The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-04-02
The board ~, Public Works.

Inc late special report Oh lnt DOaru oil
Public Works, has been an unexpected but
welcome god-send to the dispirited whiggery
Of Ohio. From the State Journal, down to
the pettiest shin-plaster sheet, it has been
seized hold Of forthe purpose Of bitter de-
nunciation, and we are sorry to see that q
few democratic papers have been induced,
over-hastily, to join in the hue-and-cry.--
But the hopes Of the wings, in using it 10
break down the democratic party, will be
as short livedas they are foundu tionless. -
The board are in the right and they will tri,
umph.
The sum and substance Of the whole mat
ter is, that the faithful and vigilant agents o
the State have made an effort to prevent the
railroad companies from injuring the navi.
cation Of our canals by constructing bridges
over them where and how they pleased, to
prevent them from destroying, by unfair
means, the revenues which the State now de-
riyes from its canals. Do the board wish to
prevent railroads from crossing the canals, Or
to say that they shall not reduce their tolls to
the lowest profitable standard? Nothing OF
the kind, But in bridging the canals The
board desire to have the power of saying tina t
1t shall be SO done as not 20 injure the navi-
CATION, and in fixing tariff of tolls, that the
companies shall be forbidden TO make such
determinations as, without benefitting the
business of the State as a whole, will de-
stroy the business of transportation on the
canal, and give complete monopoly OF it
to these glasping and crafty corporations.
Take some instances. At the late injunc-
tion trial at Mount Vernon, it was proven
BY all the witnesses who were mostly rail-
road engineers, that the bridge in question
was not suitable one, and that il was iniu-
rious to the canal. But the railroad Attor-
ney had the audacity to declare that the rail-
roads would do us they pleased, even if it
became necessary to fill up the canals. As
instanceso injurious determinations in tolls,
it may be stated, that -four is taken from
Newark 10 Sandusky, at about one-half of
what is charged from Utica, twelve miles
less distant from the latter place and from
Dayton 10 Cincinnati at about half less
than from Bellfoutaine to Sandusky. A
child may see the object Of this discrimina-
tion. 5fs
But is the Stale at large benefited by this
arrangement? Not at all. II is merely
filching from the people in one section OF
the State what is bestowed upon those in
another section, while it is taking away the
revenues of the State, and putting them in
the pockets of the companies. In other
words, as the deficiency of revenue must be
made up by taxation, the people are taxed
for the benefit Of these railroad companies.
Now the canals Of our State are improve
ments in which every tax payer is a stock
holder; and we are inclined 10 believe that
these stockholders will not be willing to have
their dividends snatched. from them by any
kind of corporation jugglery. If the rail-
road can by fair means sunderwork the canals,
let them do so. Nobody will have right
to complain at least, after they are paid
for. But they cannot do this as q general
thing. After the roads have reduced their
tolls to the lowest profitable rates, the canals
can still do large share of the business
Besides, railroads create business Of their
own, and II a fair course is taken, there will
soon be business enough for both. We have
no fears for our canals, if the competition
between them and the roads is conducted on
fair and honorable terms. Let the roads have
the true democratic liberty of doing what
they like, so that they do not infringe upon
the rights Of others.
When this storm has blown over, as it
will blow over. it will be seen that the ele-
ments engaged in the strife, were faithful
ness, honesty, and the public good on one
side, against craftiness, dishonesty and pri.
vate interests on the other. Can any doubt
on which side democrat will choose to be
found? .8s
English and American Mail Steamers.