Governor is represented to have said that It
would be preferable not to press the bill this
year rather than to press imperfect measure.
he feared the Canal bill was in it's present
shape. There were many important matters to
be considered in framing such a measure as this
one involving the expenditure of $62OO0OO0.
and there was little time to give 20 the bill since
the Legislature would soon adjourn.
TO AROUSE PUBLIC INTEREST.
Governor Roosevelt it was stated by one OF
those present at this conference. represented
himself to be most heartily in favor Of canal
improvement-but not this year He is said to
have recommended that the bill appropriating
S62 900 600 be printed and circulated about the
State the coming year in order to gain the peo-
pies opinion of the measure Public opinion in
support of such a large appropriation as S62.-
100000 could be thus obtained The s1overnor
is alleged to have been much impressed with
the effect that the line of the Erie Canal could
not be changed near Syracuse, as suggested by
the Canal Advisory Commission, without a
change being made in the Constitution
Assemblyman Hill frankly said to-day that ne
had given up all hope of the peoples consent
being asked this year to the expenditure or
S62 100000 upon the canals No bill on the sub
ject could be introduced before March 10. and
therefore no D1I couId De passed JIlIs year. no
bill had been previously framed because it was
not known until Attorney-General Davies gave
an opinion yesterday that the tax for the pay
ment of the S62 100000 must be imposed on all
of the counties Of the State, and not be imposed
solely on the canal counties, as recommended oy
the Canal Advisory Commission The proposaI
to exempt the non-canaI counties from the canal
Improvement tax has been bitterly fought by
such members Of the Assembly Comm1Itee on
Canals as Mr. Hill its chairman and Mr.
Geoghan of Erie County; Assemblymen Stew
art and Davis of NeW-YOrk and ASseInoyrnan
Delaney of Kings County. These men saw no
reason why the districts which they represented
should be taxed for improvements Whlch tney
believed would be OF advantage to the Wneie