Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-06-25
Taa yA..E7 2. 3. ExT5aa.us:.
"A convention to meet in Stanton

Der, has been called bv such Senators
and members Of the House Of Delega
ties as far in favor Of 'iiverting the trade
of the Southwest from Virginia cities
to Baltimore All the signers of that
call will have persisted from the mem
DRY of man for ages before any such
anti Virginia scheme as that they ad
v0cate can secure the sanction of a
Virginia Legislature, or the approval Of
Virginia Governor.
If is hardly necessary to say that
the statesments in the foregoing para
graph, from the Richmond Wing, are
untounded and absurd The signers
to the call for this convention are an
xious to see all of onr Virginia cities
and towns grow and prosper and are
not in favor of diverting the trade of
Southwest from them; but they cannot
endorse "the-dog~in the manager poll
-cv. which would DENY to q q portion of
the people of the State all facilities
for transporting the products t their
fields and mines to market, because,
forsooth, these products might seek a
market beyond the State By a route
that does not pass through Richmond
or Norfork. they are men Of broad
and liberal views, and seek to inangnr
ate a wiser and more generous policy
than has heretofore Prevailed policy
which looks to the opening up of new
sources of wealth and trade, to the EN-
enlargement of all interests-to the
increase of taxable vaiues-to the ,2e
.velopment nt all the resources Of all
parts of the State-in q WORD, To the
general pr speritv
1t is not question of diversion of
trade. The counties of Botetourt.
Craigs Giles, Tazewell, Lee and Scott
have no railroad facilities The Valley
Railroad Company proposes to extend
them. Its extension would develop
one of the richest mineral regions, ard
add millions to the taxable property OF
the State. Not only his, hit by en-
larging the field from which the Valley
road is to gather trade, it would add
to the value Of the stock that many of
the. Valley counties have suhrcribed,
and thus partially, if not wholly, re
lieve them of the burden of taxation
assumed to secure the construction of
the road And again, it cannot be de
MED that immense advantages would
accrue from grand trunk line from
North to South, through the Valley -
not only to the people Of the Valley.
but to the people Of the whole State
So far from inju'ing it would benefit
either directly the Eastern portion OF
the State, including its cities And
all this, too, withont the cost OF a dol
lar to the State Treasury The people
Of the Valley want this roa,i. III"
counties through which it is proposed
TO be extended are cIamorous Tor it..
The Virginia cities have n2 capital
with which to aid them Gen Malone S
company is either unable or unwilling
to do it. What then? Are they TO
continue isolated, cut off from market
their resources undeyeloped for tear
that the newly created trade would go
to Baltimore over the Valley road
rather than to New York, via Norfolk,
over the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio
road? We say that such al. idea is
INDUSTRIOUS.
Trade cannot be forced by any such
cut-throat policy. We repudiate the
notion that the Eastern cities need to
be wet-nursed Fer many of the pro
ducts of the Valley and the Southwest,
we believe that Richmond and other
Virginia cities can offer as liberal in
ducements as Baltimore But wha,
The people want is choice of markets
and facilities to reach Them
But what right has the Wig to as
sumo that the trade Of the Southwest
will necessarily be diverted by the VAL
ley Railroad from the Virginia cities
to Baltimore? 1t will not be the case
un'ess Baltimore offers higher prices
for its products, and the Valley Rail
road carries them cheaper than the A
NJ. IL Q. Road
The people of remote portions Of the
State cannot be expected to lose the
fair rewards Of their labor merely for
the qualification of sending their pro-
ducts to Virginia cities over General
Mahone's road. That is expecting too
much, aid the Wig is mistaken in
sdpposing that such selfish policy
can be maintained much longer
The interests of railroads are, not
worthy to be considered in comparison
with the interests of the citizens Of the
State generally. We are tor the PEG
pie in this matter.
There is need for this convention.
1t is a high time for the Valley and
Southwest to put forth their just and
reasonable demands in an authoritative
way. Because these demands were de
MED last winter it does rot follow that
they will be denied again. Political
jugs lery lavish newspaper putfery,
tavoritism, promises of office anu other
tricks of the trade, may thwart and
obstruct the schema for the time being,
but that it will be cons,immated within
the next few years, we have no manner
of doubt. The people Of the Valley
have only to be aroused On. the subject
i'll order to COMPEL respect for their de
mands.- Win. Times.
snzs.z..s...-ss-s..ssssse~
CINCINNATI, June 49, The murlcr