Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1850-12-05
GOVERNORS MESSAGE,

hands by the constitution present for your con
sideration such subjects as in my Judgment de
mand your attention.
That of internal improvement which has for
some years engaged So much OF the attention Of
your body, requires at this time your earnest
and particular consideration. 1t Is much to he
regretted that a regular, we'll digestcd system
has not been heretofore devised, aud constant y
adhered to by the legislature. Many beneficial
results would have already accrued To the pub
lie from such policy. which, it is feared, must
now be deferred for some time to come. The
subject has grown from very small beginning
INTO the most important interest winch presents
;,Selff for legislative action. fixed policy should
now he established and nleNby pursued. The
finances ofthe commonwealth, imperatlYely re
nuirc tha, further appropriation out OF the treas
,,,v should be confined exclusively to the great
,,al;no lines of connexon with the West begun
anJ un1er way. This is more necessary, because
anv other appropriations at present must be at
,.ndea with serious embarrassment to the treas
my which would at once throw such llscredit
nnon the whole subject, would rctard our
nrooress most materially for years to come
NotIino could be more deeply deplored than such
an effect. and none would regret II so much rs
those who believe the regeneration of the state
dencnds upon the successful completion of the
GREAT Improvement now progressing. 1t is, III
my opinion, due from the friends of the policy
TO the people at large, that some eyldcneeshould
be given of prudent regard tor the credit ot
the state and some assurance afforded that III
reasonable time return Will be made 10 the col
iers OF the conmohWeailh loF me liliiheise sums
already expended. Much Apprehension has been
felt in some portions Of the State, to the pol
icv pursued by the legislature for the last few
years, in appropratng money out otthe treasury
for numerous inferior works otmtenal improve.
ment. Ithas been thought by some reckless and
cxtravagant, aud hence 1t has bcenlmpossibIc TO
concentrate the energies OF the state upon any
well devised and economical system Sl 1t Is
due TO the policy that has been pursued, and 10
its friends, to state that comparatively small sums
have been expended upon wild or useless
schemes. These appropriations tot what are
termed MUD TuHNrlkGs, which at first sight aP-
pcarcd the most unwlsc, have proved very much
the reverse. 1t Is true, te" oi them pay dlN-
dend IN the form ofthc tolls INTO the trcasnlY,but
the increased value given 10 lands in the regions
through which many of them pass, furnishes Il
permanent fund for taNation, which, IN many III
stances, far exceeds the interest on the sums OK
pended in their construction. 1t Is not a matter
Of vital importance 10 the public whether an i'll
sesfmcnt paws Il good return in tolls, from the
road upon which it is expended, OF III taxes from
the lands rendered valuable by its construction.
But this species of appropriation should now be
tcrminatcd aud if there remain inferior works
vet to be undertaken, they may be postponed
lol the present, without detrimcnt to any in
tercst whatever, and with ercat benefit to the
treasury
Itis cssentialto to the interests Of the state, in
pecuniarv point ofvicw that the whole subject
be thoroughly systcmatizcd. Without this there
is room for well grounded fear lest cmbawass-
ments may come upon the treasury, and distrusl
be brought upon the credit of the state. Either
would be alike fatal 10 our great enterprises and
both are therefore to he most scdulouslV avoided.
The pocy which has heretofore controlled the
action or,hc LEGISLATURE in contributing : works
ofmnroyemcnt. has looked rather to the benefit
10 he derived from increased population and en-
Lanccd value oflauds than 10 returns in the form
of1o,ls to the treasury. The wisdom ofthc pol.
icy stands fully vindicatcd by the recent assess
msnt of lands in the commonwealth, which shcws
an increase Of twontv-nine and half per cent.
upon our entire landed property during the last
Twelve wears or anaqgregae increase inthc val
No of real estate alone, since 1898. of S62, ,7l9,
us while the increase between the assessments
Of 1919 and 1888 was only SjO36, $50, or two
and n half per cent. The total value of lands in
the state in 1919 was S206, S93,97S, in 1898 1t
was S21l .o30, sos, and 1880 it is 2H,6s0,226;
which shows an average increase eaet year, since
'3S. whilst the systcm of internal Improvement
has been in operation, equalto the whole increase
during the nineteen years prior to that time
This result has been owinp chiefly to the im