The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-09-11
Our Railroads and Their Management.
from the Richmond Enquirer.l

The State of Virginia is very heavil, in
debt How much, we do not exactly know,
for We do not know how the West Virginia
problem is II to be settled. The funded debt
October LIST, 1868, was $s5,145, 798.3e. We
presume there IL no material change in the
figures. This large debt implies heavy taxa
ton. To meet heavy taxation it is necessary
that the people be prosperous; prosperous in
all the pursuits of business;-prospero ny
farmers prosperous az merchants, prosperous
az manufacturers.
1t is very much the custom everywhere to
lose sight of the smaller interests of q commt,-
nifty, and cherish only the more important.
This has been an error here in Virginia
Agriculture is sour chief resource and hence
agricultural interests have been more fostered
than the rest. But in our present exigency,
at least, we should remember that agriculture
is not our on interest. We should renem-
Der thataall our interests are extremely I'M
portant; that alliof them should be cherished
and encouraged. sas
Take, for example, the city of Richmond
with its mercantile and mechanical pursuits.
Do the taxpayers. of Virginia bear In mind
what an enormous share of the public burdens
Of the State is borne by this city? Let our
farmers, and let our legislators study the COM
municatien in to-day's issue, and seethe great
value of this city to the Commonwealth. The
city of Richmond is this day paying nearly
one-third of the whole revenue of the State!
Ought not Richmond, therefore, to be encour-
aged? to be fostered? to be cared for in all her
Interests? If for no other reason she ought to
be protected for the sake Of her golden eggs
10 crush her prosperity is TO destroy her tax
able subjects, dry up the States revenues and
impose new burdens on other localities and
other interests e. s4
the great debt of Virginia was contracted
IN aid Of internal improvements; in digging
canals, and building railroads. The money
was expended for the benefit of all portions
OF her people. The projected improvement.
would increase, it was argued, the trade Of
our cities. They would give easy and chear
transportation TO our farmers and manufac-
turers. They would cause all interests tc
prosper and hence all Interests were taxed to
construct them. Our farmers were taxed
and our cities were taxed. In addition &c
their share in the common burden, the cities
made large special subscriptions to the va
rl"us Improvements which particularly inter-
ested them For these generous aids the
cities are now in debt, and to pay the annual
interest upon this debt their people are heavily
taxed as7di ,5.l eDsai
These are very simple truths which we
nave been mentioning; bu.simple as they are
isney are often forgotten. There are many whe
imagine that our railroads should be managed
WITHOUT any reference to the peculiar interest
NJ NJ the cities with which they are connected
me money contributed by the cities was re-
te'ved and appropriated, but the consideration
W oe withheldi There are some who con.
, m;.9 that our roads should be administered
W.T.; WIN slmple reference to the interests of the
'A1nsclsts stockholders; careless of the gene