Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-01-04
!. 4. n 81 M rs BeThai's lhs luts.
fian.n

lection Of such men 0nlys I0t tii0 10.
I,eo;slatnre. as are found upon what
seems 10 us the most vital question
81 virginia progress and prosperity
TtEs sntsnsion oftlse wATER IINE-of
some equivalent central line til,okgh
Is tIs ohio. For men who will bel
earnest and emphatic, in their advo-
icacy If system Of Improvement,
founded upon the policy Of one Or
more through lines, with the same
power Of development that the Erie
canal has given New York, and
which also, like that great work,
have power to grasp as much Of the
trade lof the great West as we may
leuitinatcly claim, and bring III
through the heart Of orr State; to
the enricIling Of every part tbcrcuff
liz ENCOURAGEMENT of every interest,
|the upbraiding of our cities and
towns. and the establishment through
Eit IF that commercial independence
and prosperity which it is absurdly
hopeless Is look for through any 9TH
al &
or influence.
IYs an kno,o--fur the history Of
this matter is too plain to bc misun-
lderstood-tha It ID to the adoption
ofsuch q policy as we recommend,
that New York owes whatever is
great and prosperous in her condi-
ton, in comparison with other States
Of the Union. We all know, that
when this policy was urgedupon New
York, her territory was but in the
Infancy Of development; that the
body Of the State was a bowling will
Lderness that so fan from having the
trade Of other States, her merchants
could not even command her own
a part going down the st. Lawrence.
d part down the Susqnehanna and
other rivers while the City Of New
York, having no other support than
the Hudson and the Mohawk coun.
try, and the small trade Of the Sounds,
was rapidly falling behind her com
lnercial rivals. We know that the
construction 81 the Erie Canal chang
cd the condition Of all these things
We know that by it, and it alone,
| the State was brought to d speedy
and thorough development that by
/ il she was not only enable to gather
and concentrate her own trade, but
that of the mighty West. We know
| that the building of this Canal had
the most powerful influence ID favor
OF New York City that it gaye that
City Overwhelming advantages over
ever other rival III the concentration
lof domestic taade, and in the discern
nation of foreign merchandise to the
interior We all know that these In.
4 fiuences have given the Empire City,
that wealth and greatness which Las
made it famous within the entire
lcycle OF civilization, and power
! land influence that i fe'tin every city,
ltown and cross roadIi.I the Union.--
/ We oil know that II has increased tue
aggregate wealth oil New York city.
ifrom fifty to sixty millions in 1918,
Ito orer a THOUSAND MILLIONS in 4 SIS,
i1while the total enhancement of State
and city property has amounted in
that period to at least Two THOUSAND
MILLIONS. We say we1all know these
tfacts, or at least ou9kt ID kno,c them.
for the history of the prosperity ii
New Yorkboth State and city
point too plainly to q single case, fol
leEell the most stupid to misundert
stand il. That cause was the Erie Ca
pa, and the policy Of cheap through
ltraae lines, which lis construction
inaugurated. Some persons, It is
tEne, ascfibed d portion Of the plos-
| perity Of New York, To her RAILROADS.
it should Be remembered that
/ tile railroads Of that State are crea.
! lures of the Canal that they were
born OF, and are now sustained BY the
wealth and business that the Canal
Itself engendered.
Have We the opportunity OF cstabi
/ Fishing through tsale syatem, OF the
developing and concentrating power
'tof that. of New York, or even one Of
EaYgstly greater powerf Four -fiiths,
at least, of the journals of Virginia
have warmly and strongly endorsed
the latter and stronger proposition
The leading papers ofSt. Louis, Gin
lcinnati, Louisville, Cairo, &C., con-
fcede that by such a line their trade
would find its natural outlet and in
tlet, to and from the Atlantic. But
the most valuable concession IN this
behalf came from citizens Of our great
rival for the trade Of the West-from
the statesmen and journals Of the
State and City Of New York. These
statesmen and journals admit, ii Ian,
guage that can have but one constrncs
ltion, the superior advantages Of ..the
ronte that nature herself has traced
Through the very heart Of Virginia, 4
lin its shortness, safety and cheapness:
and in its power to grasp the larger
portion of tile trade ofthe great Test
land interior. 1t has been asserted.
land the friends Of this great PROPOSE.
ltion are now prepared to maintain.
THAT the annual protitsIof this Nv estern
trade, together with thesums it would
u -