The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-02-28


certain the advantage to the Company
can only DC in the Increased business OF
the road, consequent on the reeaovai OF
the burthens which oppress the industry
of the people: SO that ell the gain that
can possibly accrue te the Company lies
in the development Of the resources OF the
State This progress Of prosperity may
certainly ,ae secured by union OF action be
tweea the Commonwealth and the Com
pany-each, in its respective sphere, MUD
full of the great trust with which the poo
pic have Invested them, for their own ad-
vantage.
In addition to this reduction Of the rates
OF freight, the Company will anticipate
the times of payment for the Main Line.
BY the terms OF purchase, the Rairoad
Company is to pay SI00, 900 annually un-
til 1890, and interest on the balances Of
principal remaining due, semi annually.
The payments thus diminishing every
year, as the principal IS decreased by the
annual payments
The Company is now willing, in place
of this, to pay $3.50 900 yearly, III semi
annual payments, towards the extinguish-
ment of the State debt. 1t has already
beenarithmetically demonstrated that this
payment, added to the ordinary treasury
surplus, viii speedily relieve Pennsylvania
from debt and her citizens, consequently
troia all the taxes which are necessary to
meet the interest thereon.
1t is Of incalculabie importance not only
to the stock holders and bondholdcrs Of
the unfinished Railroads but to The public;
not only to local, bnt to general interests
not only to the several Companies, but to
the State at large, that the various lines
named already, should be conpleted.-
They traverse the Counties OF Allegheny,
Washington, Fayette, Westmoreland, lu-
dada, Armstrong, Butler, Cambria, Bed
ford, Huntingdon, Blair, Cleartield, Milf
fin, Centre, Franklin and Fulton, (whose
citizens have mainly borne this unequal
tax)-and will form, when completed in
connection with existing lines, a network
of Railroads covering most Of the State,
diffusing universal prosperity. Who can
estimate the material progress to be Sc
cured by these improvements, or the in
creased revenue OF the Commonwealth
resulting from the enhanced value Of
property? The aid offered By the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company to these un-
finished roads, sanctioned by the State
and applied in such manner as to stimulate
local effort, Will probably assure the COM
pletion Of most or all of them.
REHABILITATION.
It is submitted that the tonnage tax
should be commuted according to the fore
going plan, because
Frs It is manifestly fair, just, and
ar.,,;taIlo f,. ~ ,1,oo. oil ,o,,tae
transportation upon perfect equality,
SO far as the same can be effected by leg
islation.
Second The repeal Of the tonnage du-
ties imposed upon the trade Of the Com
mouweaitt, is denanded BY the highest
consideration Of public policy, by the
purest integrity, by the clearest good
iaith.
Third It is required by public policy,
because it is crushing burthen upon all
the business which flows through one OF
the great arteries of trade in the State
1t positively excludes from our Common
wealth very large amount OF business !;
for the tax is so heavy, that it finds Il
cheaper access to the sea-board, through
untaxed channels of communication lead
ing to cities in other States
1t taxes raw material so heavily as TO
prevent its transportation, in many cases,
and thus oppresses the industry and skill
which would be expended proftably to
our citizens, in converting that raw ma
terial into manufactured articles.
1t taxes certain classes Of our citizens
to exclusion Of others, discriminating at
the same time against those least able to
Dear it.
Fourth. The repeal of the tonnage tax
is demanded BY the purest integrity, for
it was originally imposed only to protect
the Main Line OF Public Works from an
anticipated loss Of revenues which never
in fact occurred. The building OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad, being in effect the
same as extending the Columbia Railroad
from Harrisburg to Pittsburg, produced
an increase OF revenue on the Columbia
Railroad, exceeding in value that which
Was lost to the Canal, 50 that the reyen-
ues Of the Commonwealth wee increased
instead of being diminished by the con-
struction of Pennsylvania Railroad and
and this is the more striking when il is
remembered, that in 1916, when the Penn
syiyania Railroad WAS incorporated, the
New York Central aud the New York
aud Erie Railroads, the enlarged Erie
Canal, aud the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road, were approaching completion, and
about to enter into CON petition with our
Main Liue, the cost Of doing business up
on which was too great to lleet this com,