Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-11-12
"OUR STATE POLICY"

"OUR STATE POLICY"
Tennessee i've hundred miles long over hun
dred miles wide lying nearly midway between the
bread-growing regions of the north and the cotton
growing regions OF the south the fertile plains of the
west and the commercial cities of the east and hav-
ing some of the best passes othe great Appalachian
range must be crossed by various lines of both sys-
TENS. OHIO seeks the south through East Tennes-
see, Indiana through Middle Tennessee and Illinois
through West Tennessee, giving rise to the Cincin-
natl and Charleston, the Louisville Nashville and
New Orleans and the Mobile and Ohio railroads in
addition TO the noble rivers running to the Gulf and
TO the Atlantic. These routes across the three d.
visions of the state are marked by nature as grand
thoroughtares of trade and travel and are without
rivals IN their respective directions.
The leading thoroughfare east and west has not
yet been established. AT the extra session of 1886
the Legislature made an appropriation for the sur
-vey Of "Ccntral Road leading from the Misss-
sipp river TO the Virginia line "as near the centre
of the state as practicable" 4 competent Engineer
made careful examination and partial survey of
the whole ronte, and made elaborate report to
the Legislature in 1887. But the commercial reyul-
sions Of that period having interviewed, nothing more
was done with that report than TO print it The
policy then indicated by the Legislature of Gen
trial railroad, to connect the three divisions of the
state together, 10y grand trunk road near the CEN
ire Of the state, with which every county in the
stone
plank, or iron tracks, WIS wise and judcious and
ought undoubtedly now TO be carried out the route
beng so modified as Ia pass through Nashville the
capitol OF the state The board states have near
" all their central railroads. leading from their
principal seapors by their capitals toward the val
ley Of the Mississippi Georgia, South Carolina
North Carolina, Virginia Mary land PENNSYLVANIA,
New York and Massachusetts all have their roads
reaching towards the granary OF the west which is
traversed by many ike roads in the western states
State pride, well as sound economy, properly in:
duces each state to seek the development of its own
resources, and the relations Of wealth wthnits own
limits central road draws wealth toward it from
nelghborng borders and thus practically enlarges
the Of the state and this is especially true of
state so narrow as But there is higher con-
siderauon pecunariay speaking for the construc-
ton of the central railroad OF Tennessee than any
vet named. The commerce of the Pacific will seek |
its way across the continent by railways to the At
lantc, that Of the Mississippi now crosses the AL
leghanies The easiest made of all our projected
roads within our own territory, is undoubtedly that
from San Diego through New Mexico and Texas. |
and wherever that work may strike the Gulf of !
Mexico or the Mississippi river branch of it will
undoubtedly strike our own state at Memphis or |
above and connect with our proposed central road
through which it viii find practically the shortest
route to Washington and the eastern cities glance
at the geography Of the country Is sufficient to show
I his fact
These four thoroughiares, then are the works to
which we think the energies of the state should be
first and mainly directed until their prompt con-
struction and complete equipment shall be fully Sc
cured Il is folly for the state to be exhausting her
self and sinking her credit 10y dabblng in every
road that may be suggested and it is
madness TO be f3lvoring projects that will tend 10
draw off from her "Centra railroad" that travel and
traffic which it ought naturally TO command Let !
us not be understood opposing the construction Of
any road which individuals williHg to pay for
the more the better. We sirpay maintain that the
STATE should have wel-devised plan Of internaliu-
provements to which she should rieidy adhere. and
that she should give her aid literally and sufficient
ly 10 more important works first and afterwards
giEe her aid, as her will bear 70 other works
pot IN compliance with importantly, but according
to their true position in the matured plan adovted
Such plan has not to our knowledge been pre-
sented by any one, for the double reason that no
one man has the requisite information, and thatit
s not the special duty of any tun1tianary to in
orm himself on the subject Each b Intent on his
own local scheme, leaving The great and common
interests OF the state to run Sato wild disorder