The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-26
CAMPAIGN J0U NAL.

The Tyson case is fresh in the minds of
the people. If these foreign and alien cor
porations cannot succeed in one way they
try other means to cripple and destroy our
Virginia routes of comperce. We have
allowed our railroads, save this one, the
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio, to pass into
foreign hands, and it may be that the capi-
tai Of the State will have to endure the
starvation process from express companies,
unless the railroads connecting this city
with the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio
line unite with it and put the city and
country on q footing independent of mo-
nopolies.- Wing.
1t is not to defend, much less to justify,
the action Of the Adams and Southern Ex-
press companies of which the Wing CONF
plains, that we clip and notice the above
paragraph from its columns. 1t is this
travelling outside of the just grounds of
complaint, and pandering to most absurd
aud foolish prejudice, already too widely
prevalent in the State, that we essentially
demur to. The idea that it would be ruin
Gus to Virgina-would cripple and de-
stroy her routes of commerceo--to allow
foreign and. alien corporations to come in
here and build our railroads, canals, and
other greatly needed public improvements
for us, is most absurd and preposterous
one. And especially is it so at this time,
when the financial resources of our people
are so crippled and Strengthened that there is
no earthly hope of our touching any one
of these greatly needed improvements in
the next ten years, if these routes of com.
merce offered to be ten times as remune.
rative as they are ever likely to become
either in foreign or domestic hands
This outcry against foreign capital
and alien corporations has o
high.sounding partisan ring to it
that may do very well for the ears Of
the groundlings, but to men of sense ant
brains it is most absurd clamor. Every
dollar that goes into needed public i'm
provement in our State, is public benefit
There is nothing and can be nothing attach
ing to the quality of one dollar more thar
another, to render its investment detri
mental to our interests as people. If |
foreign company is willing to accept a fran
chise offered by the State, on the terms ant
conditions that may be imposed in tn
charter, and build canal or railroad t
make such franchise remunerative, tn
fact that the money which does the worl
comes from Pennsylvania or Great Britain
is the most absurd matter of objection il
the world. In fact, it is no objection a
all; but, on the contrary, it is matter o
the highest moment to US that it shoult
come from abroad-that 1T should be for
eign and alien capital. It not only re
leves us from burdens, but it does what j
vital to our prosperity brings capita
here, and expends it here, for the benefi
of our people. 1t is impossible to inves
q dollar in any public improvement
in Virginia, and make it anythin
elsa than ,fred Vuyinia capital. !
is possible to commend other view
than these to the inexpert and uneducate
among newspaper readers, and play upo
popular prejudice to subserye partisan ends
but the more productive capital we can &c
from abroad, to be first expended in labo
and then impressed in value upon land, tn
better for our people, and for the GROWN
productiveness of the State. For it is
fixed law Of human industry yindicate
by all the facts and experience of history
that, in the advancement of communities
nothing can increase in value but land ant
labor. To increase the power and WORT
of these, is to add to our material prospect
ty; and it makes no difference where the
dollar comes from that does it. IL it como
from China, it is just as effective as if du
out of our own mountains, and, in point Q
fact, more so, since it sares the labor Q
digging Tie dollar. The idea that the in
yestment of foreign or alien capital in do
nestle improvements among us is eithe
prejudical to our interests or dangerous +
our institutions, has been exploded hun
dred times over by the ablest writer's o.
political economy, both in this country an
Europe. 1t is the old cry of "Britis
gold," which was rung through the cam
paigns of 1882 and 1876, and which serve
temporary political end but none bu
the starkest financial gulls and most IN
nitigated political nncompoops were take
in by it.