The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-29
GEORGIA INDUSTRY AND RAILROADS


The Maconf Telegraph authorizes everybody to say
that Georgia has over twelve hundred miles of rail-
road built and paid for and yielding to the stock
holders more than an average Of seven per centum
in yearly dividends. Two hundred miles of addi-
tiona roads are to be added to the present during
the coming season. We do not doubt but others
speaking for their States, might say much as the
Telegraph has said in behalf of Georgia ; but not
perhaps, as truthfuy. Fourteen hundred miles Of
paying railroads is extraordinary show, indicating
the economy of their construction and management,
and the strkingly healthy condition of the people
The Telegraph explains how this is 1.-The State tax
is not quite one-twelfth of one per cent" The gov
ernment then, is economically and honestly admins
tered They have State railroad and even that road
is conducted in fair and just way Georgia. pros
porous, and win certainly be a wealthy State They
not fashionable people. They are content 10 do
business on business principles not to anticipate
their incomes, nor even to calculate in advance how
much prosperity will accrue from getting largely in
debt. The bonds of such State are better than the
bonds of any central government on the globe They
are the obligations Of a people who not only able
to pay, but too prudent ever to incur obligations
which they cannot pay. Their roads have been con
structed to accommodate people who are in exist
ence, and not for generation yet unborn They are
building up from the foundation and precisely as the
demands of travel and production indicate. They
not spending money to make State, but to ac-
commodate one already made The Telegraph says
further tE s e-@ .. .s3
We have cotton and wool and paper factories rolling
mills foundries, and machine shops, merchant mills
marble yards, gold and copper and coal mines all in a
Hourishng condition. and remunerating the proprieors
by handsome returns on the capital invested 1-
he cotton crop Of the present year will bring twenty
five millions Of dollars at present prices The crop Of
cereals Is worth twice that sumthe sugar and tobacco
crop not being included in the account.
The State debt amounts to about millions and
tax Of fifth of per cent would pay it in two
years Our banks are solvent-our merchants in the
best of credit and the people generally out of debt with
full crops Of cotton, corn, &C., hand The country is
healthy with the exception Of the epidemic in Savannah
We have six male colleges and colleges for the fair
almost every village containing five hundred inhabitants
In the State Looking to this statement of facts there
State in Chrstendom in the enjoyment of many of the
material elements of comfort prosperity and
the great State of Georgia? IT. then this time she
occupies proud position what will she be when all her
projected lines Of railroad compleedwhen the mines
Of gold and copper and coal that lie deep the
bosom Of her mountains opened and their rich de-
posts brought to marketY When instead of but fourth
she has of her rich lands in cultivation the full
half of the rich valleys in the north shall bear golden
harvest and the plains of the south and west shall be
white with the Kingly stapea When that day shall
come, Georgia will not only be the Empire State of the
South, but the Empire State of the world. I" ..