New-York tribune., 1900-11-21
THREATENED BY CANADA
THE DOMINION BIDDING FOR THE
TRADE OF THE NORTHWESTERN
sTATES-FALLING OFF OF NEW
YORK GRAIN EXPORTS.
To the Editor Of The rr,hu,a


ppoiished in your issue of October Is should ba
sufficient to set in motion a popular inouirv "a Ia
the ultimate results OF the developuent OF Cana
dian routes FROM the Lakes to the St Lawrence
and as to how far they will succeed In bshtnx
a commercial preponderance on the Great Lakes
to the detriment of trade through American chan
nels.
The matter is Of more than ordinary Importance
for if the diversion of Lake traic through Canada
affects the commercial status OF the State Of New
York 'it is evident in the long 1D trade Iost "a
New-York must be lost 10 the United States alto
gether"
1t may be noted that Notwithstanding transporta-
ton lines now existing which connect American
Lake ports with Montreal. Canada has under con-
struction. financially aided by the Dominion Cow
ernment. transcontinentaI railroad that will tap
the wheat fields OF Minnesota and Dakota. and tn
add1tlon mas surveyed two canal routes with o
view to controlling the vast trade of the North
west tributary to Lakes Superior and Michigan
one or these routes contemplates a cut from O.
point on the Georgian Bay to the Ottawa River
thence to the ST. Lawrence: the other is a short
canal from that bay to Lake Ontario passing
through Toronto. So popular canal projects
with our Northern neghbors that the present
Mayor Of Toronto was elected TO office because OF
his strong canal sentiments.
Canada's aim Is to control the trafic OF the
Lakes her plans for transportation broadly
and intellgently devised. and the accomplishment
OF this purpose Is only question OF time.
The American routes via the North Atlantic ports
to the successfully oppose this tranic
development. except 1t may be through the IN
tervention of barge canal constructed somewhat
IN accordance with the recommendations OF the
New-York State Canal Committee for the survey
| of which the last Legislature authorized the
perditure of 500 OOo The vital point consdera-
ton of the present canal question is not what this
| improvement may cost. but the amount OF proteo-
ton 1t will afford the people in the enjoyment OF
| their business relations with other parts OF the
| Nation.
| Referring to the advantages to be gained by the
4 III A&L@
of the Corps of Engineers United States Army de-
| clares that towns and counties bordering the
| canal will profit more by the enlargement OF the
| caral proportionately than will New-York- He
| further says: Every point on the line will be
given the advantage OF Lake port or a seaport,
and the iron and steel industries that would grow
out of such canal as proposed would alone jus
| tify the expenditure
When the immense increase of trafic upon the
Great Lakes since 1880 is taken into consideration IL
must be conceded that Buffalo has not received her
share of this increase but has lost OF this trafio
| to the extent 1t has been lost the canal. Had
the relative positions existed in 1893 that oh
tained in 1880 between the and rail routes IN
1899 the canal probably would have carried to New
York greater tonnage from Buffalo than did the
rails. This additional tonnage Buffalo would have
received from Lake traffic that seeks the sea-
| coast by way of other points
| That the waning influence OF the Erie Canal as
a factor in transportation has largely contributed
to the building up OF Canadian rival routes is in
| disputabIe. The further growth OF these compet-
| ing lines will greatly depend upon the abandon
| ment re-estabshment OF the canal to It's for
| mer usefulness for there is assurance that the
railroads OF themselves will be able protect Buff
falo in her Lake commerce.
| There is now large traffic over Canadian lines,
| lost to railroads. that at time arrived at
! Buffalo. controlled entirely by Americans
| We have become used TO foreign competition
! on the Lakes that we fail to the danger OF It
| To change the CHANNELS Of trade when once they
are firmly established Is most difficult task
| No such diversion Of commerce herein cited
was possible when the canal and railroads were
equally equipped for business. In these days OF
railroad p-eponderance in TRANSFORMATION we should
forget that the Erie Canal was instrumental in
the creation Of Networks commercial greatness,
nor that It through the inability OF the canal
to contribute its share OF traffic that this greatness
| became somewhat impaired This Is the conclu-
sion arrived at by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, which in referring TO the canal and It's
relation to New-Yorks commercial supremacy,
said:
her commerciai supremacy. If that element drops
she mus & s3Peet @ DO due lose @ it, thf If Sh canal Wa
restored today to the same PGsriSa rs @ ta5tS IN 5aiS
| years past, the commerce Of the Port OF New
| York could not suner
| submit TO the thoughtful consideration OF your
| readers the proposition OF how long the Canadian
| Government would maintain nine foot waterway
from the Lakes the St Lawrence II there were
| in operation a 14-foot canal from Lake E-rle 10
the Hudson
The deeper the inquiry into New-Yorks loss OF
trade due to the decline OF canal trafic, the moro
startling 1t becomes
We present the following 10 show grain exports
| IN 1899 compared with 1885. The exports OF grain
from the Gulf Atlantic and Canadian ports IN 1888
were 81 SOS 4s4 bushels less than in 1855 New-York
contributed to this loss IS. S.I6S3S5 bushels, or toa
per cent; the Canadian routes. including Forusno'
Me Grand Trunk Railway terminaD. '004 BUSH
els or 2 7-16 per cent:
| Bushels
Ne-York grain exports in 1sS saS 80 ss asa
| Ioss..----.. .-...----"- SS''0o'SSo
Canadian routes grain exports Is9s q Iss s ss Sss
Canadian grain exports loSS--''"''''' '''.
Ioss.-..... --....---. ...--.-'..'''''' -'"1@'0O"
| Grain Is only one Of the many commodities ak
ported at New-York. but the great decline In gram
exports indicates loss in other articles OF conn-
| merce exported at that port
| Do not these facts prove most conclus1veiy tnar
| ,ndar nresent adverse traffic conditions NeW-YorK
roust eventually lower her standard OF commercial
/ greatness or in order to escape such Illumination
look TO the enlargement s1d Wo9erPEaPHR9R 81 tns
Cbairman Canal Association of Greater NeW-fork
| New-York Nov Il. 1S"-
MIR N1rLHAI.L AND THE AMERICAN CENSUS.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
| Cir. As nv husband is in poor health at present
T bag ,,o,1 will allow me few lines in your valua-
bIe paper with respect to the census OF the Onlreo
| safes In the July number OF The North Amert-
80 pariavv,, ne published an artcled called Fore
| s+ of the Twelfth American Census" in which
- ,+,,red 10 predict that the estimate OF TI5OO,0o
orIs according TO the statistical abstracD would
nrove grossly incorrect. and that the census would
rIva only 70 100000. The official report. now pub
iished is 80 being almost the exact number
Cd bV m husband