Washington telegraph., 1851-12-17

IN view OF the numerous accession To fol-
low the completion Of these improve
ments. both i'll population and wealth.
these enterprises are the proper objects
III State like ours. of individual crea-
ton: yet. from their importance and gen
eral influences. properly recommend Them
selves 10 the consideration Of government.
Ii is the duty of the State, as it is
clearly her interest, to lend a fostering
aid aud countenance TO those great works
of Internal Improvement, which now
engage the attention of our people, and
the action of other States.
We, therefore, in onr capacity as such
commitire. representing the interest of
the great body of the people. claim at
| the hands Of those who may look for a
seat in our next General Assembly, to
make the proper issues before the people
of their respective counties and districts,
that they may take their seats prepared
by the voice OF those they represent, to
vote for repeal of the act distributing the
proceeds OF the 100000 acre grant pro
rata amoug the several counties. This
act was by the late meeting unanimous
ly declared 10 be both uuwise and uuj ust
not only to the general government, but
20 the people of Arkansas. violating one
OF the soundest and most vital principles
Of that grant, which provides among
other thugs that the proceeds of the sale
OF that land "shaLl be tasthfuLLy applied
TO the objects Of InternuI Improvement,
aOlthin the States respectaUely-namely
rouds, rulIWUyS, cnAls, 5rllyes and a0a
ter-courSes, und aOhen mode or smproUed
shall be free for the transportation Of
the u s. muit and munitions Of s0ar,
and for the passage Of their troops, a0ith
out the payment Vt any toll a0i1ateUer. +"
This consideration being one of the main
reasons for making the grant.
| This donation from the Federal Gov
ernlnent affords no safe guide by which
| TO estimate the future, divided as it is
INTO driblets, aud scattered To the winds,
| by the cupidlty of legislative iudiscretlou
| and lost forever to the Stale as all aggre
| gate fund tor Internal Improve ement.
1t is a prlncIple III political economy,
that no Stale can expect TO preserve its
prosperity. which does not encourse aud
| suits. thar industry and enterprise may re-
|
acter either al home or abroad, which will
! either violate. disregard or reFudlate the
| obligations OF contract. We state these
facts In no spirit Of elimination. or Of sec
lional prejudice. but attribute them 10
our own suplneness.
We think it lime when our rivers no
longer afford the requisite facilities OF
transportation, although millions have
been expended on them, to withhold our
furih application Tor Government appro
priaIioEs, aud ii. this advancing age To
devise the ways and means to bring out
the dormant energies of our people, hat
by individual enterprise and energy we
may throw open the interior of our State
20 The best markets, and no longer depend
upon the Government for river approprla-
tons or the chimerical benefits to be
achieved by the promised county I'm
provenents. We are warranted in say
ing that our numerous and wide spread
County Commissioners, with their dlscor-
daut aud diversified noiions. will never
accom- uish amy results beneficial TO the
State.
Ii we pa use in this contest. to establish
| a seutitlenl aInOug our citizens, in favor
OF opening artificial lilies OF speedy trans
norlatiou aud travel, trade aud emigration
" ill become fixed in another direction,
and we may then strive in vain 10 gel it
back.
| 10 illustrate some of the advantages
10 be anticipated from the construction
of railroads. even in new country. where
the commerce may be considered as un-
developed TO any great extent, and the
direction of trade unsettled. We refer to
the following statistics, which embrace
Northern aud Southern enterprise: Ihe
enlightened aud euterprlSing State OF
MASSACHUSETTS has made large expendl-
lures tor the construction at railroads,
aud the results ot that sy stem have imdl-
called the wisdom which dictated it. lu
that state. the length of Railroads III
1910 was 433 miles-!t is now 1900
The value of the property in several
counties OF the State has increased from
299,S7o. .329 in 1910, to $500 53l,SSl
in lS5U-an Increase i'll the value of pro-
perty during ten years of 1920, ,653. 552
or about QUE hundred per cent.
In Boston, which is the focus of the
whole system Of Massachusetts railroads.
the following result is obtained;
Foundation Wealth
| 1910 l7I992 $12O.1l4.574
1850 269.874 266 GAG, ,4S4
! Showing an Increase Of 60 per cent III
/ popu,a:lon, and 40 in wealth. In the
new. less populous portions of the West
! and Southwest, the increase under similar
circumstances would have been more
than quadruple. Speculation would be
at fault in estimating the trade that must
follow the completion Of our proposed
| Of