The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-29
!, will Triumph

,,,oher Of small towns which nave peen
.,,etained by limited trade for the want Oh
a liberal system Of improvement, guidea oy
a ,3ee view Of the interests OF the Staoe'
our agriculture was not favorable 10 COM
MERGE. and the large area Of the State gave
Existence to sectional interests which
warred against one another and comoineu
bv turns to carry out schemes by TAXING
the money out of the public treasury.
The struggle for the small towns ana .ne
sections engendered narrow policies. 4 e
ideas such as break Of gauge ana interfup-
ton of lines of transportation as the means
Of forcing . trade, took root as the true
policy of the State. For long years there
was A vain struggle to connect the lines OF
rail in the towns of Virginia. 1t was DEEM
ed of vital Importance to the prosperity OF
those towns that the traveller should
eight" and "take something" not In the
spirit Of hospitality, but with the intention
to get something out of him as he passed.
He must set q snack, take drink, and ride
in the "bus" from depot to depot. 1t was
a genteel form of twisting bucksheesh" "
out Of him. The beggars of the East would
force 1t from him by their uncomfortable
cries-the drinking and eating shops and
"shaye.tail mule" of our so-called "cities'
coerced 1t by maintaining a gap which had
to be filed up with refreshments and
hack.
The connections have at last been made !;
but the principle of stopping trade whether
it will or not, and taking several shaves, If
possible, from it, Is still entertained by re-
spectacle numbers of public men. So we
hear one man eulogizing the policy Of fore
ing a break Of bulk by break of gauge,
and another throwing distrust upon foreign
capital and justifying determinations
against outsiders.
Commerce, in its liberal sense, is one Of
the highest marks of civilization. 1t is
based upon confidence, mutual trust in
merchants, and respect for honor and good
faith; guided by Its principles, there should
be no unnecessary and avoidable burthens
and distractions put in the way Of trade
It should flow through the currents o.
transportation just where the interests Of
seller and buyer dictate to be its proper
destiny. It should be free. To obstruct it
merely for gain to those who obstruct 1t is
way of taking advantage Of the power to
do 80 that is in principle barbarous.
That commerce should be unrestrained
and left to its proper channels is alike the
interest of all. How can city or any COM
munity expect that the currents flowing
towards it shall be left unobstructed, while
1t seeks to take advantage Of other COM
munities by blocking the way to their mar
kets?
Now, here in Virginia the narrow policy
has even been practiced by our own towns
towards each other. And 1t Is truth, that
this city has been a special sufferer. The
largest of all, with the very brightest pro-
mise, she has been sufferer, and heavy
one at that, from illberality and unjust
combinations against her. She is yet with
out single straight line connecting her
with the West-a fact due entirely to the
narrow and jealous ideas that have existed
in Virginia, and In times past controlled
her legislation.
But public sentiment is improving, and
Our railroads are being brought to better
terms by the overriding power Of con-.
merce and the demands of intercourse be-
tween the different sections of the Union
which takes its course through Virginia.
Commercially and politically, Virginia
cannot derive the greatest benefit from the
Union unless she is possessed of the facil-
tiles for social and commercial intercourse
that exist In other States. She must have
the rapid and the commodious channels
which will bring other people than Vir-
ginians into and through the State, and take
Virginians out Of it in any direction that
business or pleasure calls. Without this
people from abroad will not come to Vir-
gnia. Commerce will be restricted to her
disadvantage, people will not be invited
here to make investments, her lands will
not rise In value, her minerals will not be
developed, and she will only linger while
other States are steadily growing richer and
richer, and more powerful in the national
councils.
Change the face of things. Give her the
rapid and commodious lines, and free
commerce. Every branch Of human pur-
suit adapted to her soil will flourish. She
will grow in wealth and numbers, and vie
with other States in power and solid con-
sderation In the nationa! councils. For
instance, imagine that we could 60 from
Richmond to Washington in three hours
and half, and at $S or $3.50; cannot we
see at once that hundreds who would, with
out this rapid and cheap fare, never come
to Virginia at all, will come hither and
that many, seeing her attractions, will in
vest their money and cast their lots with
usf We should have such communication
in and through the State eastward and
westward, and to the North and the South,
and until We do Virginia will linger.
Until the remains of old prejudices and
narrow views about trade and intercourse
are buried, and We have a lively and liberal
system Of rairoading, the bright promises
of Virginia will not be fully realized. When
we have that system, however, our legis-
lators need not sit for months considering
what IL to be done with the public debt. A
thriving people, brisk commerce; flourish
ing manufactures. and prosperous State
will at once solve the problem, and the debt
will disappear rapidly from the public
ledgers.