Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-03-01
From tic Philadelphia Press
The State aud the Pennsylvania
Railroad.


ThF Kat in III aast aasi-
ciaITeFoFt upon the State hnanees Is conclusive
ayfdeuce that our Commonwealth is inafair way to
he relieved from the incubus of State debt. Every
Successive years addition 70 the sinking fund ac
count goes 10 vindicata more clearly than ever the
wisdom Of the legislative policy which carried
througn the sale Of the public Improvements
That measure encountered very serious opposition,
as public sentiment tBrouehot the State was radi-
caiy div fded but At present ie@ or none question
its wisdom.
At the period when the charter for the Pennsyl-
vaIis Railroad Company was under discussion in
the State Legislature, s feared that the Main
Line Of State Canals would suffer serions compe-
tien and this fear was potential enough to induce
the Legislature to insert provision in the act Of
incorporation, taxing all freight passed over the
uew line. Even then there was an intelligent mi
nority in both branches Of the Legislature who
DOUBTED the necessity Of imposing trammels upon
a noble enterprise, which had for its prime object
the direct Development Of the States resources
The then heavy Indebtedness Of the Commonwealth,
and the generally entertained, though erroneous,
apprehension Of a serious diminufioD OF the annual
revenue barely sufficient at that time to cover the
governmental expenses ard the annual interest.
lent some color OF plaushliy and of justification.
10 the policy then determined upoa. But the
reasons which operated at that period, ceased to
have any vital force from the date Of tie sale of
the public works. So soon as the State ceased to
own them, there could be 10 longer any com2eti-
ton, and as matter OF course, no reasonable Plea
whatever existed for tie continuance Of tax made
under state Of circumstances which had ceased
70 exist.
As additional confirmation OF the justice Of re-
pcaline The tax, Il Is ouly necessary to appeal TO
the testimony Of bis Excelleacy Coy. Packer, who,
in his last annual message says ssThst during the
past three years the State has rot ony met all her
ordinary liabilities, including the expenses Of gov
eTnment and the interest on her public debt, but
has diminished her actual indebtedness the sum Of
81 236, So, ,15.' He also shows that there was an
available balance in the Treasury, Gu the day of
December, 1860. of s68I 433,0 His Excel'ency
still further states, that for the past three years
the tax ON real nd personal estate mas been but
mills On the dollar; that for the past two years and
six months the State has received no part of the
tax on tonnage due from the Peunsy vania Railroad
Company and that since July, 1859, the interest
on the bonds held by the Stste against the Sun
bury and Erie Railroad Company has remained due
and unpaid, - and congratuates the legislature on
the fact that, swithout the aid Of these important
sources Of revenue, so great reluction in the
public debt has been accomplished in comparative
" SO short perod.,-
From these statements, it is evident that our
Commonwealth is financially ia a better position
'an she has been for many years, aul that there il
10 good ground whatever for continuing the burden
q the tonnage-tax Rpon the people who use the
pennsylvania Railroad. II is well 10 bear in mind,
~ the examination Of tehae satisfactory facts, that
ane Main Line OF State improvements, previous to
Ne transfer, never produced dollar Of net reve
nue' whereas they now figure, in the data we have
quoted from the Governors message, as contsi- /
Su''os direct annual interest from their sale to
pennsylvania Railroad of s375, 900.
.@ general argument against all legislation cali
s'A'sa 70 act iniutiously upon the interests or
'@eas Ia SO we'll known, and its iustics so univer-