The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-06-20
The Ev;, Of Through Freights."


There are no less than six lines through
Virginia whose competitor for the transpor-
tatson Of freights across the State between
teriniui outside of It Is inficting the aeep
est injury upon the commerce OF inc S ms;.
which gave them corporate existence ih.s
competition relates exclusively 10 THESE ot''.
aide freiphts. Tt tends TO steady red'etioii
ar chose freiehts. While there being no
connct;t;on II, the transportation OF freights
from Virginia cities to cities soutn anu
West. of course there is no such tendency
10 reduction of the charges for transpor"
tation. Everybody at once sees how disas-
trously this operates on yirginia..c ommeree,
how the articles shipped from the cities
outside Of Virginia are conveyed at lower
price than the same articles shipped irom
Virginia cities. Thus our cities are deprived
of the advantages in distance which they
have geographically. and our merchants
crippled and disabled in their trade With
districts which are within the proper sphere
Of Richmond.
Without going into the particulars OF this
competition, now more active than ever, We
merely point to its evident and inevitable
tendency to ruin the welfare of Virginia
TO impair the prosperity Of our cities; to
prevent the increase Of the revenues OF the
State {: to prevent the establishment Of great
markets for our farmers here at their DOORS
and to compel them to go great distance
to their disadvantage.
The appeal to patriotism is an idle one IN
this selfish age. 1t is, we fear, q sentiment
which does not form part Of the life oil
railroad corporations. But there is strong
appeal which can be made to them, and
which cannot fail to be felt by the really sa-
pacious men who have to do with rais-
road management.
In no way can railroad so build up It's
own prosperity as by fostering the growth
and thrift of the country it traverses. All
the business that grows up on its route is
its permanent property. The towns, ana
the farms. and the manufactures, which
line its border, or which are created by
liberal and sagacious policy, will constantly
multiply it's transportation and revenues.
Unlike the through freights, their way busi-
ness cannot be reduced by competition be-
low paying rate, nor can it be alienated.
A business like that is one to build upon
and count upon, and its increase is certain.
Every wear brings its increase of produce
and adds to the number of people along the
line and of those whose business or plea
SIRE makes them passengers on the road.
This is the sort of business which makes
n ont sida influences
enables them to regulate their own freight
lists and their own schedules, and some
times to dictate terms instead Of being ever
lastingty dictated to. This is the beautiful
system which acts and reacts, being en-
tirely mutual between the people and the
railroads-the latter helping out the indus
try and growth of the country, and in re-
turn receiving in increased freights ana
travel the reward due to its forecast and
liberality.
In comparison, what is it profted by de- |
voting itself to the facilitating of the bust
ness and cheapening to the lowest possible !
figures the freights of the communities out |
side of the State which chartered them, and
for whose good they were chartered? Small
indeed are its gains from that quarter, and
small they ought to be, since the policy is |
one which breaks the community still
grooming under the taxation incurred to
build it
We cannot think this policy win last. In |
deed, from the vehemence with which its
consequences and determinations are de-
MED, it is implicitly ccnsured by some who
are now pursuing it. Better judgments
will, we are sure, prevail at no distant day,
when the consequences of bad policy are
better understood. These better judgments
will be better encouraged and put in force
by wise and calm appeals to controlling
agencies than by denunciation and invec-
tive. And let us here try it through the
vigilant, active eXertions of our most prac-
teal citizens.