Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-02-20

Gov. Wise on In,ern.l 1mprovem.nts.

GOV. Wise on Internal Improvements.
on the IL inst. Governor Wise sent In 10 the
Legislature a Message giving his views on tue
subject Of internal improvement. He conmunica
ted also report of MIR. Fisk, the Chief Engineer
of the Covington and Ohio Railroad. Mr.. FISH
states that the last appropriation to the enterprise
under his charge is SO nearly expended that 1t Il
now his "duty to stop the only remaining work II
progress. and to direct the contractors for the AL
leghany Tunnel to suspend operations forthwith,
He then proceeds to show that the suspension VIII
directly and indirectly, occasion great losses Il
the State.
The Governor takes up the subject at this point
and asks, ais Virginia credit 50 low that She can
not carry on her main works ?" Beyond the losses
enumerated by Mr.. Fisk, he thinks the stoPPag'
will impair public credit. He investigates INT
causes Of the depreciation Of Virginia bonds, ant
concludes that the credit of the State has not ye
been impaired. 1t may be impaired however, o'
panic; and he knows of no more etfectual way
of causing panic, than by stopping The main Puo
lie works of the State on the avowed pretext OF 8
want of means.
The Governor contends that the State has am
pie means to carry on herleading lines oflmprove'
| ment. Her taxes, he maintains, are not as greal
as they ought to be, in proportion to her wealth.
and necessities for taxation. The per cent. upon
her taxable property is not as much by loo pei
cent as it will bear ad Daloren'. But the state
has vast and inexbaustible sources of revenue I'M
touched and unno,cej. She has "2, 900 miles Of
salt water fundum covered with the matrix ofoys-
ter,.n Not less than q millions of bushels Of
oysters are taken from this "fundum' per annum.
worth, at twenty cents per Oushel, the sum Of
As. 400. 900. A tax Of one cent per bushel. which
the Governor recommends, would produce $27o,-
600 per annum Of revenue. Labor in the oyster
trade. he says,s more productive than in the gold
mines of California. GLANDS can earn from two
to ten dollars per capita per diem"
The people in every section Of the State, says
the Governor, are looking anxously to the con-
summation of the main works, and no fearneed be
entertained of their willingness to bear the bur-
thens. He sums up his recommendations as fol-
lows:
LIST. To appropriate Immediately sum sufli-
cient To carry on the Covington and Ohio Rail
road steadily and economically for the next two
years.
End. To enlarge subscriptions to the Southwest
ern Railroad, so as TO complete the same 10 'he
Tennessee line.
3rd. TO enlarge equally the subscriptions to the
Central Road, 50 as to enable that Company 10
prouress with its work for the next two years.
4th To authorize the Covington and Ohio
Railroad to be constructed with a grade Dr'ad
enouoh for two tracks, and with view to con-
nexiou with the Southwestern railroad, at the
most egibe points, and to Accommodate. res
p.ctiyely. The guages of the Southwestern and
Central roads, -,
5th. To direct the Board Of Public Works to
fix minimum tariff of tolls upon all the railroads
and canals, in which the State is party so that
the State revenue may not be reduced by vicious
competition between State lines. And to direct
the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, also, not
to divert that fund, under any pretext of construc
ton whatever, from it's constitutional purpose OF
sinking the priscipal and paying the interest OF
the public debt.
9Th, To authorize advertisement Tor State loans,
instead of sale Of State bonds.
9TH. To organize a system Of revenue from the
oyster fundum of the State.
: 9Th. Toincrease the rate Of taxes ia conformity
to The laws requiring these additional subscriptions,
appropriations and expenditures.
9Th And lastly, to digest these and other meas
ures. | recommend the two Houses TO extend the
session of the General Assembly, for the reason
that if the great measures of public policy, are
left unprovded for by the present session, ! shall
NOT deem it my duty to take the responsibility OF
calling an extra session of the Legislature say
this out of Difference to the will of the present AS
semby ifthey shall decide that important measures
shall not be acted on by them.