Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-08-07
pI,iIadeI,lia, Baltimore ana new
YORK.

nhiiadei.shi:l,Ba Baltimore and New
York.
There seems likely to be very spirited cuntc-
between Philadelphia and Baltimore, ia their ct
forts to form advantageous connexions 10 sccur
western trade We think it must result in TN
speedy completion of tho HcmPhold and the Pits
burg lines
Each of the above cities is amply able to exc
cute any projects that look to their present FL
turc welfare and they will probably move In muc
more efficient manner with the stimulus Of rival in
terests than without such Pittsburg too. fcclin
| sighted, perhaps uniusty treated by the aid TIM
Philaislphia is extending the Ilcmptied route
| now proposes to open a communication With til
Baltimore aud Ohio railroad Near Cumberland
which can very.easily be Effected Such connec
tion would be Of great benefit both to Pitfsburr
Baltimore, and would bring the former on the lrcc
line between the latter and the great lakes.
Philadelphia and Baltimore expect very larg
increase ofbusiness upon the completion OF their
| spcctive lines of railway Each of them counts up
monopolizng,by virtue ofthcir superior positions
a large part of the western trade In the mean tim
our own state is watching the progress of her rival
with great attention, and il doing nll in her powe
| to retain her supremacy. Our canals are spcedill
to be enlarged 10 their utmost capacity, aud all re
strictons upon the carriage OF freight By railroad
have been removed. All idea ofprotecting the busi
ness of the canals BY imposing taxes upon railroads
dono to reduce tho cost-of transportation upor
our highways. New York, Philadelphia and Bal
timore are about % start upon now race for wcs
tern trade, the possession Of which is equivalent e
commercial suprcmaey.-R. Il. Journal
We transfer to our columns the above
extract, for the purpose of calling the at
tention Of Railroad and Canal Presidents
Directors and Stockholders in Virginia
to the poicywhichNew York is about to
adopt, and which, in truth, sho provided
for by solemn enactment of her Lcgisla.
| ture, at its recent extra session. The Ed
itor of the Railroad Journal says "All
idea Of protecting the business of the ca
nails by imposing taxes upon railroads, has
been abandoned. and nothing has beer
left undone to reduce the cost Of transpor.
tation upon our highways. New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore are about to
start upon new race for western trade,
the possession of which is equivalent to
commercial supremacy" Is not Virgiuia
to become competitor Tor this trade p
Il not, for what are we expending our
treasure the rate Of two millions and more,
a year,onthe james Rivcrand Kanawha Ca
nal, the Central Railroad, the Virginia aud
Tennessee Road, the Orange and Alexan-
dria road, the Southsidc road, the Rich
mond and Danvile road, the Scaboard
and Roanoke, and several other lines, all
expecting to participate, to a greater or
less extent, IN the transportation Of the
millions Of tons of Agricultural products
and Merchandise, that must through all
time, continue to so TO and from the great
trans-Alleghany basin, to the Atlantic cities.
Yet, are we doing any thing on our exist
ing lines Of Improvement, TO cheaper the
transportation Of eriStjag hade! Nothing
at all. Why is this?
We can give no other reason for the
astonishing fact that the people Of Virgin
ia suffer themselves TO be deprived Of all or
nearly all the benefits Of Canal and Rail
way transit, ailer.thcy buildthese thorough
fares than one md that's not very credtablc
to their intelligence, in plain matters of bu-
siness. They do not know what benefits
may be enjoyed, and are enjoyed, by com
inunitics that see toit, that Internal Improve
ment corporations exercise discrectly, the
power to tax labour and capital. Belicv-
ing that to this cause and TO this alone, are
we to look, for the existence Of the fact
stated above, (that we are doing nothing
to cheaper transportation on our high
ways;) we shall from time to time, as we
can get information, let our readers know,
how much greater are their taxes, for Rail
Road and Canal transportation, than are
those paid, for like facilities by the citizens
of other States.
We wish to be understood in this mat.
ter: We are not making war upon any In
ternal Improvement Companr; but we are
the advocates Of low transit charges, as be-
ing the best possible system, to give diyi-
dends 10 stock holders, and as tic onIyway
by which remuneration can be given to
the people, for the concession they make,
when they, through their representatives.,
confer upon those who associate as a cor
poration, to build a Rail Road or Canal,
the high prerogativc totax labourand cap
ital, by the imposition Of transit charges, on
products seeking market. For the pur-
pose above stated, we annex the following
table Of comparative taxation in the shape
of transit charges, on the Canals of Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia
Comparative Fietr ef NE rata pai3 on mr. canals
Of Ohio, PeaHsyfcgHia, Nor YoJkaad Virginia.