Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-12-19
A Valley Railroad.

The Richmond Dispatch illustrating the short
sighted policy of the eRiohmond Merchants is
virtuously indignant at the estartling PROPOSE
ton" of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to
build branch from Winchester, along the VAL
ley, to Salem. The Dispatch says ssits effect
would be to dive 1T from Richmond much of the
years been led to expect from Southwest Va,
and the Valley. This simply means that Balti-
more would thus afford market SO much better
than Richmond, that the people of Southwest
Va, and the Valley would trade with Baltimore
be cause it would be their private interest to do
so. Just so the ssMerchants of Richm ond' are
begged to consider their private interest and re-
sist this oppo rtunity for the Valley producers
to seek better pri ces than Richmond merchants
will give.
The Legislature is invoked to "consider'' the
matter. We trust it will do so for the sake of
the interests of the great producing portion of
the pc ople which it equally represents with that
of tho "Comm; ssion Merchants''-a class useful
enough, perhaps, but still which lives upon the
profits arising from this very want of facilities
which requires ssmiddle-man'' between pro-
Queer and consumer.
We ad NIT the propriety of giving the prefer
enes to own State business men, but claim
that the ssreciprocity'' should not require our
State producers to make sacrifices for the sake
of increasing profits at the expense Of the very
producers-eq ually our own State Citizens
Just thirty years ago, Baltimore proposed to
build railroad throughout the Valley, from
Harper's Ferry to the Tennessee line, and with
branch from Stanton to the Ohio River, and
not only not tax the people to build it, but &C.
tually offered to pay bonus forever into the
State Treasury for the privilege. But the Rich
mond merchan is, naturally enough, defeated it
by sppsa Is to "build up your own cties"-and
by promises that the Valley should have better
market at Ri chmond and equal facilities for get
ting there in short time. A whole generation
has passed away and the better or even equal
market is not yet offer ed to counterfeit the
greater expense of getting to Baltimore. Mean
time our producing community has been heavi-
ly taxed to build roads, and all the while borne
the tax upon heir produce consisting in the diff
fer renee Of cost and time required to reach the
best market, amounting, in thirty years, to mil
lions of dollars. This fact alone has discour-
to seek in more favor ed lands the just reward
Of labor.
II our country had reached its maximum of
production there might be some excu Sc for con-
trolling the disposition of Its products to build
up particular cities. But when the capacity of
Or oductien has been scarcely sested, sound pol
Icy would seek to encourage the producer to his
utmost, and expect thus eventually, and more
su rely, to build up cities in which the. surplus
production socks its market.
In that very western country to which many Of
our farmers have IN this last thirty years been
driven, the freest competition in choice of mar
kets has been granted, and, in consequence, all
along these competing railroads the svillages'
Of this thus developed region now exceed Rich
mond in wealth and popu lation.
The cost, asd thus tax, upon the producer OF
getting his:produce to market by railroad Is
increased by each additional mile of railroad
the charge being by the mile. Now a railroad
from Sta union, for instance, to Baltimore, would
be something over 200 miles long, while to
Rich mond, by short track direct from Char
lottesville, would be little 100 miles, diff
ference of 100 per cent. If Richmond fears com
petition W it'll Baltimore under this great differ
ence, for the Augusta trade, it ind icates heavy
charge upon this trade to force 1T to 60 to Rich
mond, notw outstanding. And to carry out the
policy Of requiring Virginia to trade with Rich
mond, mere ly because 1t is in Virginia, regard
less of C ost to the producer, would be to compe'
the citizens all over the State, no matter how
near to Baltimore, and better prices for their
prod ucts, to bring them to Richmond that her
merchants should make fortunes.
It, is time such suicidal policy vero aban-
doued. Let the Legislature now eco Insiders
how it eau best develop the unlimited resources
of the States producing wealth, on which all 9th
or wealth at last depends, and then it will fol-
low, as the night does the day, that eour OWE
cities" will find their true prosperity, and be
ssbuilt up' permanently. Let her commissi on
merchants and her local papers 60 to work, like
Baltimore, and build avenues that will induce
trad Q there; let them make, for instance, the
"short track so long talked of, from tho Valley
TO Richmo nd, thus bringing almost the whole
Valley nearer to Richmond than to Baltimore,
and let them cease whining because, without
those facilities, people are left simply to sell
where they can sell highest and buy where they
can buy cheapest. Hercules helps those who
put their own shoulders to the wheel.
Gen. Grant On Reconstruction.
We learn, says the Richmond Examiner, upon