Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-22
SALE OF THE STATE CANALS.

The House bill for the sale of the State Ca
na's to the Sunbury and Erie Company, pass
ed the Senate on Friday morning last, and has
probably received the signature of the Cover
nor and become law. The price fixed in the
bill is So, 500,O 900, to be paid for in bonds OF
the Company bearing per cent. interest, Sc
cured by mortgage on the works.
We congratulate the people of the Common
wealth upon the fact that the State has by
this measure got rid of the last rod of public
improvements she possessed, for however much
of wisdom there may have been in the State
building the lines of public improvements which
have accumulated her heavy Indebtedness, there
is no diversity of opinion that the time had ar
rived when a regard for the interests of the
Treasury, and for public honesty and official
morality demanded that the works should he
got rid of.
The public improvements Of the Common
wealth have been for years the fruitful source
of official malfeasance and political debauche
ry. 1t is a fact well known to all who have
any knowledge of State politics, that the Off
ces upon the improvements have been Destow-
ed upon partizans, without regard to their fit
ness, but in consideration of past services, end
present usefulness. 1t is folly to suppose that
such men would look to the interests of the
Commonwealth On the contrary, the State
has come to be regarded as goose to be pluck
ed by any one fortunate enough to be in po-
sition to do so, until peculation and frand and
swindIing are the rule, and honesty the excep-
ton.
BY divesting the State of all her public i'm
provements, the occupation Of the public plum
derers is gone The politics of the State are no
longer controlled 10y the desire Of managing the
public improvements, and politicians must look
to other and more legitimate means of advancing
party success This fact alone would reconcile
us to the present sale, even if it had not other
and more substantial merits.
We look upon the present disposition of the
Canals as calculated to increase their useful
ness, and consequently to add to the value of
the country through which they pass. In re-
gard to the North Branch, in which we have
a special interest, and in which the hopes of
the North have been so long and anXiously
centered, we have every reason to believe that
its usefulness and efficiency will be greatly ad-
vanced, by going into the hands of Company.
We have the best authority for saying that
the North Branch from \ northumberland to
the State line is to be purchased by Com
pany of North Branch men, residing along
its line, who have the greatest possible inter
est in its success, and who have no end except
to make it profitable, at the same time that
they develope the great resources of the North,
and add to her prosperity. If we are cor
rectly informed, the people along the North
Branch will be more than satisfied, that the
plans which have been laid to plunder, and
defraud the State are frustrated, and that a
new order Of things will be introduced, con-
ducing to public morality, and enhancing to
the public the value of this great thorough
fare
The fears that the North Branch was to fall
into the hands of spectators. will not be real
lied On the contrary, the work is to be own
ed and controlled by business men and substan-
tal farmers along the line, who will have no
authority under the law, even if they had the
disposition, to make monopoly of the work
If the price paid for the works is sufficient, and
if the North Branch is to be managed to the
advantage and satisfaction of the public-we
believe the people of the North will be graft
fed that the measure has been consummated.
That both propositions are true, we firmly be-
lieye.