Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-10-14

| as public highways, has universally been con.
ceded But the new doctrine now contended
oroperty strikes a death blow at all Legislative
'.onirol, and leaves the people at the mercy of
corporations, so fa- as the state Government IL
concerned. The State can control the manage
rnent of public property. but has no right TO
control the use of mere private property.
The remedy Senator Carpenter sug-
g.-st- is to be found in article first of the
constitution which grants to Congress
the power to regulate commerce in the
several States" This he contends in
.ludes the power to facilitate commerce
between the States, ana under this con-
struction he believes Congress has power
% huild railroad with two or four
racks from Chicago 70 New York, and
throw it open TO the public use under
certain regulations as to tolls. After
arguing at some length as to the copsti-
rutionality of this proposition. Mr. Car
penter proceeds to the consideration oil
the feasibility aud cost of such line OF
government railroad. On this point we
q lote his remarks:
There are plenty of officers in the Engineer
CorDs of the army who could he spared from
10. NJ nothing in the Eastern cities, 10 90 some
thing in the country-to survey, locate ana su-
perintend the building OF such ROAD tllty
thousand Cinnamon could be employed for
three or ten years grade the road. at one-third
what The grading of any other road IN tne couh-
try has cost These and all other materials re-
uuired could be procured by contract, as Inc
Government gets materials for haroors anu oth-
er public Improvements. The only inng need
ed for the work which would cost the Govern
ment what 1t would cost a private party. wouid
be the iron. In every other respect the Govern-
menI would have an advantage what mas
been the po1 erty of the companies, and the no
torious sieaiiag OF all parties employed o! the
companies. The company has usually been
compelled TO mertgageiis road before II was
com pleted. sell its bonds at a fearful discount;
give contracts in which Directors we're inter
ested agreeing to pay twice what the work was
worth. But the objector will say. the steaing
from the government would be much greater
do not believe this. If the government can
not find among our people honest men enough
to adm mister its affairS-men who VIII diSpurse
its funds without stealiug-ihen 1t should stpp,
and pronounce free institutions and govern
meni by the people, failure and an imposs'-
Utility.
Mr.. Carpenter further "ontended that
if the government could build railroad
from Chicago to New York. in three
wears. upon which it should levy such
tolls as would have the effect to reduce
the cost of transporting merchandise
one-half, still pay for its own cOnstruc-
ton in twenty years. after which the
tolls could be still further reduced down
to the actual cost of keeping the road in
repair. then it would not be an ex-
travagance but an act of prudence to do
it: because the government would by
this proceeding lose nothing, aud the
people would be greatly enriched. In
concluding his address, which appears
to have been received with great favor,
Mr.. Carpenter stated he had no parti-
cular scheme to advocate, but simply
desired to direct public attention to a
matter worthy of deep thought.