Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-06-30
dhe shfaaudaah 8rrald.
Thursday Morning, June 80, 1870.
THE CossolIDAr1os question has been en-

HE CoNsoLIDATIoN question has been en-
gaglng the attention of many of cur breth-
ern OF the press, especially III the eastern
and southwestern portion of the State.
They seem to be pretty equally divided
In opinion as to the State poli.s of such
consolidation question. The friends OF
the measure are quite jnbilant over the
passage of the iii consolidating the Allan
tic, Chic and Mississippi Roads, while the
opposition are bewailing the States in
terest, aud saying some ugly things about
the Legislature. It is question that we
have not considered Immediately pertinent
to our local interests, and have not vet
seen the great harm aimed at the State
to induce US to take up arms against the
measure. We should certainly oppose
the State losing her interest in her i'm
provements, as We deprecate that provision
inethe New Constitution forbidding the
acquisition of greater interests but the
friends of the bill make a fair argument
Ia proof that this interest will be greatly
enhanced in ratio to the enhanced value
Of stock bonds on the completion of the
entire road as proposed. The opposition.
on the contrary, argue that the surrender
Of portion of the States interest will be
a clean loss, and that instead of building
up Virginia Markets, as proposed, it will
only drain the country of its produce to
the holds of the New York Steamship
Lite, which will be depOts of New York
rather than Norfolk.
We are rather eclectic in our opinion,
neither adopting entire the one nor the
other. 1t seems to US singular that Nor
fclk, with superior harbor advantages
should not compete successfully with the
Northern cities in the shipping trade; and
We believe it the true policy to foster home
markets with discriminating care, when
not too heavy tax on the producer
Foreign corporations have been dis
eliminating against Virginia CITIES and
have deferred capital from investments on
account Of the States submission. Give
Norfolk, or any of our harbor cities an
equal tariff rate for freight, the superior
facilities for trade will induce both home
and foreign capital to develope those ad-
vantages.
The consolidation scheme is, in truth,
designed as coup dtat against the for
eign corporations that have already en-
tered. and are still begging for entrance
into and through the State. and when
completed will be great monopolizing CUTS
feeding foreign markets. Even now the
Baltimore and Ohio Company, like dew
ll-fsh, having already one of its arms
thrown in the Valley, and one 10 the east
ern portion Of the State, is struggling to
extend them around the body, to intersect
eur own roads and to intercept the trade
and travel from the south.
Virginia is backward in the way of all
kinds Of internal Improvements, and as
consequence, in the Commercial and Man
ufucturing interests, and will ever be, so
long as she entrusts these interests to be
developed by foreign corporations and
capital. Instead Of impoyerlshing the
State, these interests actively developed
have been the source of the greatest wealth
of States, as the great eagerness of these
competing cities attest.