The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-22
ORGANIZE TO BEAT CANAL.
psO DELEGATES FROM ALL OVER
TIE STATE AT ROCHESTER,.

~nceches Made and Resolutions Adopted
Denounclng tho SlOl 600. 600 Scheme.
and n Permanent Committee to Com
duet the Campaign Against II.
ROCHESTER July 2i.--An active working
,rparization to conduct a campaign against
the proposition to borrow $1Ol ,O00, 600 for
Iarpcr Erie Canal was affected here to-day
4 convention brought together by the
Rochester Chamber of Commerce.
More than two hundred and fifty dele
gates most Of them representing branches
Of the State Grange, were present. Geo
graphically the convention embraced the
whole Of the State, except that part OF
Greater New York which is contained in
the First judicial district. 1t may he news
10 Col. Edward II, Butler Of Buffalo that
Erie county sent delegates 10 this conven-
ton. but they were here nevertheless from
tha towns outside of Buffalo which. with
hat city. make up the county.
The roster of delegates was roll call OF
N the counties in the State outside Of the
FIRST Judicial district. Farmers, mer-
rhants and land owners in towns, villa ges,
lu,mets and the smaller cities came here,
crl,,ng 10 undertake whatever part Of the
- npaign might fall on them.
On the top floor Of the highest building
IN Rochester are the rooms Of the Chamber
of Commerce From it's windows ono could
500 the Erie canal. winding through the
itv like piece Of dirty river.
Under the plan Of the Davis act, the
rourse Of the canal past Rochester will be
hanged ana by the abandonment OF the
old canal, part of the offensiveness to which
Rochester has objected will be removed.
Blt neither that circumstance nor the fact
that the canal advocates promise TO spend
IN Monroe county $14,570 900 of the whole
appropriation. has affected the attitude
Of the Chamber Of Commerce, which can see
noadequate return except for few Of their
rcighbors in Buffalo, and the lighterage far
down at the mouth of the Hudson.
To-day's convention organized in the
same formal way as political convention.
and then selected permanent officers, who
from now until election day will conduct the
fight with much the same methods as are
Employed by the State committees of the
political parties
TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN PLArTs SPEECH.
The convention was welcomed both by
President Dunn of the Chamber of Com
merce and Mayor Rodenbeck. John l.
Platt, editor of the Poughkeepsie Eagle,
and for many years a notable figure at Re-
publican State conventions, was chosen
temporary chairman. He said:
This question, whether the return will be
greater than the expenditure is the kernel
because Buffalo or New York will gain some
because we are actuated by any adverse in
terest still less are we Directing because
We are indifferent to the welfare Of the State,
to that Of its chief seaport or TO the growth
and prosperity of its commercial interests
We object because we do not believe that
the expenditure will produce an equal return.
We are actuated by any other reason " not
only unjust to MS, but can be made only for
the purpose Of diverting attention from the
But. If We take the slol 900, 600 as the actual
cost. that is only the capital. The Constitu-
be paid within eighteen years. and there must
he u sufficient tax levied each year TO pay the
interest, and form sinking fund which will
extinguish the principal in that time.
The math matcians employed by the State
inform us that this will require E.349,7l0 each
year. or for eighteen years. $l32 lsB. $50. which
The canal men themselves tell us that
nent TO the Constitution. extending this debt
ttty years instead Of requiring that IL shall
but as the time of payment Is 80 much more
extended. IL will add nearly so per cent. to
the ultimate cost, making t In all slae go $50
Let me make some comparisons. The
cost of all the public school buildings in the
state Of New York. and the land upon which
heT stand is reported by the STATE so sp pe
an amount that is 3s.782.527 less than the
principal sum which 1t IL proposed 70 squander
upon this canal Improvement. and 5000. 3O7
less than the ultimate minimum cost If the
debt is paid i'll eighteen years:
The value Of all the, grounds and buildings
IN the State of New lork Is reported by the
Chief Statistcian at Washington at s22 ,7s4. Os7.
rhc value of all the scientific apparatus in
those Institutions is s., $50, 460.
We have no date for determining the value
Of the buildings used for private schools.
my at the most extravagant estimate the
S"r viii fall beoSW in W Value the minimum
which will be expended upon this canal, and
i wa add the, s27 1902 ,237 which constitutes
rolleges II will still be fifty millions short Of
hat the State will expend II 1t adopts the
pln NJ extending this debt so as to run fifty
wears.
This is our unanswerahle argument. Tho
state Of New York wants cheap transportation
ii needs for its commercial prosperity the
development Of its industries and the growth
OF rs commerce cheap transportation. There
fore. II does not want canal transportation,
Tor II costs more money to carry a ton OF coal.
bushe of wheat. thousand feet OF lumber,
or any other quantity Of any other sort OF
merchandise by canal than it does to carry
the sarle merchandise by railway.
r." iGures are undeniable. the conclusion
i 'rnsistible. 1t does not make trnnsporta-
fiot cheap that the greater part Of its cost is
pnd out 81 the state Treasury i this were
state might better pay for carrying the whole
canal freight on the railway.
Mr. Galloway. the former president OF the
New York Central, made the offer that for the
interest on the cost of n ,O0O-ton barge canal
A. per cent. he would contract to carry the
entire canal tonnage upon his railway, free
o' charge, and the figures show that he could
nay" done so and made large profit by
doing it,
The canals of this State have in the last
'Nshtr years taken fifty millions from its
'r"aSnry, for which they have made no return,
resources Is sufficient to account for what
"vnr Of commercial decline has taken place.
Ihov have ceased to be contributors and
become "A hindranCe to its commercial pros
L"r''v and tho first step to be taken tn keep
mo aSCeudnncv that our position entities M
Ne, Is to stop the further expenditure Of money
upon that which can never make any return
Tor what We waste upon it.
The proposition to cast two hundred mil
Mons more into the bottOmless ditch, TO sad
dc upon our children and our children's
children the incubus of such n debt for such
purpose. is n proposition that Is contrary
~tcs every rule Of sound business enterprise
an1 outraEes common sense itself
IN the name and for the sake of the plain
people OF the Fmnirp State Interested In its