Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-11-25
REMARKS OF COL. BENTON,
I'm tue North Missouri Railroad
Convention. held i'm ST. Charles
on the 10th inst.
Col. Benton said:

successfully. the spirit of enterprise which
has been awakened among us should be kept
up by talking about it, and by assembling
meetings of the people and speaking TO them
about it. We should have more meetings
like the present, and discuss these topics Of
improvement until they are generally and
thoroughly understood.
The proposition which we are now con-
sidering belongs 10 class Of objects in
which the people Of the present day take a
deep interest. This is an age of utility and
practice. The ornamental and the beautiful
are thrown aside TO give place to the useful.
The question now asked, with reference to
any project or thing, is, What tits good for?
And If it be not found useful in some res
pect, it is at once discarded. All civilized
nations have their attention turned to utility;
and as civilization advances it becomes the
governing principle of the human mind
Useful talents is now more highly valued
than ever before. 1t everywhere commands
respect and secures promotion. Not only
in this free land where, perhaps, it is most
appreciated, do we see this kind of talent
elevating its possessor to fame and emou-
ment, but even in despotic countries it is q
passport to royal favor and high rank.
Here are two great fields of enterprise
with which the public are chiefly concerned;
first the Improvement Of the human mind;
second, the improvement of the face of the
country. These two great objects form the
distinguishing features Of our times. They
are engrossing the attention, and enlisting
the efforts of all intelligent persons. Edu
cation is being everywhere spread abroad
and encouraged. Summaries of learning
are established in every direction; school
houses are being multiplied throughout civ
iIized countries; common school systems are
devised to place education within the reach
OF every citizen. Thousands are educated
in the Sunday schools which cover the face
of christeDdom. 1t may be said truly that the
schoolmaster, and the schooImistress, too,
are abroad, and they should be regarded as
the greatest benefactors Of the human race.
This is the Improvement of the human mind.
The next great object Of civilization is the
of the face of the country
Where there is no civilization such objects
! lie dead. Some nations neglect TO repair
great highways, and permit them to be alto
gether destroyed. Two hundred years ago
there was u beautiful road across the 18TH
mus Of Panama, made by the Viceroys Of
Peru; but it is no longer there. 1t was
broken up by the buccneer, Morgan, and
remains in ruins 20 this day. That is be-
cause there is an uncivilized race there
In proportion as civilization advances, there
is an interest felt in public improvements.
NJ. 3. REQUIRED to tie period when it was
first proposed to make canal in Great Bril-
tian. Parliament was petitioned 10 grant
charter for that purpose. The subject
was debated and the charter refused
The argument for refusing it, was that
it would iniure the landed interest by
reducing The value of land. 1t was
argued thus: Ii there We're canals there
would be less use for turnpikes, and less
: travel OIL them; if turnpikes were less
used, fewer horses would be used; if fewer
horses were used, there would be less de-
mand for hay and oats; consequently land
would be less valuable for cultivation; ergo
10 grant charter for making canal, would
be an injury to the landed interest. So that
the first canal had TO be made by private en-
terprisc. 1t was extended under mountains
and across rivers. After it was made, i
: was acknowledge to be an improvement o.
great public benefit, and the protector OF i
received ducal title-the title of Bridge
water, from the fact that it crossed the riv
', err.
If ducal titles were now conferred upor
those who engage in and accomplish suci
enterprises, the nobility would be so large
Z in number as 10 become alarming. Aftel
al, .r,lo L.,
Of canals radidly increased. They took pre-
cedence of the rivers for Transporting com
merce. 1t was then said that the river.
were intended to feed the canals. This ide;
may do very well for Great Britain. Hel
rivers will compare favorably with on
: creeks. and creeks answer very good pur
e pose in feeding canals. But some of thr
T members Of Congress, borrowing the ide;
from Great Britain, have msapplied it to tn,
= rivers of this country, for any one Of which
l the British islands could not find space
= No, our rivers do their own business, anc
Y without interfering with canals.
The next Improvement after canals, wa
tie McAdam road, and the next after that
railroads.
= The United States are now reticuated
= with railroads; they almost touch Missouri
They are now to take a new departure from
this side OF the Mississippi river. Thu
public mind is completely absorbed will
n this subject. 1t is canvassed among tn,
! people Of California, and the Mormons o
u the great Salt Lake. The idea of railroad
is, in fact, everywhere prevalent, not onl!
;, on this side of the river, but throughout tn,
whole valley of the Mississippi. No coun
try presents greater facilities for such road
t than this. Nature herself has prepared thu
: face of the cuntry for them. Our vast rv
= ers are without falls, and present no dec
ravines to fill up. There are no mountain
4 to cut through. We have beautiful leve
prairie country, over which roads can b
laid without obstacles--a country which in
: vites toimprovement, instead of repellng il
t The steamboat and the steam car will no
!, interfere with each other. Each will hav
its own business to perform, and they vii
,se;st aoob o,lor Thera iS M donuar