Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-01

1'Is this existing road to be made shuttle
cock and sacrifice to the growing s'rusei'
and rivalry for ascendency between the com
; mer ial market OF Portland ana the thanui"e
Z t.-ine market of Lewistons
r. % attempted, is it not the obvious duty
The legislature. and only just to all CON
oi-ned. to so direct its action on the subject
~ % make the belligerent pruperty-holders OF
90, two cities so seeking hostile benefits, to
t.S,mnify the stockholders and bendholders
- Zach corporation, against the sacrlhces
49, their conflict will impose upon the
latter? 40 n
Tic investment to construct the L. .. Z.
p.ad vas made. and has been conducted to
tho present day, with special reference TO the
Seemingly natural and appropriate connection
bv raj; of the Androscoggin Valley at canton;
exclusively with the market OF for'iaho' anu
its ADJACENT roads and navigation III was d
mart of the adopted railroad pohcy Oh .he
State to dc so. Had cross-road' depehaeh'
for support upon that same interior region
been conceived at the same tiihe' can any III.
,a,l;cpnt mind believe that more than one oil
,hn t,ro enterprises could have received the
co,,n,anauce of the legislature? do not be-
Eeve il. And if not countenanced then, why
.b,ph II he now. when an absolute sacrifice
,f two enterprises, one completed and the
other not begun. must of a certainty follow
instead of preserving the safety and prosperity
of the one, in the spirit of that protection
which first called and encouraged it into eX-
istenec? a
When entire reliance cannot be reposed in
the integrity of a State policy that encourages
nriyate capital to work out great public I'M.
nroyemeuts. every such investment VIII be-
come mere speculative adventure, ana the
gambling spirit which always ends in no high.
or maxim than ''the Derti take the htndmosf,
will alone bear sway. The extent Of honor
abb. prosperity. which Stale resting upon nc
higher axioms can attain. is not OF dilncui'
adneasurement. nor mythical problem. But
the calamity will fall heavily upon those VINO
lived and invested their means in public i'm
proyements, anterior to such lamentable de-
cadence in the morals of craftsmanship.
The constitutional power of the legislature
20 grant the franchise asked for by the Lewis
ton petitioners, is not disputed by me. In all
such cases this power is wisely vested in. II
not always safely exercised by legislative dis
erection, Hitherto, in the State OF Maine,
believe il may be made the boast OF her citl-
zens. that this legislative discretion has unl-
formly been both wisely and safely exercised
even more. exercised with scrupulous JUS
tce towards ALL Even parallel roads have
not been granted, except AT such distances
from each other and upon extended lines, as
justified the expectation OF compensatory
support to each. In no instance that am
aware of have they been granted to draw from
a region of country, already appropriately
connected with central market, the indus
trial patronage of that country, for the special
benefit of a rival market. thus weakening the
general industry, under the illusory pretence
Of beneftting it, by the creation of rival rail-
roads. as well as rival markets.
State policy encouraging and involving
such antagonistical results, however specious
upon paper, or earnestly advocated, or per-
sisteatly pursued, has no claims for support
upon the tested science and principles of po-
litical economy.
1t can only end in public Inconvenience
and private disasters. All such collisions of
interest are better suppressed in the bud than
encouraged to ripen into reciprocal ruin. And
the legislature of the State must always re-
main the great eonseryator of the private
property and rights of the citizens, as well as
Of the general welfare, by the exercise of that
rigid discretion and protection that makes the
weak the equal of the strong, when the appeal
is made to it for impartial and unbought JUS
tice. All OF which is respectfully submitted.
February 81, 1870.
Francis O. J. SMITH.