The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-23
THE STATE HAS SPENT ss1s.e4s.o 900 ON
PLEASE SPEND sioi 100000 MORE.

To find an excuse for the canal it's par
tsans are now forced to regard 1t from an
entirely different viewpoint than did Dewitt
Clinton and those who planned the original
canal. Their purpose was to establish .
waterway which would be benefit to the
State BY its commerce and a source OF
revenue a. we'll. They expected the canal
TO carry a large proportion Of the burden
OF State taxation. So sure OF its success
were they, 90 confident Of its earning pow
ers, that they put in the Constitution a
provision for the distribution Of it's revenues.
Out Of the canal tolls each year was TO be
set aside 81 100 900 for the canal debt sink
ing fund 30 that the canal would be made
to pay for itself The sum Of 81 500 900 was
to be turned in to the general debt sim, sinking
the State. while q, $50 900 was 70 be allowed
for the Improvement and repairing OF the
canal. This IS, $50 600 was to be taken from
the surplus revenues Of the canal.
Not once in it's history did the canal
meet the expectations OF its friends. In
one year, 1851, the tolls amounted to n ,soo,-
Co., but that was the high-water mark.
The canal boat used as a carrier grew from
the one which would hold 900 bushels OF
wheat to the larger capacity OF 3,S33 bush.
the canal in 1862 24O-ton boats were used,
carrying 5000 bushels Of wheat. The
enlargement Of 1862 was hailed as q new
life for the canal, then equipped 70 carry
boats 60 by ia feet and drawing y feet OF
But the revenues fell of and in 1874 the
idea that the canal could do more than
maintain itself was abandoned and the Con-
stitution was 30 amended that the expen.
dturcs for all purposes on the canals should
not exceed the gross receipts OF the pre-
vious year. The revenues continued 70
decline from g es7 ,o7O in 1878 to sass $40
In 1882. when the people discovered that
the canal was no longer self-supportlng
business, but must be maintained at the
expense Of the State for the fictitious bene-
Ats that it conferred Again the Const,-
tuition was amended and tolls were abol,
ished. The spirit In which the original
canal had been planned had disappeared,
and In its place was the theory that It was
incumbent on the State to proyide Tree
transportation across New York from
ucts Of the great and glorious West, par
ticularly the Western territory surround
ing the Great Lakes.
Some New Workers. living in counties
not adjacent to the canal, could see no pos
sible benefits to them from the canal tax
they paid. To them was denied even the
privilege OF seeing the boats slowly dragged
along by the toiling mules. They demurred
occasionally to paying q tai to bring West
ern products cheaper into the markets to
S Was flushed in the general alteration Of the
canal. 1t was the Fetch Of politicians and
people. Those who could not understand
II were told that the canal had made New
York and must be fattened. =,
An awakened appetite was the hrst exhi;,
bition by the canal when the constitutional
limit on its expenses had been removed.
In the first year 1t called on the taxpayers
for 81, 40, 900. and the following year. 1884,
1t got rid Of S2,oi7 900. raised by, taxation.
1t went on at this rate. and in the twenty
years since tolls were removed the state
has spent $40 900 900 on it, In the one item
OF interest on its debts 1t has cost the State
S., 900 900.
Each time a call has been made on the
taxpayers for a large sum it has been on
the pretence that this investment would
a sound basis. The people voted 81, 900 600
to enlarge II, and they learned when that
was gone that wise engineers thought that
another $40 600 900 would suffice to carry
out the plan which the %, 900 900 had been
intended to cover. The $50 600 600 pro-
posed in the first draft Of the Davis law
was raised $40 .00o, 900 one dull afternoon
when the State Engineer found pencil
and pad Of paper idle on his desk
get the people to vote SOL 900 600 more
for 1t are frailty itself. The canal has
never kept it's pledges, never met the rea-
sonable expectations Of its friends. Now |
they are promising results beyond reason |
and unattainable on any business basis.
The canal will be the candidate next fall. |
Old, Its usefulness gone forever. its sppe- |
tie more rapSOTs than ham ever wei .s = S 70
Why not let me have another 500 900 900?
This candidate will have the solid sup |
mort Of the Odell machine. |