The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-01-15

| OF our merchants from foreign countries.
The Treaty of Reciprocity with Canada
has enlarged the field and stimulated the
activity of mercantile enterprise, especial
| " in the Northern part of the State
And the great Interchange accommodates
with our sister States and between differ
ent parts of our own Commonwealth, give
continual employment to large resources
and active energies. Wise le2 e2islation is
never employed in arresting the develop
ment or in cramping the activity OF com
mercial intercourse.
Among the instrumentalities by means
of which intercourse is carried on between
different parts of the State and different
sections Of the country, Railroads may
now be regarded as the most important.
The rapidity and ease of transit by rail
gives to that mode of conveyance deci-
ded preference over every other; and the
number who commit their lives and prop
erty to the skill and fidelity Of Railroad
conductors and other employees, already
vast, becomes, hourly, greater. The
number Of miles of Railroad in actual ope-
ration in this State, in 1855, according to
a statement made by the late Secretary
of State, was 2,5F3 The present num-
Der is about two thousand eight hundred.
These Railroads have cost about ninety
millions of dollars; more than million
of passengers are annually carried upon
them; and their gross receipts are not less
than six millions of dollars a year. 1t is
doubtless within bounds to estimate the
probable increase for the next ten years,
in extent, cost, transportation and income,
at one quarter the present amounts. This
vast interest, affecting vltally so many
other interests, has grown suddenly to its
present dimensions, without system, with
out general organization, and in some i'm
portant respects, without due responsi-
bility. The benefits ofrailroads are such,
and their safety and prosperity is so iden
tilted with the safety and prosperity of the
people, that no proper protection or sup
port should be withheld from them;
5 while the dangers from mismanagement
are so great that no reasonable precaution
against it should be omitted. / respect
: fully recommend therefore. the organiza-
ton of Board of Railroad Commission
ers, with power to exercise general su
! pervision over the construction and ope-
ration Of Il e several roads, and required
f to report from time to time to the Govern.
n or, for the information of the General As
: sembly. full statement of their condi
e tion and management. | cannot doub
e that the salutary influence of such legis
] lation would be speedily manifest in the
: increased value OF the roads and the great
n ~, r. trauol laY. nj
J. A sound currency and secure exchan-
n ges are not less important to the inter
e course Of society than safe means Of trans
) portation. In almost all, and, perhaps
o all civilized communities, the currency i;
composed Of coin and of circulating notes
), convertible into con, supplied either di
IF rectly by the Government, or by Bank
e organized under its authority. In thi
= State the powers, functions, duties and Ii
e abilities of banks have been defined b,
y law; sometimes by special laws under tn
t. name of charters, and sometimes by gen
J. eral laws, amendable and repealable a
N the pleasure of the Legislature. What
N ever difference may exist upon the ab
n stract questions relative to a mixed cul
y rency, none, apprehend, will be foun
e among practical men in regard to the Gel
E. tainty that such currency will continue
e. for an indefinite period, to constitute th
s. actual medium of purchase and sale, i
Fe this, as we'll as in every other State of tt
ic Confederacy. Certainly no power, lie:
= ample than that of the Federal Cover
at ment, is competent to the efectual e1
S cluson of such notes from circulation
money; and no present indication su!
1g gests any probability that that power wi
in be exercised for that purpose.
at While opinion upon this point thus a
r. proaches unanimity, the public judgme
: in this State remains divided upon Il
es question whether the franchise Of han
IL ing should be limited to defn,
e number ofinstitutions, or extended to a
who are willing to give the required sec
lily rites and guarantees against abuse. | ha,
he upon former occasion, expressed n
all preference for the most liberal cxtensi'
- of the franchise. with such restrictions u
al on its exercise as will efectually prote
Il the community against a mere pap
he money currency.
ul- The act to incorporate the Bank
- Ohio and other Banks. passed April
en- 1856, and submitted to the people in &C
gh formity with the provisions of the Cons
he tuition, on the second Tuesday of Oet
Te- Der last not having been approved by
= majority of all the electors voting at tt
Bile election, has failed to become a law.
ge, More recently, the Supreme Court of
md State has unanimously decided that
Iii act to authorize free banking, pass
ors March 2l, 1851, but supposed by so
IN to have been abrogatei by the new G.
are stitution, remains in full force, unaffec
by any provision of that instrument.
de- submit to your better Judgment whet
the sound policy does not suggest the ex
the diency of observing the practical ope
re- ton of this act, and of SO amending
IN from time to time as may be necess
her to protect and secure the interests of
OF community, without invoking the de
ex ion of the people upon new banl
law.
and Considerable practical difficulty
Me- arisen in carrying into execution the
:, Is visions of the act of April /, 1856, for
nese taxation of property employed in b'
mar ing. To determine the precise rate t
the levied upon tie property and means