The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-01-17

their lives in the late war with Mexi-
CO" have contracted for the erection
OF monument, in prominent portion
OF the Capitol grounds, and the
work Is progressing as rapidly as cir
cunlstances will permit. The appro-
Prlatlon of $4,000, to which the commits
siohers are limited, is inadequate
Ior me OBJECT contemplated. The low
est pa Tor the contract was So, 200.
! JOIN the commissioners, therefore,
IN requesting an additional aDpro-
! prIatlon OF three thousand dollars. to
| be used, or so much thereof as NAV
be necessary, to complete the underta-
king.
Your patriotism will doubtless give
a favorable response to this request,
and the enlightened people of the COM
monWealth, rising above selfish and
partisan feelings, will sanction such
| expenditure for the erection of this
honorable mementO. A State that has
been prOdigal of her millions in
the employment of her physical re-
sources and in the performance of ev-
cry noble and disinterested act which
philanthropy could suggest, cannot for
get her gallant sons whose sufferings
and sacrifices for their country have
never been fully appreciated, and
whose remains repose among strangers,
in foreign land, without stone, how
ever rude, to indicate their last rest
ing places, or distinguish their graves
from those of their fallen enemies.
Legislation.
At the last session certain bills were
passed in which the large numbers of
al tiunnS 1annly iptnrn.tn1 tho
responsibility for which after the ad-
found willing to assume, or even to
1t is expected that every legisla-
tor should be acquainted with all that
is transpiring in the legislative
halls. He is not simply chosen to
give his support to certain bills which
attention, but, to be constantly on the
have a tendency to jeopardize the
after real or imaginary wrong has
attention to the trust reposed by his
constituents. One bill, the authorship
and knowledge of which has been gen.
cIdli y uiSCIdIiilco, IJelSocu UOlAl Oi auSIiCo
of Assembly, and was sent in due
form, with signatures of the proper
officers, for the Executive approval in
duplicate. All such hasty and careless
legislation should be avoided, ana the
commence be enabled at its close to give
an account of their participation in ev-
cry act however unimpOrtant. The
I noiS1atnra onnaino If 6nnG frnsh
from the ranks of the people, should
ment and reform. 1t is the custodian
OF the public interests, and any unnec-
essary extravaganza or prodigality
in the expenditure of public money is
reprehensible. 1t was matter of
common notority at the last session
thata number of subordinate officers,
in both branches of the Assembly, were
appointed, to whom liberal salaries
were paid, and who were never seen
at their designated posts, and rendered
no service TO the State. This practice
has been emphatically condemned
by the press and the people, and will
not be continued by any Legislature
which means to acquire a reputation
for faithful performance of duty.
Your attention is respectfully invited
to the law on this subject as con-
tanned in sections fifteen to eighteen Of
the act approved the 7th day of May,
1855.
General RailrOad L0lU.
The subject of general railroad law
has long been agitated, and al
though it has found opponents, but
few objections have been urged against
whilst arguments accumulate in its
favor. 1t seems impossible that any
person can receive injury from its adop-
ton, whilst its benefits may be felt
by all cIases ofcitizens. Even the char
tered companies have no reasona-
BILE grounds for opposition. The in
tentiOn of the proposed law IS not
to deprive them of any vested rights
or franchises but to secure to others
the same privileges and opportunities
for competition. 1t will open new av-
enues to distant markets; improve the
value of property; give new i'm
pulse to immigration; put additional
lands under cultivation; stimulate
trade agriculture, manufactures and
mechanic arts to increased energy;
furnish greater inducements and ia
cilities for travel, and add to our gen.
eral prosperity. Other States have
tried the experiment with satisfactory
results, and there is no reason why
Pennsylvania should be laggard in
the grand march of progress and I'M
prOVement.
Next to the importance of creating
additional railroads on the free prln-
ciple, is the reduction of charges for
passage and freight to minimum rates.
This is a matter that concerns every
! individual. Transportation will in
crease in quantity i'll proportion to the
| reduction of its cost, and as the
| facilities increase and the costs decrease,
| tine more vigorous will be the develop
ment of our industrial resources.
| Railroads will derive more beneht
| from low than from eXOrbitant charges.
| The increase Of travel and trelght Will
| be vastly greater than the increase OF
| expense. The transportation OF aloaded
| car costs but little more than that OF one
that is empty. In matter of passen-
gers alone, it is reasonable to suppose,
that the the lower rates offare, the great
er will be the number of persons
to avail themselves of the privilege
of railroad transportation. The same
is true in regard to freight; for the en-
gine that draws a half-doZen cars, can
with nearly equal facility propel
larger number. Mowever the road
that is worked to it's utmost capacity
must necessarily, at very reduced
rates, acquire greater pronts tnan
one that transacts but small portion
of the business for which it is compe-
tent. The adoption of system of
uniform rates for passengers and