Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-11-10

Market Street.
The Star will be furnished to Whining
ton subscribers at SIX AND QUARTER CTS.
PER WEEK.
The Government in Connection with the Con-
struction Of Railroads.
We have been attentive readers upon
the Pacific Railroad question, and con-
clude that our wisest course upon it is
quietly to await the Development of the
various projects which will be brought to
the notice of Congress, before expressing
any settled opinion upon the subject. 1t
strikes US that III this determination we
stand with three-fourths of our fellow
citizens of all the States. All realize the
importance of the work, not only to the
United States, but to the whole CONNER
cial world and all anxiously desire its
construction. Yet few, we trust, would
willingly see an unconstitutional prece-
dent set, even for the accomplishment of
this object. While none, except hand
full of spectators who might be thus pro-
fitted, would be willing to have this work
made the means of taking money from
the Treasury to be transferred into the
pockets of favorite schemers, rather than
to secure to the world such road, at the
smallest possible cost, and at the cheap
est possible rates for its use. While we
confess that, so far, we have seen no plan
for its construction directly or indirectly
by means of Government aid, which strikes
us fayorably, we are perfectly willing to
bide the Development Of the many en-
bryo projects which the next four months
may bring forth, in the hope that some
thing may appear which our sense ofduty
will allow US to advocate.
However, in the matter of the construc-
ton of railroads through the public do
main, We are convert to the system of
donating alternate sections. While the
new States have profited to an incalcula-
bic degree from such Congressional legis-
lation, the Treasury of the United States
has been greatly benefited by such dona-
tions; and the States east Of the Alleganies
have received far more advantage from
this use of the common land fund, than
has accrued to them, so far, from any
other disposition made Of this common
property of all the States. These are
facts well understood by all intimately
acquainted with the history of our public
land system, and with the great leading
facts developed in the progress of our
country. Nine-tenths of the lands dis
posed of by Congress to aid in the con-
struction of railroads running through
them, would, 9th erwise, to this hour. have
been unsuitable. Not only has the Gov
eminent price of $3.50 peg acre been
eagerly paid for the reserved sections, but
everywhere in regions where lands have
thus been appropriated, have otherwise
worthless tracks been promptly entered
ut the usual minimum of Sl.25 or with
scrip. The construction Of such works
has stimulated settlements, agriculture
and the useful arts in the States where
they are undertaken, far more promptly
than such results flow from like cause
in the older States. In this way are the
new States principally benefited by them.
The States east of the Mississippi share
in the general advantage in various ways.
In the first place, the ample remunera-
ton which all descriptions of labor now
obtain on this side Of the mother of
rivers, may. in good part, be traced to
the prosperity of all in our great West.
That fact creates the demand for labor
there, which carries off more than our
surplus of laborers in every walk of bu-
siness, and also makes tremendously
heavy demands upon the labor of those
W tiuii tIlc otlSillcSS vi Tile
West which must be done in the East.
The reader will please turn his minds
eye to the business of the Erie canal, the
pennsylvania through railroad and ca
nais' the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
anu OF the manufacturers, merchants and
mechanics of the sea coast in immediate
connection with western demands nnon
them, to understand precisely what we
here mean. Indeed, the Georgia, South
Carolina and Tennessee progressing rail-
road connection, is beginning to do for
the extreme southeast, what the Erie ca.
nal has long been doing in the way of
western commerce for the North. In