Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-04-11

tion ofpurpose and determined energy
enable them to advance its welfare e
the detriment Of the State, il should
not rebound to their disadvantage, but
should cause the blood to mount il
our cheeks, that we, the chosen rulers
Of almost an empire, are found unable
to cope successfully with a creature
of our own creation. The remedy foi
this lies with the people. Let them
select men who will obey their will.
cannot forget too, that Senators, upon
this floor, whose integrity no man
dares impugn, have been found steadily
voting against our amendments and
for the bill of the committee. This
demonstrates to the impartial mind
that honest differences ofopinion exist
upon this subject. Senators resident
in the East regard this subject from
a different standpoint than those Of
us who reside in the West.
We can but speak our own senti.
ments, and endeavor truthfully TO re.
present by our votes the sentiments
of our constituents, and in presenting
this question from our point of view,
it Of course becomes us to do so ear.
ncstly and truthfully.
To my own mind it becomes a qucs-
tion upon which broad and compre-
hensive views of our situation and
policy should prevail. In an issue SC
vital TO our future, we should rise
above locality and local opinions, and
losing sight of all else, endeavor "a
find those avenues that will lead our
Commonwealth and people toaproud
and elevated position.
We are Pennsylyanians, and we arc
citizens of the United States. We
owe duties ia both relations. As
Pennsylvanians, it is our duty to throw
wide the door and invite capital TO
enter, TO create a system liberal and
far-seeing, by which the iron rail may
be made to track every stream, 10
climb every hill, and penetrate every
valley in all our broad State, by which
our vast riches of iron, of lead, of coal
and Of timber, may be dragged from
their native places, and made to pay
tribute to our Golfers, aud by which
the agricultural resources of the Com.
monwealth may readily reach theii
most natural markets
As members Of the great Republic
it is duty TO remember that our
geographical position makes us the
thoroughfare of nations that we dare
not take advantage OF that position to
the detrimcnt' of our sisters; that the
grand highway from the commercial
mart on the Atlantic, by the CONNER.
cial centre OF the West, to the com
mercial mart upon the Pacific, lies
through our borders, and that the
commerce Of the world, poured upon
the shores of either sea, in passing
from one TO the other, must and will
enrich all it touches. Shall we close
our doors, or shall we invite il "a
entery Our policy drives wealth.
travel and trade around us the other
pours riches into our lap. Enrich one
part of the State, and the whole is
benefited taxation is lessened, wealth
increased, our cities prosper, and our
railways flourish. Let who will block
the way, it should be the pride, as |
believe it to be the duty Of Pennsyl-
vanians, to throw it open Our true
mission is that of material progress
and in the line Of that mission, free
transit becomes an imperative duty
Standing upon one of the hills of my
own county, ] can cast stone, with
my left hand, into waters that flow
into the Gulf of Mexico, and, with my
right hand, into those that flow into
the Chesapeake bay. At that point
the summit between the Eastern and
Western waters can be passed with
gradients not exceeding fifty feet tc
the mile, and the valleys of these wa
ter-courses run almost beneath tho line
of a direct airline route between New
York and the great centre Of railroads
in the West
Here lies .he great natural thorough.
faro from the seaboard TO the West
In advocating its adoption, am actu.
ated by what ] believe to be the sim.
plest principle in our ordinary affairs.
1t is that which dictates to our com.
mon sense the selection of the most
direct means for the attainment of the
end desired. Here are the easy grades
the direct lines. Trade and travel
seek and invariably find them. Thi.
early adoption brings early develop
ment Refusal to open the door now
but postpones the inevitable future
Philadelphia is not injured by their
adoption, for to-day her great corpor.
atien -~elsa 20 aaonra travail and trade
10 New York, aud facilities are given
by the Allentown route, and by close
connection Ia West Philadelphia, for
easy and rapid access thereto. Its
officers grasp a great truth in estab-
fishing this policy, aud secure for their
magnificent road patronage that a
different policy would repcl II, then
it be true that Philadelphia and her
citizens now aid in opening the way
TO New York, and, by doing so, invite
traffic through our borders, what force
is there in the argument that Phila.
delphia is injureds Trade cannot be
diverted from its natural channels, and
we must act accordingly. 1t then be.
comes a simple question between the
interests of existing lines and of those
TO be created in the future. There
will be enough for both. Our geo
graphical position insures this. New
York lines nay not be able to compete