Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-31
GOVERNMENT AID TO RAILROADS.
BY DR.. HARE.
FOR THE NATIONAL 1SrEILIGEscEg.

FOR THE NATIONAL ISTELLIGRNCEg.
Agreeaby TO the Constitution of the United States
Government the duty Of carrying the mails and providing
for the national defence resides in the General Govern
exclusively the public high roads being more OF
less subject to national control under that palladium Of
our existence . nation.
Nevertheless the highways on which the mails are
carried, and which during would become military
roads are more or less under the control Of third party
allude to the railway companies, who entirely indie
pendent & the General Government and by the charters
which they their existence to greater or less
tent independent of the State Governments by whom
those charters have been granted.
But just at this time there is favorable opportu-
nifty for the adoption of general system, which should
be mutually advantageous the National Government,
to the community and likewise to the railway corpora
tons which have been created by the States.
The Report of the Postmaster General shows that the
Government been subjected to what he considers
unreasonable exacon and unexpected disappointment IN
the carriage Of mails by steamboats, and railways The
likewise lament tho drowning massacre,
or mutaon of hundreds ofhuman beings in consequence
of the want Of double tracks and deficiency of discipline
in the control of masters conductors, or engineers
AS the companies have not the means requisite for
doubling their tracks and the community have deep
interest in having them doubled the Government to
railway companies coad hardly avoid accepting the offer
It is conceived that the Government ought to act with
great beraty towards the railway companies they
have been Of immense benefit the country and in few
cases have these undertakings yielded the interest Of the
money to the stockholders.
The motives which have induced lsrgesses TO support
the Collins line far patriotic ought to operate in
favor Of railways
If the Government were simply to take stock or bonds
and reissue these securities with their endorsement
by giving currency them they would serve as medium
of exchange for large transactions bank capital
the Of raising money abroad so as to be subst
tute for the export OF specie.
As stockholder or upon bonds the Government might
10 SO FAR as to furnish money credit for the cost Of
track for each railway whether there shall be two tracks
already laid down one to be added.
This participation in the stock Of railway companies,
being mode Of contracting for the conveyance Of the
mails would be quite constitutional as the existing
contracts for the same purpose.
Ii might be expedient that oil persons accepting ap
pontmens which human safety is greatly depend
ant as those Of steamboat master railway conductor
or engineer should be subjected to special law, making
dereliction of duty criminal.
1t has been urged that the proposed innovation would
open doorway to corruption If this be true, it is
Of small doorwsys less subjected public scrutiny.
Every good is less pregnant with evil but is
there any other plan besides that herein described by
which the Government in the performance Of constu
tiona duty get out Of leading strings or by which
the railway companies generally obtain means to
double their tracks as to prevent the mutilaton OF
death consequent to the existing deficiency!
The Baltimore and Ohio railway is national highway
Of high Importance, yet not long since attempt to OBJ
tain loan double the track that great horougfare
wns unsuccessful Since that failure the Corporation OF
the city of Baltimore offered make the requisite loan
but accompanied by condition that through ticket:
should not be issued coupled with this proviso. The
company refused to accept Of the loan
The fact that this attempt to subject national convey
ance to local interests places in strong light the impor
lance that such pecunay assistance should be afforded
by the National Government which be liable tc
ba biased by local interests State Governments
nicipal corporations.