Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-04-08

IS the language Wnlch one or the Richmond
papers applies to the advocates of the Val
ley Railroad, declaring that they are guilty
of ''treason to the old mother" Virginia
We think it full time to let those who utter
such sentiments in the interest Of Eastern
Virginia cities and of the Grand Monarque
of consolidation know that the people of this
Valley. following the lead and sustained by
the approval of Robert E. Lee, and other
eminent citizens, are neither traitors to Vir-
ginia, nor inimical to her highest welfare,
when they declare, that "the longitudinal
dissection of the Valley" by continuous line
of railway is essential to their interests, and
that they intend to have it. In the opinion
of our great Metropolitan Editors, Norfolk,
Petersburg and Richmond constitute the
State. They utterly ignore the great labor
ing and producing classes every where scat
tered throughout the Commonwealth. They
should remember, that under our benign
constitution, cities have ceased to be the
fountains of supply to the treasury; and that
the great agricultural, manufacturing and
mining interests, and the capital invested in
them constitute the broad basis of taxation
and governmental support Taxation on
licenses is almost done away with the
values of property are to be chiefly looked
to for revenue. 1t is these we wish to in
crease and develope, not peculiarly for the
sake of Richmond, or Petersburg, or Nor
folk, or Baltimore. but for our own sake
and that of all Virginia. Let Baltimore
and Richmond strive against each other. as
they may it is for our good the competi-
ton will be sustained. Every inducement
Richmond, and the railways leading to that
city, offer for our trade. is so much in DIM
mutton of the burden which would be upon
it, had we only Alexandria Or Baltimore to
look to 4; and, so, the bids of Alexandria and
Baltimore, and of the roads leading thither-
ward, tend to reduce the charges on our
produce sent forward and On the goods
brought back. And this is what our people
want this is what Virginia's interests de-
mand-free competition among the marts of
trade; and free transit over the avenues of
traffic. If our farmers want Smythe county
plaster, we desire the same cars, which re-
ceive it at the mines, to come, by the Vir-
ginia and Tennessee and Valley Railroads,
direct to Staunton. And SO, when the great
coal fields of the West are opened and our
manufacturing establishments are built up,
we wish free and unobstructed transit for
our fabrics and products, West, Southwest,
East and Northeast SO that we NAV buy
ia the cheapest and ship to the highest mar
Lets. We utterly repudiate- all tariffs for the
great protection Of cities at the expense of the
interests of the interior Let the cities grow
by means of their own energies and enter
prize, and by the prudent and profitable use
Of their own capital. We protest against
the metropolitan idea of building up great
cities by taxation of the farmers, miners and
manufacturers of the interior And what
docs all this "war Of the giants mean, but
this Daily, we see in the Richmond pa
pers, such heavily loaded headings as these:
Baltimore versus Richmond, Lady Bal
timore's new domain, /" baltimore fanking
Richmond" Baltimore 200 miles in the
rear of Richmond, and others of equally
startling import. All the while, the eager
combatants forget that there are some inter-
ests outside of the city precincts-th there
are some people, who don't live in cities and
who, in our Valleys and along our noun
tain slopes, desire cheap transportation
for their products and easy access to the
best markets. We ask what means this
theory Of consolidation-of compulsion to
srade-of damming up the natural outlets of
traffic, and forcing it into artificial channels
towards selected localities? Why, it means
taxation upon production, to sustain cities,
which cannot sustain themselves 1t means,
chat the farmers Of Augusta, for example,
shall pay twenty cents barrel more to get
their flour to market than they would be re-
quired to pay, if other channels were opened
Say, the construction of the Valley Railroad
will cheaper transportation on all articles of
traffic, in the proportion of ten cents on a
barrel Of -four; and, what would be the re-
suit? Why, upon the whole trade OF the
county the saving would be from thirty to
forty thousand dollars year. This saving
is actual increase Of wealth because the
wealth of country consists in the nett results
of its labor. And on the other hand, any
system of policy, Or of supposed policy,
which prevents this saving, is in effect, OPP
pressive taxation upon labor, and tends to
make poor people poorer.
Let the people Of Augusta, then, look to
their own interests. Let them see to it, that
they lose not the present opportunity to Sc
cure one more competing line OF road for
their trade and travel Let Richmond news.
papers call them traitors to the old mother"
if they choose i; yet, conscious of a record
of loyal patriotism and devotion to Virginia,
at least. as fair as their traducers can pro-
duce, let them resolve to look to their own
interests; to bald up their own enterprises;
TO add to their own wealth and population !;
and, thus, will they prove themselves to be
loyal "to the old mother" the sneers Of
Richmond papers to the contrary. netwith-
standing.
In word, let an overwhelming vote for
the Valley Railroad subscription be the re-