Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-10-05
From the Phia. Public Ledger
SALE or THE PUBLIC WORKS.

BY a law passed at the last session Of the le-
gislaturc the fearful responsibility of deciding
the fate of the Public Works rests with the
people at the ensuing election This is n very
! important consideration for the taxpayers of
| Pennsylvania for by the proper management
of those in favor of disposing of them, and the
negligence and carelessness of those opposed to
such measure, it might be possible that our
canals and railroads would pass out Of our pos
session, like snow in the sunshine, and leave
onr debts still unpaid
There is sci of individuals, who were main
)y instrumental in saddljng us with this heavy
debt, and enriched themselves Ivy the operation,
who are now ready to oblge the dear people
again, by taking the improvements off their
hands, provided they (the peopIe) will let them
have them at their own price.
There first questions, and the really impor-
tant questions to be asked in this matter, is
Can the Public Works be sold for fair price,
a price that VIII secure the taxpayers that the
debt will he proportionalIy diminished Aud Sc
condly, should they be sold, will it be public
benefit or private benefit, And thirdly, are
our improvements valuable, and can they be
made to produce The interests of our debts.
These are inquiries which, as n practical
transporting merchant, may be allowed to
make some general demonstration of my views
/ upon through the columns Of your valuable and
widely circulated sheet. Unable as acknowl.
. .cIsv I,r bo osG hot .ba
I re,tons here thrown out may enlist more able
pen than mine in behalf of the interests of the
State, and to treat the subject with that impor-
tance and regard which it so richly merits
| cannot believe that it really was the in'en-
ton of the Legislature to have the Public
Works sold, when at the same time they lncrca-
sed the State tax bat on the contrary, it cvi.
dently was the intention at least of portion OF
the members to connect these bills, and by that
means induce those who were seriously in Ei-
vor of the Public Works to vote for the tax bill.
lfthey really desired to have the works sold,
cannot understand why it was that they increa-
sed the State tax, which, instead of decreasing,
would increase the value of State stock, and by
this means materially retard the sale of the
! works As the works when sold will be reQui.
red to be paid for IN stock, it would seem but
common sense to suppose that the lower the
price OF the stock the more ready the sale would
be effected But in the action Of our Lcgjsla.
ture this glazing Inconsistency is but too mani,
feat-ior with one vote they tacitly approve 4
measure and at the same time remove the means
by which such measure can be accomplished.
Iod the stock bpon down to rortv dolIars No,
sbore ne il wac dnr;nr last fall and .s !, ,vorIi
hive been tbj, had the fax hill mt have n,ssed
there IS no donht the holders of such s,ocL wo,I,
have nIadly taken AN interest IN tho s,lo of IN,
mann line and the Stale Jsb, hoor rolrcoa
n,c,,, ,otU;onr .,hlo ,},o ,,rcr,sor ,.or,.
have maid mo, cni,a ION millions Of dollars "a,
tventv millions or ,rorsr,, IIaro ,,,,,,d i,
deed have hocp ~, ,oyos,,oo,, ,,or,b bo,.;r,,
Ru, tiot dav h,s coro ~, ,vh. ,ooroas, -
S,sta inv has r,,sod ,io state s,,cL f,,,, c,r,,
to ss,o,b,.f,o goyJors and ,ba ho,ders lilo n
pruden, men. would orelertbe honor Of ,hc ,,oo,
old dCopn,orv,c,.I,, nf nfponrsyI,orio with ro,
sor,llo ,,r.,,,,.., - ,l,,,.,,L s;;,., ,,. q. .
irvee, ,ho,r horl. of 10, host, . do,,j,,,,y coo
earn
II has been osccrtained ot Usrrishura thai
tho holk ofibc State STOCK !, this country AN,
in Europe = held nv n.,sors ont ot lm.,,cs.
who keen # ms safe investment. and those Nor
sons rest assured, will not purchasa stock IN
coroD,.,, ,,ben tl,cv ore ra,.,ivino ip,ora.t y,