The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-26
SLAIN AN THE a0UsE OF THEIR
EREENDS,

tered by the wicked Mr.. and Mrs. Mac
beth, while passing the night in fancled
security at their hospitabls mansion, than
Mr.. Moucure Robinson's Bay Line, aud
the Seaboard and Roanoke, and the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac rail-
way companies have been by the leading
paper of Norfolk--the Journal. That pa
per does not agree with its contemporary,
the Day Book, from which we quoted some
extracts on Tuesday, that the Bay Line
and the Seaboard and Roanoke road are
the sole hope of Norfolk, or that they are
of any very material benefit to that city
in any way; and, therefore, it does not
share In the fear that an all-rail line from
Richmond to Washington will bring abso-
lutte, unavoidable and rretrievable ruin
upon tho beautiful "Cty by the Sea"
1t, in fact, treats the whole matter with
an indifference bordering on contempt;
and seems rather to take pleasure in the
threatened disaster to those hitherto
naughty and imperious monopolists of the
South Atlantic coast trade and travel. In
referring to the commotion that has been
caused by the application Of the Alexan-
dria and Fredericksburg company for an
amendment to their charter, which shall
authorize them to continue their road 60 on
to Richmond" by the way of Fredericks-
burg, the Journal Of Tuesday very CON-
placently says:
The battle now going on between the GAIL
rail line' from Richmond to Washington and
the Seaboard and Roanoke railroad company,
is one in which, so far as we can see, we have
very little interest, except to profit by their
discussions, and make the most we can out of
them for ourselves. That it is the design of
the powerful corporation, now aiming to con-
troll our Southern railroads, to take the freight
away from us aud carry it to Northern city,
we have very little doubt. That this is and
has been the policy of the Seaboard and Roa.
noke railroad, is equally manifest. Whether
Betsy gets the better of the bear, or the bear of
Betsy, is therefore matter of indifference to us.
If either the Pennsylvania Central railroad
or the Seaboard and Roanoke railroad wants
the aid Of Norfolk, let them bid for it. When
we are told that if the former of these corpo-
rations ,gets control of the Wilmington and
Weldon railroad and its connections, it will
compel US to pay local rates over this road, we
are led to inquire if we do not have to pay
those raj ties now. When we hear that ito policy
will be to favor Philadelphia, we want to know
ii the policy of its rival is not to favor Balti-
more.
The true policy for Norfolk is to stand aloof
from both, and finally to give her aid to that
one which promises most to her. When our
representatives in the Legislature are called
upon to cast their votes in favor of either one
or the other of these rival routes, let them as
certain which of them is disposed to give the
most liberal and reliable guarantees to Virginia
interests, and let them favor that one.
We at least are rejoiced to find that crisis
has arisen to teach these corporations the
danger of tritiing with our interests and we
trust the lesson may be still further impressed
upon their understandings, when they fad
that if treated as aliens and strangers in the
days of their prosperity, we will not rally as
friends to their support at the first cry which
is wrung from them in their adversely.
That's right Let them feel occasionally
that they have bodies to be damned though
they have no souls to be saved, and that
the press and people are powers that even
corporations cannot afford to ignore or
treat with indifference. We thought the
Day Book exaggerated the dangers which
threatened Norfolk from our few yards of
all-rall line to Washington, and that it was
railing at it without just cause !. and we
think it will agree with us, too, that, if a
simple line of railroad between this city
and Washington which may connect with
the two lines going South, say the Weldon
on the one side, and the Danville on the
other, can effect the commercial ruin of
Norfolk--why, that its thriving little city
will be very easily ruined indeed, and is
scarcely worth striving to save
But this is all nonsense. The increasing
trade and travel between the North and
the South ask increased facilities, quicker
and shorter routes, and reduced rates
We cannot afford to give anybody mo
nopoly of the business. The interests of
the people demand that there shall be
competition, and the prosperity of the
whole country requires more rapid means
of communication between the extremes Of
the two great Atlantic sections Why, it
is burning shame, and reflects but little
credit upon thsenergy and public spirit of
our people, that this direct road has not
been completed long since; and every
hour spent in useless opposition to it, from
any cause whatever, is precious time
shamefully wasted.
The people who will be directly bene-
fitted by this work, which we look upon
az second 10 Importance to no improve
ment in Virginia, may be counted by the
millions, while those who will be directly
or indirectly injured, financially, we may
almost enumerate on our fingers, even adj
uniting that any injury will in the end be
done to single individual which we do
not believe will be the case.
Richmond and the country tributary to
her, are entitled TO this much at the hands
of the other sections of the State. 1t Is
but simple justice she demands 1t as a
right, and does not beg it as favor and
if her people are satisfied to trust their
interests in the hands of foreign corpora
ton, and are not afraid of either of those