The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-08
3 BUSHELS OF WHEAT:A STORY
ONE RIDES ACROSS NEW YORK AT
STATE EXPENSE.
City 80 Glad to Sec Il That II Pays 81 ~
whenever 8S8 Bushels Arrive No
Welcome for the One That Comes on
the Roadbed That Helps to Bear Taxes.

whenever 8S8 Bushels Arrive NO
Welcome for the One That Comes on
the Roadbed That Helps to Bear Taxes.
Two bushels OF wheat grown In the same
field In Dakota, harvested by the same
hands. started on their journey TO feed
people across seas. The same wagon
transports them TO the shipping place and
in one car they travel to Duluth. where
great Lake carrier Is waiting. Through the
same spout they pass into its hull and are
borne down the Great Lakes. through
straits and the 500, until the ship slips into
the port OF Buffalo. An elevator drops
a leg into the ship and the two bushels.
still inseparable fellows, are drawn into its
capacious belly. There they rest for time.
paying storage meanwhile to the elevator
ring, a combination at which the friends
OF the canal" direct their violence during
the long winter nights. the season when
even they have to admit the uselessness
of the ditch.
While they are waiting q grain broker
In Chicago, seeing a prioe that he thinks
fair, let's 20 a wire which carries the news
TO Buffalo that the wheat has been sold.
and the two bushels resume their journey
But here they take separate identities for
the first time. One goes down spout into
a freight car on the shore side OF the ele-
vator. The other flows into canalboat.
Until this moment their experience has
been as like as their particles.
But the bushel which passes into the
canaboat becomes at once the special
ward Of the State.
paternal interest looks to it's welfare.
The State, 1t seems. must furnish II free
waterway. A whole department of the
State Government is devoted to its trans
portation. Legislatures are concerned
about the time of its journey and the cost
of owing IT, Governors have been elected
because Of lavish promises TO take care OF
it. To persuade 1t to travel that route
sums of money have been spent that seem
incredible. Treasures have been looted
In its name, and it has passed as good ex-
cuse for criminal extravagances the like
Of which the nation has never known.
So eager has the great city OF New York
been to see 1t coming TO its shores In that
antiquated craft that the city pays 81 % in
taxes every time 1913 such bushels pass down
the Hudson. When it leaves the canal 1t Is
conveyed down the Hudson to an elevator
or lighter. There 1t Is picked from the
canalboat and by lighter or elevator hoisted
into sea going ship which carries 1t across
the Atlantic to make bread for people OF
strange tongues. What does the State
and city receive as it's share for this journey
across New York; A small margin of
profit 10 the boat owner, and should the
sale be made through New York Produce
Exchange dealer, the wealth OF that citizen
is swelled by a small commission.
What OF the other bushel. which makes
the journey in a box carr 1t gets to the
seaboard in one-ffth the time. The road
bed on which it rides is taxed. the car in
which it travels is taxed. the engine that
hauls it is taxed; the company that owns
roadbed and car and engine is taxed on
its capital and it's profits. and up at Albany
a Governor lies awake in his bed thinking
Of new ways to tax the carrier-any way
that won't bring frown from Hartman.
Is the great city Of New York glad TO see
this bushel in its confines. here TO be shipped
abroad. just as the other bushel was2 1t
seems not. The city doesn't pay a cent Of
taxes to get this bushel here. The State
does not call on the city to subsidize the
roadbed which out OF It's earnings gives
90 per cent. per annum to a great army OF
employees living in the Empire State and
spending their wages within its borders;
but the State accepts from the carries
tax OF more than 81 900 900 year. while in
1901 it paid ss.aOo,ooo to keep the canal
going, and got back not dollar.
But that is not enough. As further
tribute to its preference for the bushel
that journeys by water the State now pro-
poses to spend SOL 900 600 on an enlarged
canal, which at best will be 30 profitable
that the State must pay more than $40 for
every dollar Of profit it secures to the boat
owner. =.
You will have a chance to vote on that
ouestion next November.