Washington telegraph., 1850-12-04
THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT
FIND

It will be seen by references " '"o
Legislative proceedings that bill in-
,roduced by Mr. Rector. to repeal the act
distributing the proceeds of the 100000
acre dohation among the different coun-
ties, has been the subject Of debate in The
Senate. As yet there has been no def1nite
action upon it, and its fate is undeter-
mined.
The recommendation of the Governor
in relation to the distribution act of last
session, are wise and judicions, and we
hope the good sense of the Legislature
will not suffer it longer to disgrace our
statute book. Distributed among the
counties this fund will effect no perma-
nent benefit, but on the contrary, in
very short time it will be SO effectually
squandered, as to puzzle the most erudite
advocate of distribution to ascertain
whittier 1t has gone, or to point to
single permanent benefit that has been
derived from the expenditure. Some few
counties have already received and ex-
pended their proportion of the amount
subject to distribution. and it is extremely
doubtful, whether in some instances. the
commissioners under whose direction it
was expended, could show any advantage
which even their own counties had de-
rived from the expenditure. We have
heard of one instance, where county
received OF 500 dollars, and with 1t
commenced making road from the coun-
ty seat, and after opening it for about
mile in length, the commissioners dis
agreed as TO which side of corn crib it
should be continued, until their salaries
consumed the whole amount. and the
work was suspended for want of funds.
Similar results will occur in other coun-
ties, if the act be not repealed.
The doLation is magnificent one, and
If properly and iudiciously managed
would be amply sufficient to construct
good roads throughout the State. The
State of Louisiana, with much smaller
fund invested in negroes and steamboats,,
has done, and is doing more to improve
the navigation of her rivers and bayous,
than one hundred times the amount dis
trbuted among the parishes would have
accomplished. Why could not Arkansas
follow her example? Similarly directed,
this fund would be sufficient to build
plank roads over the principal thorough
fares of our whole State. If portion
only OF the fund, as fast as it becomes
available, were invested in negroes, and
portable steam saw mills, the State
would soon have force sufficient to ac
complish the object. The price of the
land is fixed at ST 20 per acre, which
would yield. when sold, $625, 900. Two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars Of this
amount, would purchase at least 300
negroes, and twenty portable steam saw
mills, and the balance 1915 900 at 6 per
cent interest, would yield $22. 500 an
nually. sum nearly sufficient to. cover
the expense of maintaining this force.
Such an amount of labor properly direct
ed would in the course of ten years ac-
complish more good than million of
dollars distributed among the counties,
and that too, with little or no diminution
of the fund. But this is only moderate
and partial estimate of the benefit the
State would derive from The application
of the fund in this manner. Good roads
would induce immigration-and as ma
tural consequence, an increase of ofrevenue,
which would ultimately wipe out the
Indebtedness of the State-reduce the
taxes, and enable us 10 enter into a more
enlarged system of Internal Improvement.
We hope for the credit Of the State,
shat wise councils will yet prevail and
that the act of last session will be re-
pealed, and this magnificent donation be
applied as designed by Congress. If we
have not the discretion to use it properly
it would be as we'll to return it to Con-
gress, to be donated where it will be ap-
preciated, and applied to some useful
purpose-distributed among the counties
it will be worse than useless.
BALLOT SYSTEM ABoLlsHED.-Theb bill
to change the mode of voting from the
ballot to the UiUa voce system has passed
both Houses. and only wants the sigma