The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-02-17
WORCESTER:
WEDNESDAY, FEB. ~, 1880.

Il 9
RAIL ROAD. The decision ofthe Legislature
by which the provision for subscription, on
the part of the State, to portion of the stock
in a rail road from Boston to Providence, was
stricken from the Bill, granting charter, puts
at rest, for the present, the question of the
States being in any way interested in, or af-
fording encouragement to, any project of the
kind either extensive or limited We regret
this decision. When the Bill for the Hudson
Rail Road was rejected, it was supposed that
the Legislature would be willing to assist in
the construction of such an improvement, as an
experiment, on short route especially on one
SO favorable in its location, and SO certain of
being productive, as that from Boston to Provi-
dence. Improvements of this kind ought, in
their nclpient stages, at least, TO be a public
expense, because, if successful, they are great
public benefit, the advantages of which may be,
and will be, diffused throughout the whole COM
munlty; not, indeed, equally, for that were ina
possbe-but, generally, so that all portions,
shall reneivA advantages moro than commensu-
rate with any burthen which their construction
may impose upon them
An idea prevails to a very considerable ex-
tent, that any investment of money in public
works, the direct income of which is less than
the interest of the money expended, is unproit-
able and wasteful, and loss to the community
Nothing can be more erroneous. What direct
income do the stone walls which farmer puts
upon his land produce him? None. And, yet
the expense is profitable investment, because
it adds SO much to the permanent value of the
property. Town roads, too, pay no direct in
come, yet, what is the cost of them compared
with the increased value of the property which
they accommodate What would be the val
ne OF landed property, in almost any part ofthe
country, ifthere were to be no public highway,
to approach within eight or ten miles of it ?
And Railways and Canals are, on large scale,
what public roads are on a small one. The lat
ter greatly enhance the value of property near
large market, the former do the same to that
more distant, and through greater extent of
country fla Rail Road were constructed from
Boston to Albany, the income of which should
barely keep it in repair, and never pay cent
nte the Treasury, it would, nevertheless, most
probably be profitable investment to the State.
The aggregate of the taxable property of the
State would be increased greatly beyond the ex-
penditure, and the increased ability to pay tax
es, In those who would be most directly benefit
ed, would be more than an equivalent for the
loss of the interest on the investment.
But, one of the strongest inducements for
Massachusetts, to engage in such internal i'm
provementsa as shall fairly develope her resources
and secure to her citizens all the advantages
of which their situation is susceptible, is, that
without them, we shall, Paddy lihv, u,Svwrsvo
a Tetrograde direction. Instead OF keeping pace
with the advancement of others, we shall not be
able to retain what we already possess. The
inducements held out by the enterprise of 9TH
er States, will rapidly draw away the " bone and
muscle" of our population, and, with it, no in
considerable portion of our wealth. The sell
erS ofproperty, being moro numerous than the
buyers, its value will be greatly reduced
While, therefore, splendid works ofnternal i'm
proVemenL are gong lorWdru III QUIET 0tates, IL
behoves Massachusetts, to be cup and doing"
If she is not, when others have got far in ad-
vance of her, she will most assuredly find, that
" a stern chase is a hard race y that it is far
more difficult to overtake those whom we have
suffered to get ahead of US, than it would have
been to keep ahead of them, when we had that
advantage on our side.
Tur WEArurR For the last thraa weeks