Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-12-08

Wutu IL 10 III uiu VI Iuoifluudi Culei pTiscS
feel confident lha. the promp,ings Of self
interest would be safeguard against an
improvident investment or prodigaI ex.
penditure. If the actual benefit derived
by each individual could be ascertaiped.
that would supply rule by which to ap
portion the amouat Of their counlribuion.
That is impraclicabe, and The alternative
is the adoption of some arbitrary rule by
which it may be aPProximated. Two
fiihs of the entire sum seems to have been
generally regarded as the proper ratio, aud
was at one time adopted by this State as
principles; but other counsels have since
prevailed, and each case is left to provide
for itself. This ought not to he so.-The
spirit of improvement is abroad, and our
people ought TO know what aid they are to
derive from the common slock in the pros
ecu lion of enterprises calculated mainly TO
promote our common welfare. If two
ifths be thought too much, adop, The pro.
portion Of one third, or even less; but lei il
be fixed and permanent.
We are met here with the objection that
it is inexpedienl and improvident to in
crease the public debt, and agree that il
ought not 10 be done without some pressing
and obvious public necessity. But it is
believed that the fund generally designated
as The surplus revenue, now existing for
The most part in the form of Stocks in the
Rail Road Company and debts due by
them, might be safely relied ON for the
means of raising an amount sufficient to
meet the present emergency, at least TO
reasonable extent, without increasing the
public debi.
1t may besthals sqme difficulty may be
found in raising money OH the credit of
these securities alone. Butt, as | suppose,
The present Investment is secure, ! ain not
able 10 see what risk the State will run, or
in what the public debt will be increased.
il the Stale, as the gtmeans Of iusurng
ready marke, for She securities. were TO
guaranty their payment: An individual,
having sum of money securely y invested,
would moi feel thatshe run any risk in rails
ing money upon is scredits even to he full
amount, Tor afurtheEinvestmen,. and hav.
ing secnreIysinyested thai, where would be
The objection, 10 an economicaissyiew. of
borrowing a likessum,if, by so doing. rea.
sonabIe profit might be expected from, il {?
But ! 60 farlher-all works of this charac.;
Ter are intended, and ought to be pernH-
nent; andEthe experience Of the Wotldsis.
Thai if well:and judiciously located, and
faithfully executed, theirssusef0 lness and
value are progressive. and each succeeding
year develo2es more and more the wisdom
Of The design. Il is pos,erity, then; who
are TO resp ths.fnH fruits, and is fl thai
they should 'coatribule atleast a; portion Of
The expense offearins ihem, and 5upon1Ie
principle before stated. I.hold thai it,would
bo safe and wise, even 10 incura Gebr in;
the construction ofany work, from which.
the saving TO the community al large:
.wouIt be equalLoth amount Of interest:
sonat Tho sum borrowed, ! with the addition Of
sasisn all s5sInlss Wbiel wonld operate as a;
sinking fond and lhos diyIdes The: xpense;
between the preseaf and. future gene Iali6bs,
4pfnvid ID; il St1npose On asopsbie:
ssbnHR Rensso iet
I'D epfef tainsi itisset views anI
ittster1nip aid eonsi llcti5asof
or an led stIssl5adss
lie zen tlsSt liie # ar dasS osbe;
spfod ofE the featesi
lie sums sut,sci bed byi indisia aasss'
with what the 8 5lates AL sc6ntfi 6nies be:
;su uEfielentafo pay sthsse xpensesso sf6sspT6ss
4Igsisd IS performed:
sin ool ffaIt, tEElls spa ytne6t gof The Con
slfibntfogssof ffe Stale should be made in
;;Ihessiatio 10 he adopted, and follow the
ssdfisburse men,s of the sums subscribed by
individuals in that ratio.
Large sums have been from time to time
appropriated 10 improve the navigation of
our waller courses, between line extend
Ing from Chcraw to Hamburg, and the
sea. coast and can only account for the
utter neglect of The rivers above that line,
by the enlire failure of the attempt TO i'm
prove the navigation of them some thirty
years ago, by the construction of canals
around the rapids at an immense expense,
which have proved entirely useless, with
one solitary exception. We had 4ol then
any experience in works of that description
and there is no doubt were greatly over
reached in the contracts for their conslruc.
ton, or that they might now be construct.
ed for one third of the amount expended.
But the true cause of their failure and
final abandonment will he fJrnd i'll the
entire neglect of the improvement of The
navigation of the Intermediate spaces,
which might then have been made at a
small expense, and at still less now. 1t
was useless to keep the canals in a condi-
llon 10 pass even the small craft used in
the transportation of produce. when the
rivers both above and below were impas-
sable. except when the waters were some
Thing above their ordinary height. The
difficulties and uncertainties of the navi-
gallon oblige the planters, even on the
banks ofhe rivers, 10 employ their wa
gons and teams to transport their produce
10 market, at an expense Of at least double
what it would cost if the navigation of the
rivers was rendered safe and certain. |
speak Of these matters knowingly. and
from personal observation aud experience.
How is this TO be remedied?