The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-21
,r,,a ,.,au f,,n I, e ,he wilderness.

XS Is Y =
The Way Out OF the wilderness q
Il Is, Alas, 100 true that this Safe y pros
tsase and heavily weighted, and can, Of besf,
set mp yery slowly. Her agriculture ~ 90 90
pressed, and bu. sor her staple tobacco
her people would hardly pay their taxes and
sustain themselves This year the tobacco
!; crop IS poor and the amount housed VIII be
greatly curtalled In comparison with the ave "
rase yield. Tie price, however, being hiso'
we hope the farmer will acquire his oro'
lary profit.
SIS. SIS. In view of this prostration Of agriculture
and the disorganizatian of labor, what Is
hes, for vlrginias We can tell you. IN
crease her commerce and her nadn,Jdcfa
,saa po,eer, and her weakness from one CAUSE y
viii be compensated by her increase o.
strength from these Others.
The question comes up how shall we 10
crease our commerce? 1t is one of the most
critical now to be considered. It involves
the consideration of our railroad operations
aud bow they may be improved to she oene'
fit Of Virginia.
The first point is what shall be done to
increase the Cow Of commerce into and
through the chief city Of the State? II
the increase cannot be made in that
direction, we do rot see how 1t can
possibly be made in any other. That
CITY has means and energies equal 10 all the
principal towns in the State put together
and, therefore, can do as much as all of them
in handling and disposing Of trade.
II Richmond be made to flourish it helps
all other towns, and 1t lignens the burdens
of the whole State. 1t is like fountain
whose waters irrigate the region around 1t,
and the sphere of its benefits will be In pro-
portion 10 its capacity.
The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad will
uuouestionabIy much increase the trade of
Richmond. The work of clearing out the
channel of James river ought TO be pushed
with all possible energy, and wefeel that it
will be. The channel properly deepened
will invite steady Increase OF freighs TO this
city, because the certainty of essy exit from
city is the strongest attraction that is posi-
bic for commerce. We cannot in a better
way invite heavy transportation from the in
terror than by increasing the capacity of the
river to carry it away.
Whatever we do with the river there Is
yet sn important measure before us which
has been greatly neglected. There is
through Richmond no nll-rail line Of freight
and travel that has that expedition and
energy that maj Ks the business of railroad
lines at this day. The Washington line has
two breaks and portage OF nearly two
miles in Washington and another break at
Occcquap. 1t has break here and two
others 10 North Carolina. Is it possible to
make such line fast and energetic one
Certainly not. If we look at the line D1o
Petersburg such is the nature of the|
schedules and regulations 10 and beyond
Weldon that no active freight through. bust.
ness may be dreamed of. These troubles on
the line ola Richmond caused the great
southern mail and express to be thrown
upon the Alexandria, Lynchhurg and Dam
Vile line, to the detriment Of Richmond.
Now. this is condition of things that
never should have happened. Why it hap
pened, with many other things, it is not our
purpose to speak of. But what we see is |
enough to make all hands go to work to rem
edy the evils our people suffer. /
We want for Richmond fair chance with |
other places for commerce; we want her to
enjoy the benefits of her natural situation,
and to do the trade and commerce OF her
proper sphere, without the interference of
greedy corporations and railroad strateglsts.
Give her these advantages, and she will
triumph.
1t is due to her and to Virginia that the
trade should be free to come and 10 go, and
should not be dragged hther and thither by
the unreasonable determinations ,of subtle
and greedy corporations. When
these objects are accomplished and Rich
becomes 10 be u point in the line OF
fee and equal commerce, subject to no par
ta| restraints and deliberate outrages, our
commerce will increase, so that it will give
great help to Virginia and impart new vlgor
and hope to the people of Virginia. =
On this line We shall have to fight, and we
trust soon 10 triumph.