Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-06-12


our capital to other States, has led TO its
concealment here, and has thus 10 two
ways seriously increased the burthens Of
the more courageous aud the more houes'
portions of the people. And it is clearly
then wish, as it is clearly their interest, to
be relieved at the earliest possible moment
Of what constitutes their greatest griev.
ance.
Now, | maintain that as she bnlk of the
taxation Of the people is, and has beeni
sunk in the management of the Main Line
of the State, it is tho duty of the Legisla-
ture to sell that line, at the best price il
viii bring And upon this / remark
FIRST. That there is no reason phg the
State should retain the owaersaip of the
Line. Its construction was forced upon
the State, because at that time, private en-
ter prise was wholly inadequate to the un-
dertaking. Once built, the line was Of
necessity worked BY its owner-no other
party being able 10 undertake its manage
ment. This necessity continues no longer
The State can readily dispose Of it Oh fair
terms to companies fgrmed mainly of her
own citizens, and deeply interested, by eve
ry consideration, IN the growth of the
State. And as managing railroads and cs-
nails is no part Of the legitimate duties of a
State, and never can be as successfully eff.
fected as by companies controlled by prae-
teal men, il is eminently proper that the
Commonwealth, without reference to the
pecuEiary considerations involved, should
dispose of its interest in these improve-
men,s. There being then no fitness in the
States ownership Of the line, and it being
proper for the State to abandon this and
devote itself to more legitimate purposes
what are the pccuniary bearings of the
proposition This suggests the second
remark.
Second. The SL1te shout sii he Main
Line, because fiat Line has exhausted and
is eriausting tie achoie proceeds from the
direct farafioa Of the people. If this pro-
position be capable Of demonstration, who
viii have the boldness to protest against a
sale of that linel And il is clearly sus-
ceptible Of proof both general and
parti,ular-proof which leaves not sbad-
ow of doubt The general proof is this:
Twelve or more years ago the State CON-
menced heavily to tax its citizens These
taxes have been rigidIy colIected--the peo-
pie paying them with view 10 the liquiaa-
ton Of the State debt. Since 1915, over
seventeen mafiOns Of dollars have been
paid By the people to the State, as taxes
upon their real aud personal property -
During this time the receipts from other
species of taxes, such as those on bank
stocks, corporation stocks, State stocks,
charter taxes, bonuses, license taxes, &C.,
have usually paid the appropriations to
common schools and the ordinary expenses
Of government. How, then, have these
seventeen millions been applied? There
can be but one reply: Part TO the new work
on the North Branch Canal, part to the
Portage Railroad, and the balance mainly
to the working expenses of the Main Line.
This has been the receptacle Of the cOntri-
buttons Of the people; yet some citizens
oppose a sale Not one dollar of the debt
has, in reality been paid. 1t is as great
now as when taxation was first resortcd to,
Tue aggregate is still those ponderous forty
millions. That there may be no dispute
concerning the amount Of the State tax paid
on real and personal estate. I subjoin a
statement taken from the Auditor Gener-
ais Report.