The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-06-12
evening State SnarnaI.
EvgN'G, JUNE u. 1878.


Virganfa Election md Her Inferna
improvements. fs7taa
sSis. WASHINGTON, June Z, 1873.
To the Editor Of The State journal S. ih
The gubernatorial campaign in Virgins
seems TO attract greater attention in this
capital now than 1t has done before 70,
many a year. The completion Of The
Chesapeake and Ohio railway, shortening
the distance to the west, has called the at.
tention OF travellers, both east and west. To
the sublime scenery and incalculablc re.
sources OF the country bordering that route.
and the whole country will soon become
educated TO the value Of the James River
and Kanawha canal route as the short.
est and cheapest water-line connecting
tie Mississippi basin with the Atlantic sea.
board. Add to this its comparative i'm
munity from those heavy frosts in winter
which obstruct navigation over the more
northern channels, and that tropical heat
IN summer so damaging to western pro-
ducts that essay the lower Mississippi and
aGulf route, and it will be perceived at a
single view that this Virginia waterway
must become the prime fayorite outlet for
the produce of much the larger portion Of
those daughters Of the Old Dominion born
OF the cession of 1897. And how appro-
pirate it is that they should, even at this
late day, return to the lap of that
generous mother who in early life welded
them to freedom, political independence and
material prosperity, a portion of that
wealth which will enable her to educate
her children and pay her debt while it will
IN no wise impoverish them,
This great work is no less yalnable IN
the west than to Virginia. Thirty cents
per bushel economy in the TRANSPORTATION
OF grain would naturally be divided hes
tween the producer and consumer. and
therefore increase the value of the crops to
the farmer by fifteen cents per bushel at
the same time that it would reduce the
price OF Hour by seventy-fiye cents to one
dollar per barrel to the consumer on the
Atlantic coast and in Europe. Thus it
Will be seen that cheap transportation is
a beneficence to all bread producers and
consumers in the civilized and commercial
world. z-,
Let us suppose for a moment that twenty
millions can be expended during the next
three years in the completion of the James
River and Kanawha canal. What would
be the effect on the laboring classes Of Vir-
ginia and West Virginia ? Plenty of en-
ployment at good prices. Thirteen and
one third millions Of days labor at one
dollar and half per day. Twenty millions
at dollar per day. Cement, stone, iron,
wood, lime, men, cattle, horses, every
thing but tools, can be procured right upon
the spot. Then the assurance of the com
pletion of the work would invite private
capital without end. A store, a forge, a
mill, q factory, a blast furnace at each lock,
taking advantage of the free power afforded
by the fall which the lock overcomes.
How can all this be done? BY the gene
raj government. How can the general
government be induced to take hold Of this
great improvement? Surely not without
an expression on the part of the people
through their election of state govern |
ment of confidence in and sympathy with
the national government. 1t is fresh in tho
recollectioDs of all that the present gov
ernor of Virginia was elected as |" true |"
"a Republican; good Grant man. But
no sooner was he invested with
gubernatorial power than he and
his friends, finding that the President would
not submit to their dictation in the distri-
button of the patronage Of the state, conn
menced upon him fierce and relentless
warfare, and since that time have shaped
al the state legislation in opposition to the |
Republican party and the best interests of
the state. Virginia now stands on the
brink Of repudiation--robb and ruined
by her proud sons, who, lacking the capi-
tai, industry, energy and inventive genius
and appliances to develop and utilize her
wonderful resources themselves, would
rather see her go down to
the lowest depths Of humiliation and dis
honor than to acknowledge their errors
and confess the mistakes they have made
in reading the horoscope Of the future.
What exhibits more good sense in man
than frank and honest effort to retrieve an
error the moment he discovers that he has
made it /? The laboring classes see that
the Conservatives (so-called) have ruined
the state. Let them rise up in their
might and change their rulers and
their policy. thereby showing some
desire and determination to help them
selves, and the general government will
come to their aid. Through its benign |
influence, an amicable adjustment of the
old indebtedness can be arrived at with
West Virginia. The ten millions expended
on the canal can be refunded and twenty or
thirty millions more so expended, as to
increase ten-fold the tax-paying capacity Of
the state, and redeem her proud escutcheon
from the threatened stain of reputation
and dishonor. N.