Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-04


We publish, 10 day, IL another column, TO
comply with the wishes Of .. friend, an edit
orial from tbe Washington Republic upon
the subject Of the Pacific Railroad, or rather
Railroads. In 60 doing we do not desire to
be considered as indofsing any of its senti-
ments or opinions. To us they seem excess.
lively weak and inconclusive. They avoid
the main questionable right of the Govern
ment to eIpend the moneys of the people in
enterprises of this character, and the benefit
that is to accrue to those upon whom it will
fall to create the wealth that Is to be laid
out in carrying forward the work. sr
There is no objection toa railway to the
Pacific when the time comes to build il, and
men are found willing to invest their capital
in its construction. Bot this time will only
arrive when settlement and population along
the line of the track have created demand
and made the operation of the road a thing
mechanically practicable. The idea that
the work can be made either directly or in
directly Temunerative by the commerce
which it will build up or facilitate between
its extremities, is fallacious for the reason
that commerce is not creator Of wealth,
but dissipator of it--an expensive MAJ
| chinery which gives no return. -'
The question whether the Government
has the legitimate power to aid either by do
nations of land or of money the construction
of railways is not one of opinion, but of fact.
A moments glance into the catalogue of the
powers of Congress, as laid down in the
Constitution, will show that the right to
build works of so'called public improvement
or to make grants in aid of the same is not
there; and this settles the question. Con-
gress has just as much constitutional power
to attempt to open a communication with
the antipodes by boring through the earth,
as it has to appropriate money from the
trebsuIy 10 build railway to the Pacific.
1t is true that the Constitution has become
nearly obsolete, little regard having been
paid TO its provisions for the last twenty-five
years; but it is well enough to bear it in
miDd, for the sake of its founders, who were
faithful men, and intended, when they made
it, that it should have some meaning and
operate as a check, in some degree, upon
legislative licentousness.
The idea that the building of the road
viii stimulate business by making market
for iron, for machinery, for labor, &C., is just
as unsound as the rest. What is gained
when Government employs laborers, and
taxes labor to pay them, buys iron and lays
the burden of the purchase upon the people2
The process is, at best, but very expensive
way of taking out of one pocket and putting
into another-not one that is calculated to
enrich the country or afford any genuine
stimulus to industry. G Hr-
The notion that the people of the United
States are in favor of the construction of g
railway to the Pacific to the extent to desire
that it be done in whole or in part by the
Government, is fallacy. There is not one
man in fifty, taking .he country through
that cares for it, or takes any interest in it
The noise and appearance of popular de-
nand has all been made by spectators and
speculating politicians, aided by newspapers
under their influence. The form that the
thing has now taken-three separate lines
auoss the Observation-Disclosures combina-
ton of bsrpies; and that the biggest swindlt
ever yet perpetrated is in fair way to bt
COT summated, is at least, probable.