The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-30
PLATO VOTERS TO DEFEAT THE
OUTRAGEOUS PROJECT.


such intimate Importance TO the taxpayers
OF this city, and has been SO obscured by
other issues in the present campaign, that a
sense of duty constrains me TO utter word
oil warning in the present juncture and coun-
eel the voters OF this city TO negative the
proposition when it comes to the arbitra-
men. of their ballots next Tuesday.
lfany apology be necessary for venturing
thus publicly to express my solicituds on
this subject II is 70 be found in part in my
experience in the COMPREHENSIVE OF the
city and in services as a member Of the
New York State Commerce. Commission,
and twenty years - Commissioner Of the
State Reservation at Niagara. These ex-
periences have given me some knowledge
OF municipal finances, OF the causes con-
ducing TO the city's commercial prosperity,
and OF the commerce Of the Lakes.
In order TO reach q satisfactory conclu-
sion upon this subject 1t 10 necessary to
consider three questions:
/ What will the burden be?
{? Where will it fall?
What will be the resulting beneAts1
BARGE CANAL WILL COST 3is5, 900 900 AT
LEAST
The words Shall the State expend Sl01,-
ocO 600 in the building of barge canal, in
which the proposition Is generally stated,
are far from expressing its whole dimen-
sons. Leaving out Of consideration the
probability, as deduced from past expe-
rence, that the actual cost of the work
will run vastly beyond tho theoretical esti-
mates, it should be borne In mind by the
voter that SOL 600 900 is but the bare figure
OF the face Of the bonds to be issued. ex-
elusive Of interest. The interest can read
lily be computed, The law which IL Is pro-
posed TO ratify next Tuesday provides
that the bonds shall bear per cent interest.
shall not be issued at the rate Of over $l0,-
0OO0O0 year, and shall not run over eigh-
teen years. II IS 100000 be issued the first
year. $1,000, 900 the second year, and SlO-
100000 each year for the next nine wears,
the whole SOL 900 600 will be outstanding
In the eleventh year. and SO remain until
the end OF the eighteenth year. Then the
redemption will begin-$5, 900 900 being re-
deemed in the nineteenth year, q. O0O, 600
in the twentieth. and SO, 900 600 year
during the next nine years. Now if the in
terest be computed at per cent. for the
amounts outstanding for ca CHI of the twenty
eight years prior to total redemption and
added together, they will be found to aggre-
gate the enormous additional sum of S5i,-
$40 600. SO that the proposition on which
the people OF the State will vote next Tues
day is really to expend, at the lowest esti-
mate, Sl55 $40 900 in the construction OF a
barge canal. The canal will, if authorized,
not be completed in less than ten years.
but the tax for it begins Immediately next
year.
VOTE TO TAX NEW DIRK CITY 500 600 900.
Now let us consider where the burden OF
this expenditure will fall OF the total
electorate OF New York State, two-fifths
reside in the city Of New York. Upon the
taxpayers of the city, however, ingeniously
devised laws have imposed the burden Of
paying about wo-thirds of the State taxes
Therefore every affirmative vote cast next
Tuesday upon the barge canal proposition
will be a vote to impose tax OF about
500 900 900 upon the city of New York alone
"a burden which, l have no hesitation in
ga wing, we are not justified in assuming
either in view of the obligations already
incurred and the pressing requirements
for municipal improvements Of more i'm
mediate value to our commercial and
residential interests. or in view OF the pres
ent situation respecting plans for other
more capacious waterways from the Lakes
10 tidewater.
1t is a ca use for no little surprise that, in
view OF the consequences which the affirm
alton of this proposition will entail upon the
taxpayers of the city, the head of our munic-
ipal government should have given 1t even
the semblance of sanction.
PROPOSED EXPENDITURE UNwARRANTED BY
PROSPECTIVE BENEFITS.
Thirdly, / am convinced that the benefits
which may accrue from the proposed barge
canal will be disproport ionately small IN
comparison with the outlay: that the canal
when finished some ten years hence, will
be inferior to competitive waterways, the
preminares for which are already afoot I;
and that within that period the business
interests ofsthe eight States bordering on
the Great Lakes, with their sixteen Sena-
Tors and 1F Representatives in Congress,
will successfully demand, through the Fed
eral Government. for the vast volume OF
their commerce an adequate outlet to tide
water free from the tIammels which beset
Ill old fashioned, narrow gauge cana, ne
ccssitatng the expense OF breaking bulk
Al Buffalo and New York.
l2-foot, l,OOO-ton barge canal from
Buffalo to Albany will be but two feet deeper
than the abandoned barge canals OF Canada
snd will be two feet shallower than the
minimum depth of Canada's waterways
from Lake Erie to Montreal. There will
BE- no relief from the great cost Of breaking
bulk at Buffalo and New York, or from the
expensive tribute resulting to elevator,
hghtsrage and foreign steamship com
panles VINO would bs the chief beneiiciaries
Of the Bo-called improvement. BY the
time our l2-foOt canal Is finished, In all
likelihood our Canadian rivals will have z
U-foot cana, and We will be as badly on
relatively as we are to-day. The tribute
10 elevator companies at Buffalo which
Will be perpstusted with the barge canal
adds Just so much to the cost, TO the people
OF this city, OF the food products coming
by canal from the West. and the tribute
paI 10 foreign steamship companies that
are 80 active In promoting this barge cana
reduces TO the farmer the price received
Tor his produce sent abroad.
II will also be TO the advantage OF the
great structural and building interests OF
this city, which consume immense guam,
ti!ies Of iron and steel, to have q ship canal
Which will hoat these products from the
West directly TO our docks untaxed ny the
charges now imposed Ut Buffalo,
II would 10 the yeriest folly TO embark
upon this proposed expensive undertaking
showing that its very h adequacy vii stimuli
xts The Canadians To carry out their plans
iof connecting tho Georgian Fay with the ~.
lAWrshoe ny u deep water canal NJ saVntK
" W. miles IN dstaDaar ADD that W az
probability the commercial Interests 81
We breAl Lake States will insist on The
FEDERAL Governments following up Hs
e&b3rite Investigations already made ana
p4Hling ~ the near future " ship cahal
"Nlch VIII be adequate for all requirements.
Az APPEAL 10 PATRIorish
The expenditure which u ~ proposed