Georgetown weekly news., 1855-01-11

d
proprietor" a shrewd speculator, whose pol
icy is regulated by possessions and inter-
ests," if by Interests is meant dollars. cents
and fractions of cents. Government does
not exist for the sole purpose of making "a
pile" for itself or its individual members: its
policy should have reference to effects
more ultimate" than the time "a prudent
proprietor ordinarily lives. But it is the
suggestions" we would notice. Should
Government donate alternate sections of
land for the Pacific Road, is there man
living who does not believe the remaining
sections would have more ultimate value to
their poSsessor than the whole now have?
especially under a graduated scale ofprices.
And as to "the ultimate effect" upon "all
the possessions and interests" of government,
volumes might be written recounting its in
finite advantages, to every line of objec-
ton. The last is too full subject to open
upon at this time.
But it is too perplexing question to dis
criminate for eleven States and one Terrific
ry; therefore all are alike condemned. Sup
pose "eleven States and one Territory"
should ask Congress for twenty-eight Gus
tOm-hOuSeS, breakwaterS, lighthouses, or
something of the kind: we are answered
"where is the accurate knowledge, the COM
prehensive intelligence which shall determi-
nate between the relative claims of the
twenty-eight?" When? qOhere? Go home;
give up the trust you confess yourself una
BILE to fill; let us look for men who have
knowledge and intelligence. One might sup
pose the finances and character" of the
country nearly ruined by calamity of
railroads, from the gloomy picture of the
message. If constructing roads has really
been so disastrous to private parties, that
should rather be reason for giving assist
ance noac, where assistance is proper. But
Mr.. Pierce is not correct in his particular
conclusion here; nor, do we believe he is in
his statement that railroads have been dis
astrous, to any general extent, to those en-
gagged in them. "The railroad movement" "
as such, is working out astonishing results
for "the West" We can speak of Illinois.
The value of great portion of the area of
that State has arisen at least four-fold with
in five years; and owing to the opening, and
opening in prospect, of the inland portions
of the State by railways. If never a cent
was repaid to the stockholders, the State at
large would nevertheless be immeasurably
the gamer; and SO would many of the indi-
vidual stockholders. l have known men
who have made largely by taking stock in
the poorest road in the Union-the Yer
mont Central. Every such work is public
good. Mr.. Pierce may rest easy in this:
that none of the companies who have re-
ceived lands from him are going to be ruined
thereby.
The nine and quarter millions received
into the Treasury the last fiscal year, from
land sales, was owing in great measure to
the fact that the very roads, over which
Mr. Pierce mourns, had been built, and by
their means those lands became valuable.
We cannot disabuse our mind of the con-
viction that a railroad across the country
would make alternate sections worth more
than the whole land without the road, and
that the far greater and more permanent in
terest of the country would be intellectually
promoted. A CALIFORNIAN.