The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-13
ODELL'S BARGE CANALSCHRAE
WANTS PLATFORM COMMITTEE
TO HANDLE 1T GINGERLY,5

He Fears the Disapprovai of II by the
a. Upstate Republican Counties-fet
He Ia Organizing His Canal Machine 20
he Ready to DO Business After Election
SARATOGA, Sept 12.-Governor-Chair -
man Odell has directed the COMMITTEES on
platform Of this convention to make some
thing like a formal announcement con-
corning the adoption last November OF the
ref erendum which calls for the expenditur re-
Of SOL 900 900 for the barge canal improve
ment.
The Governor Chairman, while giving
his orders on this matter, has also made 1t
clear to the platform builders that they
must handle the subject as ging erly as
possible. The Governor-C Chairman ap-
preciates to the fullest extent the disap-
proval Of the forty-three upstate Repub-
lican counties which gave stupendous
pluralities against this measure, and he Is
well aware also that the most expert en-
gineers In the State declare that this canal
job will cost $500, 900 900 and that few who
are alive to-day will live to see 1t finished.
The people Of the State had a lesson In the
building Of the State Capitol at Albany,
which was begun In 1869 and finished in
1895, and whose original cost was estimated
at 100000, but which cost $4,000 900;
and during all those years the building
of the State Capitol was but one long record
of political and private graft, OF which
the ceiling scandal was by no means an
insignificant incident.
The people Of the State are also familiar
with the fact that in 1895 they were told
that 100000 would complete the e-foot
Improvement on the canal, and yet three
years afterward they learned that the
money had been exhausted without any
substantial progress being made In even
that small improvement. 1t was that
100000 which led the Republican party
Of the State to set aside Frank S. Black as
q candidate for denomination for Governor
and compelled. more than anything else,
the nomination OF Theodore Roosevelt.
Even then the Republican party had a
narrow escape, for Mr.. Roosevelt was
elected by only 1900 plurality, and many
Republicans and Democrats have insisted
since 1893 that Roosevelt would have been
defeated except for the Vaccinations Of
Richard Croker in putting a ruthless hand
upon Judiciary nomination In New York
city.
The people Of the State 1t is learned by
Republicans here. look with almost dread
upon Gov. Odell's canal scheme. They see
in it all sorts Of jobs and deem 1t a matter
Of positive fact that If something is not done,
the Republican party in the State will be
wrecked for years to come. 1t was made
known in Albany last winter, and the facts
were verified to-day, that Gov. Odell and
his satellites have formulated a syndicate
plan for the organization OF corporations
in different parts Of the State which are to
bid for canal contracts under the SOL 600 900
improvement scheme; and those Republican
leaders for whose support Gov. Odell has
been angling during the past few months,
and who we're around him here to-day,
have been invited to participate in sub
soriptions to the stock Of these corporations
and to assist in their organization.
These corporations will submit their bids
for canal work to the State Superintendent
Of Public Works. He has the sole power to
award contracts. The expert advisory
in this matter, and neither has the Canal
Board. The Superintendent OF Public
Works Is Charles Spencer Boyd, Governor
Chairman Odell 70 personal crony, and it will
readily be seen why Governor-Chairman
Odell will not nominate any candidate for
Governor here unless he agrees to retain
Mr.. Boyd.
Republican leaders Of integrity here said
that they were fearful OF the future. They
foresaw a long vista of corruption and
crime, which they said will put the Repub-
lican party out OF business for many years
to COME The Superintendent Of Public
Works only holds office during the term
Of the Governor who appoints him or until
his successor is confirmed by the Senate.
Republicans told to-day Of the sentiment
Of their districts concerning this canal prof.
cot. They said that the feeling was intense
and that the Republicans in their bailiw ickf
were thoroughly incensed. These Republican
leaders went on to say that their constitu.
ents complained bitterly that Governor
Chairman Odell was without the slightest
doubt more intently interested In the up.
building Of O canal machine, with all its op.
portunities for public and private graft
and the maintenance OF his own power as
State leader than he was for the welfare
! of the Republican party in the State ano
nation.
When Gov. Odell appointed his personal
erony, Boyd, to be sq1erintendent Of Pub.
| lie Works he said that Mr.. Boyd was a
civil engineer. 1t turns out that Mr.. Boyd
is not civil engineer, but, on the con:
trary, that he is mining engineer, and
| while in times past 1t has not been neees-
sary for the Superintendent Of Public
Works to be civil engineer, it is commended
that now, because Of the vast powers in
vested in Boyd by Governor Chairman
Odell's legislation, the Superintendent OF
Public Works should be one of the most
experienced civil engineers. in the country
in order to save the people Of the State
from wholesale robbery
The Republican leaders, continuing said
that in some OF the Republican counties Of
the State their voters were almost In panic
when they discussed the gigantic oppor-
tunities for fraud and corruption in the
canal machine. Mr.. Boyd was called to
his present place from a clerkship in a
small brokers' Office in New York city.
1t has always been the contention Of b 9psi-
calling seldom amount to much in a new
vocation. Just 80 1t was pointed out to-day
that Mr.. Boyd could not have been much
80 n .uoooaa No N mining an0inaar III he