The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-01
The Pro and the Con.

cxpandcd and elaborated with great PAIN
And yet the soon" IS very weak, and souno
very like the garrulous lancies OF old fos'e
md penurious people. We donot understali
the Eaeutrer us taking sides, although
makes the most Of that Of the opposition
and il may bc truly said if there DC Il
stronger grounds of opposition than mos
brought forward in the Eaqairsr's Statement
then there are no good reasons wha'c'c
against annexation.
The sum and substance Of the argument
arainst annexation is that the pcople Oh ",'''
chester will want great many thl'lss LUZ
ore en;oved by people who live in real c'lic'
Thoy will, wan, streets improved ana nc'
ones made, and they will want gas ana "a'e
and rood many things that the people Q
crossroads hamIcts do not look for. ines
things the Enquirer, for the cavillcrs, put
down ut a cost of from half to million 0
dollars. Room enough between the TWO u
veer and haul upon!
And what OF them all? Manchester
she comes, does 50 with all her worldly sooos
and they arc quite sufficient to ensure lor h''
all these improvements without ultima
ch.rpe unon the treasure Of the north size
Her water rents will now pay the interest o.
ber nnb,ic debt, and the water power ano
nublic property, administered by Richmond
will soon Weld great deal more toranncS
alton will give spur to manufactures ant
increase rapidv the demand for water power
The resources of taxation will multiply IA
mildly rs the value of property increases, and
,rs have not doubt that the means OF the
sontb side of the river will amply provide
for all the necessary improvements OF Man.
chester. This must be the opinion OF ever!
fair-minded man.
A for water and gas. they will, OF course,
be introduced. But that is business affair.
It is to he done with proper dclbeatlon ana
in proper manner. The city Is the pro-
nrietor Of the Water and the Gas WORKS,
and deals out both water and gas to GUS
toners. If the city is tired of its gas and
water property, private companies can be
promptly formed to take it at valuation ana
conduct it under the regulations prescribed;
in the contract. When the Gas Works were
built company of capitalists made frequent
application to be allowed to supply the city
with nas. 4 similar offer has been made
since the late war. But the people were I'LL
willing, and preferred that their own corpo-
ration should own the works. The city
takes the place of private companies to 90
these things. and we expect it to accommo-
date the public just as private companies
would. Therefore the talk about water and
gas is mere talk, and deserves not to be COZ
sdercd.
We have not doubt that Manchester Will
bring in wealth enough to make all the i'm
Droyements she may want--that wealth being
under the prospecting administration OF the
consolidated corporation. The talk about
Richmond being called upon for million,
or even half million, is ouly intended to
create alarm. 1t is just as easy TO say that
it will cost six millions, rs we understand
that some eXaggerator has put it at that.
Then we have it that people III Manches-
ter will have to pay heavier taxes. What an
argument, indeed, is that! If they have
more wealth, will they not be glad to pay
the tax: People in New York ply more tax
than we do; is that 4 reason why we Should
not be glad to pay the tax that New Workers
pay, as the penalty of having their wealth
and thrift? The people of Manchester are
not green enough to be taken i'll by such a
shallow old-rogy argument as that. If men
get higher rents and sell their land at higher
prices they cannot object to higher taxes
The freely acquiesce In the tax for the bcnc'
fits they acquire.
Again it is said by the Enquirer, repre-.
senting the cavaliers, that it would be better
for people doing business in Richmond to
dwell in Manchester, escaping taxation and
living cheaply, and it would be injurious to
them to annex Manchester.
This argument is double-edgcd. 1t offers
good reason why Richmond should acquire
Manchester, and head OFT the absentees who
would have domicils in Manchester and dc
business in Richmond. If the argument i
worth anything it is as good for that as any
thing else. But the opportunity has existed
for 10 these many years, and why is it thai
business men have not built their homes IL
Manchester? For two reasons:
First-The tolls for crossing the river.
Second-The want of the improvements
that have so exercised the fears of the nal
row-mindcd old fogies who never dream
how city was to be built, and have horror
of paying out anything. They will be con
content with nothing less than constant
inward flow of gains. They will not pay
out to secure On increased thrift--they can't
trust the money out of their sight. They
cannot conceive how populations may be i'll
creased by increasing the facilities of bust
ness and the means OF convenience and com
fort, and how increased populations and
increased business swell the resources Of the
public treasury geometrically.
But the city of Richmond has, in conjunc-
ton with Manchester and Chesterfield, deter
mined to have free bridge, and that is now
In q state of forwardness and will in good
time be finished. That viii be one induce,
ment to emigration to Manchester, as it is
unquestienably great argument why an
nexation should follow.
All the objections stated on behalf of the
opposition by the Enquirer are frivolous and
exaggerated. They do well enough for q
man OF the past age who knows nothing
about cities and how they grow and prosper,
and indeed who has no love for the ANNA