The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-05
rhe aoyernor and the canal.

The Governor and the Canal.
The Governor of Virginia in hts message
assa!,s as ia.pracsicabie the proposition that
the Feaerl Government shall undertake tho
completion of the James River and katiawha
canal. He alleges that the undertaking would
be against sAe policy and the action OF the
Government heretofore, and that there rs n
good reason to suppose that 1t VIII now
change IFS course. He admits that great as
istauce In grants Of land and Endorsement
OF bonds of corporate companies has been
given to railroads by the Government, but
this he says has been abandoned. He states,
moreover that this assistance has been given
TO great lines Of road leading from the Mis-
Nssippi to the Pacific, and while he does not
say so, he leaves it to be inferred hat this
help has been given almost exclusively
to tbesea great lines; whereas numerous
shorter and somewhat local lines have re-
cciyed this aid, which has indeed built many
roads of which the Illinois Central IS a noted
example.
But assuming that this Government aid
has been granted to these great continental
lines. he says it was done for reasons which
cauuot apply to the James River and Kama
villa canal. Why not? II the reasons re-
laied to the national importance of the roads
connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific
they apply, in our opinion, with equal force
TO the James River and hanawha canal.
That Improvement when finished makes q
central water communication between the
Atlantic and the Mississippi Valley which
extends to the very foot of the Rocky Noun
tains. 1t will afford o land-locked and secure
communication between this great valley
and the Atlantic seaboard invaluable alike
in time of peace and Of war to people and
Government. Therefore we think its claims
upon the Government are quite equal to any
of the Pacific limos Government has aided,
and not inferior to that superior route of all
the Pacific railroad routes which Govern
meut has not yet aided-the Southern Pacific
railway.
BIT this aside: the Governor objects for
the reasons above stated, and for the addl-
,ionsl one TINT the canal project by Govern
meut aid is espoused by interested parties"
and by politicians who hope TO retain or win
position by doing so. Yet lie recommends
that the work be entrusted to the private
enterprise OF gentlemen who will undertake
it, and who may or can get the United States
Government to iDdorse their bonds. How
50! If the Government has discontinued
lending its aid, as in the case Of the Pacific
railway enterprises, TO interna! improvement
corporations, and if this canal project has
not. as the Governor says, the claims that the
Pacific lines presented, to back their petitions
for Government help, how can he expect that
The company Of gentlemen he speaks of can
ret The Government aid lately given to those
c,rporations in the shape of the Endorsement
Of their bonds:
The Governor and ourselves are friends OF
thcr.cat work. Themistake lie makes Is in OF
posin. asrhene that may succeed By hypothe-
ecating one that may never reach maturity.
Why not let that now pending go along
as i. may until the alternative be proposes is
ml;urcd? we had letter have two strings
to our bow than one. His argument about
what tho Government has done will not
apply now to the policy of the Government,
after lis complete revolution, and when it is
doing and proposes to do what twenty years
aso would not have been thought Of. The
argument, too, that the canal has not claims
to public consideration equal to those OF
companies that have been aided by Govern
mcnt whites down our great scheme vastly
below its true dignity, and is u sort of
acknowledged sclf-ceEsure of the Governor
himself for the eulogy he pays to the pro-
ject, aud for entertaining the hope that the
bonds of the company of gentlemen he
speaks of may be Endorsed by the Govern
Ment.
IT is no solid objection to q project that il
IS supported by interested parties" 1t is
rather q proof Of its merits that it is so sus'
tanned. The greater the merits the greater
generally will be the number OF "intereSted
parties " rallying to Its support. Certainly
OF such would be a company of gentlemen
getting hold of the James River and Ia
uawha canal and seeking the Endorsement Of
their bonds by the Federal Government.
We do not object to the Governors
scheme. Had he his company Of gentlemen
embodied, with the proofs Of their capability
to do what they proposed to undertake, we
should be in favor Of closing q bargain with
them at once; but why assaiIa scheme which
has met with favor in high quarters before a
substitute for it can be offered-and offered
in such q manner rs to establish faith in it
"