Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-09-12
State Management. of Public Works.

State Management OF Public Works.
At length general movement seems
likely to take place throughout Northern
States in which the State authorities are
charged with the management of public
works, to get rid Of this source of cor
ruption in politics, and this almost certain
guarantee OF the unproftableness of mo-
ney so invested. Time and again, the
people of Pennsylvania have unmistaka-
bly, expressed their disposition to divorce
their government from such finished
works; but in vain. The professional
politicians of both parties have, so far,
always combined, successfully, to defeat
this purpose; the ms, because they were
In the enjoyment of the plumber; and the
outs, because they knew that their turn
would come sooner or later. The terri
bic financial embarrassments under which
Pennsylvania labored so long, were, for
the most part, the result of intentional
Encouragement of funds raised for the
construction of railroads and canals. In
some instances, works not required at the
time in the localities where they were
constructed land, therefore, failing to pay
were built for the benefit of cliques of
specializing politicians; and, in all other
cases, this pestiferous class ''tolled," for
the benefit of their own pockets, large
per centage of each dollar SO raised, or
subsequently collected off the business
community. In New York, as all the
world know, the fact that the State has
long had control of all of the canals there,
has generated the shameless condition of
corruption prevailing in their Legislature
at Albany, and, subsequently, extending
its influence, by the force of example, to
the Councils of the city, whose revenues
and expenditures are far larger than those
of most of the States; reaching, at this
time, the enormous sum of five millions
per annum, if we remember correctly.
There seems a singular fatality ruling
that all public works in the Union man.
aged by the States, shall be mismanaged
and proftless, while those wholly under
individual and corporate control render
satisfaction, and put money in the pockets
of the stockholders, as general thing.
Virginia, we fear, is about to run race
with New York and Pennsylvania in this
work of corruption. At the late Conven-
ton, modifying her State Constitution,
the Democrats succeeded in DESTROYING
well-nigh all the patronage of the State
Government, dividing it out among the
voters in the different localities. As
though demented, their leaders in the
Legislature, shortly afterwards, went to
work to undo all the good they had thus
done in Convention, by forcing through
law for the management Of the States
public works, thereafter, so as to toss
contracts, and posts of all grades in con-
nectiOn with them, from the post of
breaksmen and lock-tenders up to the
presidencies Of the companies, into the
political arena, as so much plumber to be
contendcd for by bar-room and crossroads
politicians. The end there, is to be scuf.
fling and scrambling among unworthy
men for the chance of plundering the
State Treasury and the business public,
by means Of connection with the various
Virginia canals and railroads. Never
was a moro unfortunate step taken for the
true interests of State, than was the
enactment Of the existing Virginia code
upon this subject. Passing it, was driving
the first nail into the coffin of the far
famed integrity Of her State affairs, which
up to this time has very properly been the
boast of her sons, wherever they went.
New PUBIICATIONs.-We arc indebted
to Taylor & Maury for a copy of Leonard
q J. L. ~ -