Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1852-04-09

am also assured by the same officer that with
the necessary appropriation, four of the ten
planes, may be avoided during the coming
season.
In connection with this subject, / need
scarcely remark, that our main line Of i'm
proyements Is about to encounter a most pow
ertul rival for the tonnage Of the West, in
the Pennsylvania railroad, which work will
probably be completed during the year 1853
The avoidance of the planes will do more, [
am confident to strengthen the main line
! against this competition, than any other i'm
prorement that can be made. | respectfully
recommend this subject to your favorable
consideration.
The absolute necessity for the expenditure
OF large sums Of money to complete the i'm
provements to which have referred, will [
have no doubt, admOnish you Of the proprie-
ty OF continlng the appropriations to the low
est possible point that the public service and
the interest of the State Will permit, inclu-
ding nothing for which it is not legally and
morally bound to provide Rigid economy
IN the expenditures Is indispensibly necessa-
ry to sustain the credit Of the State-fulfI
the engagements she has already made. and
meet the reasonable expectations of the peo-
pie.
The public improvements Of the State are
should at all times receive the special care Of
the Legislature. Every proper effort should
be made to increase the receipts and lessen
/ the expenditures on these works | have not
| had the opportunity of giving the subject of
! their management that thorough examination
which is indispensibly necessary to the for
nation Of correct opinion in reference to
the details of their operation. But / have
long entertained the opinion, that no action
OF the Legislature could have more salutarv
effect upon their management than the adop-
ton OF the cash system in paying for the la
Dor and materials necessary to keep them in
successful operation. 1t is, in my opinion,
TO the loose custom of contracting debts now
in practice as much, if not more than to any
other defect in the present system, may be
attributed their failure to meet the expecta-
tiOns of the people as a source of revenue
/ The most vigilant efforts of the officers could
not prevent the payment of cxOrbitant prices
for labor and materials, if obtained on credit
/ The State always pays dearly for such ac-
commodations. Besides, this custom affords
the opportunity of most palpable imposition,
| if not actual frauds upon the State The very
idea of a set Of officers being allowed to throw
the credit of the Commonwealth broadcast TO
be taken up at some future period, by some
| body else. is almost startling. | regard it as
a most dangerous policy, calculated to beget
spirit OF careless prodigality in the man
I agement Of public affairs, and to invite impo-
sitions upon the Treasury. 1t should, in nv
opinion, be abandoned at the earliest day
possible. | therefore, respectfully suggest
the propriety of fixing Il period by law, after
which the officers on the public works shall
not be allowed to contract debts for any pur-
pose whatever-directing the disbursng Off
GERS to make monthly statements of their ac-
counts to the Canal Commissioners, showing
the amount of money disbursed and the ma
! tcrial purchased ; and requiring all outstand-
ing accounts to be presented to the Canal
Commissioners or Auditor General for settle
ment. Under a cash system the actual in
debtedness of the State could, at all times,
be readily ascertained, which would be
great convenience for the Legislature as we'll
as satisfaction to the people. In the in
PRODUCTION Of new system of this kind, care
should be taken to place at the command of
the proper officer the necessary means to
carry it into operation.
1t might be we'll ALSO to take some action
on the subject of claims for damages incurred
in the construction of our public improve
ments. This subject should be finally dis
posed Of Although many years have passed |
by since the construction of these works, /
every year brings out some new item of this !
kind. Much of the time Of the Legislature |
and the Canal Commissioners, is occupied in
the examination of these claims, and for the
last ten or twelve years they have absorbed
the means of the Treasury to the extent Of
from fifty to eighty thousand dollars annual
". | am informed that claims are now be-
ing pressed for damages which it is alleged
the Commonwealth incurred more than twen-
ty years since. 1t must be most difficult
task for the Canal Commissioners to ascer-
tain all the facts in cases so long deferred.
! suggest the propriety of disposing of this
subject by some summary mode of proceed
ing.
In conclusion / beg to be INDUCED in a
suggestion on the subject of special legisla-
ton. l am confident that the General As
sembly will agree with me, that some reform
on this subject is much needed The vol
umes Of our laws for the sessions of 1850 and
81, compared with those OF previous years,
shows that our legislation is increasing to an
alarming degree. By reference to these vol |
umes, for the years | have named, it will be /
seen that but comparatively small portion /
of the laws they contain arc OF general |
character, being mainly for local or private !
purposes. These volumes when compared !
with the statutes enacted eight or ten years /
since, or with those annually enacted by Con- |
gress, or any of our sister States, swell into /
an astonishing magnitude. This evil is on |
the increase, and it seems to me that rem
edv is imperiously called for. Much may be |
done to arrest this evil by the adoption of a
few well digested general laws. For the pur-
pose of attaining this desirable end, respect |
lively suggest for your consideration, the pro-
pricty of constituting a commission of two or
three experienced legal gentlemen. whose I
duty it shall be to prepare general laws TO
meet this object, TO DO submitted to the con-
sideration of the next Legislature. / know
from experience how difficult it is for the rep