Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-01-27
MEMORIAL
JAXrAEY l3ill. l-55.

Convention held in Richmond. Virginia, ON tue
| 9Th of December last, to momnrallse Congress-
on the subject of refunding 10 Railroad compa-
MES all the duties paid on iron since the an oi
/ March, ls5l and reducing the duties on all Rall-
rond iron hereafter L. be imported beg leave,
respectfully, To call your attention 10 the follow
| ing considerations.
The policy of admitting Railroad iron Tree oi
duty in the infancy of such enterprises, will not
be disputed. 1t Is only contendcd by your me
morialists, that this policy was abandoned before
the reasons which suggested il ceased to exist:
that the Railroad system has not yet been suif-
| GENTLY cAtcnlcd 10 secure the grent oigects
which entitled it to your most favorable conside-
ration.
4 large majority of the people of the United
| Statcs have decided against the existence OF any
power in the Federal Government Ia construct
works of Internal improvement. And vet, the
Importance Of the Railway system 10 tins Yast
cDufederacy, rs n means Of defence III tihe ol
war. seemed to present it to the National Gov
ernment. almost one of national necessity,
aud gave it strong and peculiar claims on the los
tcring care Of that Government. In strictly
economical point of view, the system Is OF meal
culabe value TO the milton. The use of Rail
roads has completely changed the whole science
Of ratification The power OF concentrating an
army rapidly, at my point where the country
may bo attacked, will save to the United States
hundreds of millions in certifying our eoast. An
army can now be moved in one day, distance
which would have required thirty days at the pc
rod of our last with Great Britain. BESIDES
the Importance of Railways Us an arm of military
defence. in conflict with foreign foe no states
man can close his eyes to the fact, that they are
absolutely essential to the continued union OF
this large famy of States. Nothing else could
have bound together people So widely separa-
ted by space, and still more widely divided by
conflicting interests.
In the absence of all power, on the port of the
general Government. to engage directly IN the
construction of works so vitality important to the
common defence aud the very existence Of thai
Government, it became important to ascertain by
what constitutional means the same end could be
Effected \ ready solution OF this problem pre-
scented itself in the simple proposition that the
Government Shouid let the Railroads atone. 1t
was believed, and nth reason beiiered that if the
Government would abstain from throwing any
artificial obstruction in the way of these Rail
roads, the people and the States would make
them. 1t has been always deemed both consti-
tutiona aud eNpedicnt to exercise the power of
laying duties on imports, rs to protect the
manufacture, in the United States, of articles
essential 10 the national defence. Surcl y ii Is
not less So to abstain from exercising that power
10 attain the ~une end. M subject could pos
sesS higher claims ON the favorable action of Con-
gress, more imperatively demand the exercise
/
the advancement of the Railroads OF the nited
States
The relief of Railroad companies by the re
funding of duties already paid, and the reduc
ton of duties hereafter to be paid, for II limited
number of years is II measure which would hene-
fit all classes of society and every section OF the
! Union
No one is 50 largely and Immediately benefited
by every Improvement that cheapcns transporta-
] ton as the agriculturist. The tools which he
USES and the fabrics of other States or countries,
which he must consume, are bought to him cheap
and all which he produces is sold higher
! Take the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad as an
example. Before its construction, eighty miles
was the most distant point, along it, line, from
which wheat was brought--and from thar point
the cost of transportation nearly consumed the
profits. One hundred miles from Lynchburg, on
that road, wheat was prod0cedn large quantities
and fed TO the horses and hogs-nnd ii has been
known To remain three years in the stack and lot
for want of demand. Farmers at that point have
received during the last summer : 50per bushel
at their own doors, for which they ara indebted
TO the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad,
What may be said of one may be said of all.and
without the benefit of railroad sportatlon what
would now bc the condition of the teemlng popu
aiion ol our Atlantic cities and of Europel Rail
roads have securedto the farmer II good profit
for his labor, and placed bread in the mouths of
|
pay the prices created by constantly increasing
demand, without a corresponding supply,
1t needs no argument To prove that the mer-
chant Is benefited by the vast commerce created
by railroads-the mere freight charges ON which
have amounted to about 100000, 900 per onnum
on two roads of this country: the Baltimore u
Ohio and the New York & Erie roads.
1t Is contended. likewise, that the Iron Muster
is benefited by the proposed measure.
Railroad iron : generally OF cheaper quality.
and its manufacture is less profitable than that
of other kinds of iron. Our best roads use about
100 tons of rails per mile of road, and the aver
age l. probably below 80 tons If we assume
the highest amount, or 100 tons, and place it at
an average of $50 per ton, we have $1,000 per
nile Now take the ordinary cost of spikes,
chairs and iron used in bridges calculate the
value of the metal required for the actual mum
Der of cars and locomotives now in operation ON
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and il will be found
that the iron used on railroad, other than the
iron rails, is worth $4,000 per mile of road
Therefore, for every 5000 expended III railroad
iron, there is more than an equal demand for
manufactures of iron of more profitable char
acter. No account has been taken of the ma
chincry and tools used in the shops, and on the
repairs of the road bed, track and bridges. Nor
has any account been taken of the materials con-
sumed in keeping up the road and equipment.
Therefore the admission of railroad iron free,
by encouraging the construction Of roads, is an
actual protection To the producers of all other
characters of iron. This is the true reason why
our rolling mills have made So little railroad iron
They have been more proftably employed, and
the amount of rails rolled in the United States
bears very small proportion to the amount i'm,
ported.
The value of the iron castings produced in the
United States in 1880 was S25, l03.l55, and the
wrought IRON produced WAS worth SD tol p /