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its wealth and its general improvements; and looking then, to the interior, to the immense tracts of fresh, fertile and cheap lands, bounded by so many lakes and watered by so many magnificent rivers, let me ask if such a map was ever presented to any statesman, as the theatre for the exercise of his wisdom and patriotism? And let me ask, too, if any man is fit to act a part, on such a theatre, who does not comprehend the whole of it within the scope of his policy, and embrace it all as his country?"

Hitherto this State has had a sufficient number of patriotic and public-spirited citizens, alive to all these possibilities, adverted to by Mr. Webster, to control its commercial policy and to enable it to convert these possibilities into actualities greatly to its own advantage, by the establishment and maintenance of an artificial waterway from the Great Lakes to the Hudson, whereby it has drawn to itself the vast commerce, passing between the interior and the seaboard.

If the map referred to by Mr. Webster in 1837, presented a theatre for the exercise of wisdom and patriotism on the part of the statesmen of that day, how much greater wisdom and loftier patriotism should be exercised today on the part of those who act a part on this same theatre, after half a century's development in all the ways made possible by a progressive civilization. Scores of enterprising villages, flourishing cities and immense grain-producing States have been developed out of the interior lakes region since 1837. The commerce between this region and the Atlantic ocean will continue to increase as time goes on.

Self-interest, as well as State aggrandizement, require on our part that every reasonable effort be made to hold that commerce, rather than suffer it to be diverted to other States. Such has ever been the candid judgment of our most patriotic citizens.

The unique position occupied by New York enables her to control and exact tribute from this vast commerce passing between the Great Lakes and the ocean. The Hudson and the Mohawk rivers have cut their way through the Appalachian mountain range to central New York, so that there is a natural waterway nearly half the distance from

the Atlantic ocean to Lake Erie. The remaining distance consists of a level tract of territory without barriers to canal construction. Nature has thus done everything for the State to enable her to connect by artificial waterways the Great Lakes with the ocean.

Clinton and others foresaw these natural advantages and fully appreciated the great revenue that would accrue to the people of the State from their utilization. Their unremitting advocacy of measures to utilize these natural advantages prevailed and has enabled the State to control the vast tonnage passing between these lakes and the ocean, and to exact heavy tribute therefrom. Hitherto such tribute has added millions of dollars to her wealth, built her towns and cities and enabled her to maintain her commercial supremacy. Let us not be among the first to whom the State, failing to receive aid for the improvement of her waterways and despairing of her commercial supremacy, may turn and exclaim, in the language of the expiring Cæsar: "Et tu Brute." Rather, let us pursue a more public-spirited and enlightened policy and now make such liberal provision for the improvement of the waterways of the State that the commercial supremacy of the State will be assured for generations yet to come.

NOTE

The campaign before the electors of the State on the Canal Referendum measure of 1903, known as chapter 147 of the Laws of 1903, was one of the most spirited ever witnessed and was participated in by many of the most prominent citizens of the commonwealth. Governor Benjamin B. Odell, Jr., who had given the measure the weight of his official approval on April 7, 1903, spoke in favor of its approval at country fairs during the fall of that year. His speeches did much to allay opposition in rural communities, which quite generally were opposed to the expenditure of so large a sum for canal improvement. The Honorable George Clinton of Buffalo, who had a large part in formulating the Referendum measure and in advocating it before legislative committees, was untiring in its advocacy in various parts of the State. His long and intelligent devotion to canal affairs had won for him the admiration of the commercial interests of the State. No speaker was more sought after and no one rendered greater service in that eventful campaign.

Senator Henry W. Hill of Buffalo, who took a prominent part in the long fight in the Senate in the final passage of the bill through that body, was frequently called upon to speak in its behalf. He addressed audiences in the Chamber of Commerce in Buffalo on May 8th; at Lockport on July 11th; at Lily Dale on August 22d; at Lyons on September 24th; at the Historical Building, Buffalo, before the Buffalo Historical Society, on October 4th; at Troy on October 5th; at Delmonico's in New York City on October 6th; at Dunkirk, October 14th; at Cohoes, October 16th; at Brooklyn, October 25th; at Lockport, October 29th; at Binghamton, October 30th; at Buffalo again, October 31st, November 1st, and November 2, 1903; and at still other places in the State during the long campaign. His remarks were naturally varied according to the locality, and adapted to the audiences he was addressing. The main discussion, however, of a historical character, was substantially as printed in the following pages.

468

SPEECH ON

THE CANAL IMPROVEMENT

REFERENDUM MEASURE

BEING CHAPTER 147 OF THE LAWS OF 1903

It is auspicious for commerce that its claims are to be presented and its far-reaching interests considered in this forum. The discussion of such matters in popular assemblies cannot fail to awaken public interest in their proper solution.

The propriety of this discussion is still more apparent in view of the fact that at the next general election there is to be submitted to the electors of the State a most momentous commercial question.

The Constitution of this State ordains that, except in cases of casual deficits, or to repel invasions, "no debts shall be hereafter contracted by or in behalf of this State, unless such debt shall be authorized by a law, for some single work or object, to be distinctly specified therein; and such law shall impose and provide for the collection of a direct annual tax to pay, and sufficient to pay, the interest on such debt as it falls due, and also to pay and discharge the principal of such debt within eighteen years from the time of the contracting thereof. No such law shall take effect until it shall, at a general election, have been submitted to the people, and have received a majority of all the votes cast for and against it at such election."

In compliance with this constitutional mandate, the Legislature at its last session passed the Davis-Bostwick Refer

469

endum Canal Bill, authorizing the issue of one hundred and one million dollars of bonds, the proceeds of which are to be used for the construction of a thousand ton barge canal from the Great Lakes on the west and Champlain on the north to the Hudson, provided such law receive a majority of the votes cast for and against it at the general election in November. The people in their sovereign capacity have thus reserved unto themselves the ultimate disposition of all propositions involving the creation of a debt in excess of one million dollars for any public improvement and the wisdom of this referendum constitutional provision is not open to question. This imposes, however, on the electors of the State the responsibility of an intelligent and proper solution of the matters thus submitted to them. Accordingly public discussion and individual investigation are both essential to a proper solution of such important questions of state as are thus submitted under the Constitution to the people for their decision. This is true of nearly all referendum propositions, but it is especially so of the pending referendum measure, which is regarded as of the utmost importance to the commercial development of the State.

The question at issue is a large one and merits careful investigation and wise decision. If it were a mere academic proposition to be decided either way without materially affecting the well-being of the State, little harm would result from the cursory or flippant manner in which it has been discussed in some parts of the State. But great public questions are not to be treated thus lightly. It may be sport for the press in some sections to rail at "the Clinton ditch," but it must be remembered there have been those who have declared that New York's internal waterways "have contributed more to the advancement of commerce and civilization than any similar work recorded in history." 1

The history of New York has been a history of unparalleled progress in commerce, manufactures and the development of the liberal arts. Primarily its existence and farreaching commerce has contributed much to its phenomenal

1. Sweet, Doc. Sketch N. Y. Canals.

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