Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-03-21

by the company under the supervision and su.
prescription of the Governor. They are al
lowed to draw one million Of bonds, convert
them into money, apply that money to the
work q suitable agent appointed by the Ex-
ecutive to estimate that work and that appli-
cation of funds reports back, if that report
be satisfactory they are allowed to draw anoth-
er million and SO on until the road be com.
pleted. Under this arrangement where is the
opportunity for wholesale profigacy? If the
bonds are not all needed they are in the safe
keeping Of the Treasurer.
| This is purely business question, matter
of dollars and cents, and | wish to examine it
and advise the same course of action that |
would if sustaining personally to this company
| the sa ne relations that are sustained by the
| Commonwealth.
| But at this point allow me to say few
things of general character. There seems
to exist, in the minds of many, a prejudice
against corporations. / have heard on this
| floor in the other branch of the Legislature
and out among the people, keen, biting, sar-
castle remarks about corporations. They are
denomlnated anacondas," overshadowing
monopolies," "agglomerations of power and
meanness," robbing the State and running the
poor man. Now, sir, what is a corporation
! Simply this an association of mind and
money, combination of talent anu capital
for the conducting of great business enterpri-
seS and such associations are an absolute ne
cesSity, arising from the very nature of things
| Here is railroad to be constructed through
the heart of the State, coupling cities and seas
| together The work is too vast for the ca
pacity Of any one individual an association
is necessary. We need a currency, constitut-
ing our circulating medium. This requires
banks and banks require associations. We have
immense mining fields, immense ore interests,
| but can individuals, single-handed and alone,
carry forward those vast money rsing and
money making enterprises Any man that
afirms it is poor philosopher aud worse f.
nacier If we have railroads and banks,
mining operations and manufactures, steam
! boats and insurance Offices, then must we
| have associations of talent and capital, call
| such associations by what name yoa please
! Do you ask NE why make these remarks p
| | make them, sir, that my words may ring out
upon the ear of the country. that honest-mind-
ed men may look at this subject in its true
light, and no longer cultivate prejudice
against associations which are absolutely ne
cessary to the development of the Common
wealth ard the carrying forward Of its almost
immeasureable business enterprises.
These corporations have added vastly to
! the greatness, wealth, and progress of the
| State. Instead Of waTr;ag with the poor man.
they furnish him with work for his hands,
market for his produce and money for his
pocket, and by their internal improvements
give an increased value to every acre of land
he may possess. But the ether day, at your
command | went from this place to the smoky
city on the other side of the AllegheueS, and
a man that has never traversed that road has
never seen grandeur. Why sir, as | looked
upon that iron track following the windings of
| the Juniata, to the base Of the mountains then
pursuing its serpeutne course through the ra-
vines, dashing through wild gorges, leaping
! from cliff to cliff, tunneling huge hills, and
emerging at last on the western slope Of the
! Alleg ghenes, coupling the head waters of the
Ohio with the wavy pusations Of the Allan
tic, and forming an artery of life between
Pi.tsburg and phia-whca / saw all
this, | was constrained to exclaim, aside from
all questions about tonnage tax, surely the
State should think we'll of the men who have
constructed this immense, this monumental
work. When | observe those vast enterpris-
eS originated and carried forward by corpora
tionS, my prejudice against them is essentially
mitgated.
| know of no company that has shared so
largely in public obloquy as the Sunbury and
Erie. Their reputation is more diIapidated
than their road-and whether this is more
their fault than misfortune, their future con-
duct will enable US to determine. The com
pleton of the road according to the provisions
of the bill before US, will be at least partial
vindication of their good character Anoth-
er general remark that l wish to make is,
touching the duty of a representative to obey
the wishes of his constituents
| have heard it said by individuals about
these halls, when speaking of some general
Act it is right, it should be passed, would
like to vote for it, but we dare not, it would
kill US at home, we never could be reelected
in all coming time" Now sir, whether
here or elsewhere, this is my position in mat
ters purely local, affecting my constituents
only, it is my duty and my pleasure to obey
them to the letter-to consummate their wish
es as far as those wishes are made known to
me, even though | should differ from them in my
opinion. But when we come to general laws,
laws that affect other constituencies more
than nine, and reach from the centre to the
circumference or the State, l an not so close
ly bound. In local matters we are the indi.
vidua districts in general matters we are the
individual representatives of the whole State
Besides, standing upon this hilltop hearing
what | hear and seeing what / see, | can un-
derstand questions Of wide State policy quite
as well as men who are far removed from the
scene of action and have not these favorable
opportunities to understand and rightly judge
of any given subject. l respect the intelli-
gence of my constituents in schools, in read