The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-26
The $200,0o0,oo0 CANAL JOB.
SENATOR'S VINO IOTED AGAINST
1T DEFEND THFIR ACTION.
They Declare That There Is No COndi'loh
or Emergency That Would .'ustf! the
Expendit ure-Better for the state 10
build n Railroad Along the Route OF
the Erie Canal From BuiralO to Albany.

the Erie canal From Bunalo to Albany.
ALBANY May rs The State Senators who
voted against the ,0O0-t barge canal
bill la I'VE issued statement giving their
reasons for opposing the project. They de-
clare the proposition to be economically
unsound, not only for the whole State, but
for any part of It. They point out that
while the canal trade wa, Il great factor.
IN 1880 in the prosperity Of New York and
Buffalo, these cities have grown SO enor-
mously that the comparatively small in
crease in the canal tonnage makes the
trade of little importance to them. The
growth of these cities, they say, has not
been dependent on or checked by the
oecadence of the canals. The statement
follows:
To the Peopic
The Senators who voted against the 1000
-ton-barge canal bill deem IL proper, in
view OF the fact that the bin cannot become
law unless ratified by popular vote at the
coming election, to make a statement TO their
constituents, and to the people az large. oil
their reasons for opposing its passage.
While II IL manifest that the canal a. il now
exists, or ms II is projected, must necessarily
affect localities through which IT passes, and
particularly the terminals of New York and
Buffalo more than other parts of the state.
We do not base our opposition upon seq
tional or local hostility to the canals but
upon what we believe will be the evils and
misfortunes of the whole stat. and its people
attending upon the adoption of tn" particular
measure under consideration. We reco9-
niZe the fact that great benefits to important
sections of the State benefit the entire state,
II not secured az the expense OF other sections:
but determined that CiamOr from
some powerful interests in the cities of New
York and Buffalo shall not be substituted for
reason in the examination Of the question
thus TO be submitted TO the people for their
decision
Much OF this clamor comes from the same
interests In those cities that have by their
exactions and overcharges for docks. Gle
vators and other terminal facilities enriched
themselves at the public expense. while di-
reatly contributing to the decline of cana
commerce since 1850. Located in the prin-
cipsl centres of canal influence, they have
succeeded in defeating. year after year. legs-
latve relief from this oppression which WAS
due to the people. Now that these eAactIons
covering period of upward Of twenty years
have proved so great deterrent to canal
commerce that IL has steadily declined during
all that time, understanding freedom from
tolls granted by the State they seek to have
the State enlarge the field OF their operation
and to preserve the source Of their gains
regardless of public expense. We therefore
appeal to the people in these great cities,
which are our pride well theirs. for u
fair con sideration of the issue.
We deny that there Is any CONDITION or
emergency in the development Of these great
CONNER cial centres or any lesson 10 be
learned from their history. which would
Justify the levying OF ia xes upon the property
Of the state or the mourning OF State in
drbtedness for an initial expenditure of
siol.ool.noo in this enterprise. If the wei
fare OF the state be viewed as wholly bound
mp in the highest possible rate OF increase IN
the population and wealth Of these two cities.
We fail TO see how the projectors of the new
canal can expect a growth in either much
in excess OF the past apd present rate. The
population and assessed valuation of the city
of the counties Of Kings New York. Queens
and Richmond. for the past eighty years are
shown in the following table: