Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-11-26
FOT nc Enquirer.
THE RAIL ROAD MANIA.


For the Enquirer.
THE RAIL ROAD MANIA.
The rage for railroads threatens destruction &c
the credit OF The Slate, nd CALLING oppression &c
the people have but little hope OF making
any useful impression upon those who are
taking The lead in getting up and fostering the
many schemes in vogue. Their madness is be.
yond the reach OF reason, and dead 10 the appeal.
OF prudence, justice and common sense. But
appeal 10 the loiing and lax-payins multitude
and warn them, that all that they have, and all
that they expect TO leave behind them Tor their
children, that can be reached by taxation will soon
be morrgae ed 10 make railroads, that must prove
utterly unprofiable-.or, il profitable must be made
so by impovershing The community.
The Morus Muicaulis hum6ug has mad lis
day. We now blush al the recollection, that SO
MANY people in SO enlightened an age, could
have been humbugsed into the idea OF getting
rich by raising Mulberry bushes. But this Rail-
road mania is even worse than The Mulberry ma
MIA. Il was only the humbusgcd that were
hun BY the latter. The great mass Of The CON-
munily are doomed TO oppression under The former.
The Morus humbus was harmless to those who
meddled not with il. The railroad humbug comes
upon every laborer and lax payer in The Sae,
with all the power of law-saddes heavy debt
uron US, whether we will or not and deed OF
trust upon US and our children, binding US and
them 10 pay six per cent. per annum interest
upon an enormous Stale debt 10 conslruc! rail
roads that cannot defray expenses and pay one
per cent. profit.
live Immediately upon the proposed line Of
The proposed Danville railroad, and know some
L. ~ ha onla
be most interested in its construction. II is amazing
10 perceive with what confidence its enthusiastic
projectors cyphcr themselves and cheat others
into The conclusion that the scheme is not only
practicable, but judicious and wise, as matter OF
State policy. Some vi Them even 20 so lar in
their harangues as 10 assure The people that by
subscribing 10 its stock they will reap rich divl-
dends OF per cent. per annum upon their mo-
MES invested and save a, least thTIy,lhIsc and
vur.tiiiIu pr CEN Ill TIC cos' VI SsuiuS tnrli
marketable products 10 market. How the rail-
road can thus make money and The people Toe
out of the products Of The country which IL is c
traverse, would puzzle any sober calculator &c
decide. But sober calculation is out OF vogue
behind the age. The man who looks TO The means
10 accomplish wished for ends, is looked upon as a
fool. You must "go il blind" and evince nc
doubts or be branded as hde-bound simpleion
Timid people have not the nerve 10 gainsay the
bold assertions and glowing statistics OF these en-
thusiasic schemers. They impose upon The ere.
duous- and brow-beat and ovcr-awe those who
believe them not. And many sf our sober. sided
Sou!h-siders, are thus deferred from attempting &c
avert the evils which common sense teaches them
must result from The contamination OF these
schemes, to vii: loss OF public credit, or rulnous
taxation. They give iupand say-"We are beat
en-il is folly TO resist. Visionary, exlravagan;
ruinous as are their plans, they will carry them
out in spite OF US, and we may as well lei them
have their way and take our slice OF The spoils.'
Such is the language OF many who, hitherto, have
been firm and fearless in opposing the creation Of
a State debt for internal improvements. Now
imnlore ali such 10 faller no longer in their oppo
sion. We are mol beaten. A day ofsober real
tiles will soon roll round-a day OF reckoning anc
| old fashioned cypherng will bring the visionary
schemers 10 account 10 cheated and oppressed
people, Tor The gross imposilions now being prac
iced upon them. Capitalists will cypher Alright
| Moon.slrcken and star gazing lawmakers can
| no, blind money lenders-when they see tina
| 5or7oring 10 pay even borrowing 10 pay interest
is a settled policy and the only means which The
law-making power dare resort 10, TO avert III,
disgrace of reputation on he one hand or es
cape The responsibility OF increasing The lakes or
the other The history of the tax bill o
| 1912, though dead letter 10 the railroad
projectors OF This their day and time, viii
| leach lessons of prudence and caution 10 meI
who have money 10 lend. IHey are not sof
enough 10 base heir calculations upon sucf
statistics as are used to CIPHER out nine pc
cent, per annum dividends upon shares in tht
| Danuiiic Railroad that IS 10 BE-. They will hest
tate 10 trust the Commonwealth when they SET
its destinies ruled by men who, in orderto cyphe
up dividends for Danville road, are conslrane,
10 cypher down all prospects OF dividends from lht
Roanoke improvements, and The Petersburg ant
other railroads in which The Commonwealth ha.
already made large investments. A Common
wealth ruled by such men-a Commonwealth
that holds out inducements 10 The people, and Dor
rows and LAYS out money TO construct railroad
in one section to-day 10 be killed off or rendered
valueless by another, TO be constructed by lis'
means in another place tomorrow, deserves no
credit, and ought not, cannot long maintain il
Let capitalists and tax payers see to il. We lool
upon reputation as disgraceful thing. But vi
had hard scuffls TO save the credit of the Stat
in 1912, when The Stale debt was but little owe
six millions, and when the issue presented wa
taIaiion or reputation Only lew votes lurne,
the scale, and not lew were hunted down ant
hurled from office for voting 10 pay, rather thai
repudate. The details of the Tax bill of AZ al
ioded prele1s for hazarding the public credit then
Will capitalists be green enough to believe that NJ
such prele1ts can be plead, when pay or repudiat
shall again become the issue. and when The Stat
debt shall amour, 10 H. l6-yea, even hrent
millions7 To twice twenty millions it must er
long amount il the gigantic schemes now in con
temptation are TO be carried out
II had more leisure, | would by your leave
Messrs. Editors, amuse myself liule with SOM
OF the statistics OF The leading projectors Of III
Danvlle Railroad thai is 10 be; yes, isto be "as sur
as fate" So say its friends; and so now admi
many OF lis opponents. But have not time L
dabble in such figures as work out such marvel
ious results. Marvellous, verify they will be
when "Oll Rip" shall wake up 10 The policy o
killing off her railroads upon The lower route
and contributing, as Virginia has agreed TO con
tribute three fiIhs from her treasury TO wo-fiflh
10 be contributed by private subscription OF a.
amount sufficient 10 carry this Danville Railroa
that IS to BE- as sure as fate, through some twelve
hlleen counties of the "Old North Sate"-heI
forming junction with another ruad and there
by making continuous line from New OrIean
10 Boston outstripping all other lines and ,h
great finland sea" OF the West 10 boot Mar
velous results, verify! But have no lime al pre-
sent 10 look deeper into them. l may take ano
Their peep al more convenient season.
| A TAXPAYER
On the Road 10 Danuilk.
| A Democratic mass meeting OF The citizens O
CT auops,;ra Texoc and the afiacent conptiee