Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-08-18
RAILROADS AND THEIR
ERITICS SO-CALLED!

1t Is cur duty to watch well, and to
look beyond the surface, for the mean
Ing and import, of the many wild theO-
ries which are everywhere being star
ted into existence, by those who thrive
only by chicanery and cunning in
securing office for themselves (and
Grant like, fortheir brothers and cOus-
ins too. Since Federal politics have
fortunately ceased 10 furnish pabulum
for the hungry office seekers, in sur
veying the field for new food, the rail
road question has been selected, as af-
fordiug, to the dcmagogues, the high
est theme for clap-trap Oratory and es-
says, because it is one of those ques-
tiOns which the people, not having
studied, is by them least understood
and these neophites stand least chance
of having their own ignorance detec-
ted, as they pirate loudly about rates,
the cost of transportation and the like
phrases, whose meaning is TO them a
sealed book.
One of the class referred to, rushes
nadly into print, i'm the last issue of
the Abingdon PirgiRi0n, with fam
ing article, headed as attractively as
the title of Ten Cent Novel, "Shall
Virginia Perish ?'' Notwithstanding
his apprehensions, we really hope not
He roams far back, away to Asia, at
the dawn of Christianity, and Civili-
Zation, follows the rise and fall of Eu
opean cities, ses the Atlantic tyr.
rying for short time OH our seaboard
thence rushes madly over the Allegha-
mics, drives the red man, in his head
long career away towards the setting
sun and by magic builds cities which
are to swallow up us poor denizens of
the East at one gulp as an anaconda
would monkey.
In the early part o: this rapid fight
he tells us that history thus proves
the theory that poor country cam
not rival rich country" and hence
the transit of Civilization and Wealth
to the mighty West; but after cross
Ing the Alleghanies, he has reached
the conclusion that a poor country can
rival a rich ono. and that the danger.
which threatens us is not the irressti-
BILE result of self-evident. and thus
FAR undisputed, truth, but that our
railroads are to work for the East, the
reversal of the lessons of time and that
only by the treachery of those who
have them i'm charge can the Ueyy rich
Vest swallow up the reyy poor East
Most logical deductions, of which
the world is scarcely worthy!
He next prescribes a cure, or uni
versal panacea for all poor countries,
enabling them to override nature, her
laws and history, by the simple ipse
dirt of Legislative Committee and
winds up, with fling. as mean as it
is undeserved at every gentleman, who
has ever dared to differ from his sage
conclusion, closing his prodigieus eff
fort with the startling enquiry who
would be spade?"
Briefly summed up, this article Is a
covert attack on the present admins
tration of the Atlantic, Mississippi &
Ohio acknowledgements he charges
that the decay of Virginia and her
cities. and of every other Interest in
the State, has been procured by inn
proper alliances, entered into by "our
railroads from the Seaboard to the
West over Our own domain" with
steamships at the East and roads out
side the State, at the Westend where
by freigh;s are carried at ruinously low
rates, from New York TO Memphis
and elsewhere and CiSd uersa. Now
there is bUt ono road, running from the
Sc0bodrd to the Vest oUer orr o1Un
d0sRtsin aud that is the Atlantic Mis-
sissippi and Ohio Road.
The reason tChy this precious writer
did.net come out openly and make his
charges direct, was because he well
knew that he cannot prove n single as
sertionwhich he makes; again he SAYS.
that this condition of things was
brought about, by this ne,o wdy of do
ing business, and that /" the time ,pas
and NOT rcry tong ago." when Vir-
ginia Was practically nearer the East
aud West. than she now is. Now his
object here, is to narrow his vague and
uplpunded charges down 10 the pres
Standardization of the road or in
other words, to charge upon CONSOLE
d;nioU, the material death of this
Commonwealth and we mean here to
grove TO the the people of Washing
S5n county that from the very opening
Of the Virginia & Tennessee Road 10
the present administration, every
President has either advocated, or If !
he feared TO do so openly, has encOu :
aged the through business, at rates
equally as low rs the Consolidationists !
have ever done; at the same time levy (
ing higher local rates. by .Jtffy per cent,
than now obtain on this branch OF
the A.. NJ. & o. Road we presume the
testimony Of these gentlemen them /
selves will be accepted.