The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-06-18
The Want Of Virginia.

rh;s St,:, i.a great sufferer for the want
oe canal ;,:Stice in the management OF rail-
,o,as The determinations OF faiiroaoS
;,St her commerce are disastrous 10 her
g; izcnS, and the management OF the express
,,..s;r,ss &c we have shown. has done ;hrm
hardly less injury. These wrongs, rcfpc1ta'
ted bv those who have tc"D the bcnctrEr'cS
81 the laws and the appropriations Of The
State, are peculiarly gricvouS. Well may
Virginia say ">harpcr than an addcrs tooth
i, is to have t.apkless child.
Virginia needs what impartial justice
should accoyd 10 her: an equal chsncc with
other States in the coptcs. for commerce.
Her cities should be able TO employ all the
advantages o. their aphical position and
the natural facilities they have for ali the
pursuits Of life. These they should be able
to use without the heavy weigh; of draw
lacks such a arc imposed upon them by the
greedy schemes and imprac,icable theories OF
lairoad presidents.
But for these drawbacks Richmond woull
TO-DAY bavc double its present population, TO
the very great advantage Of the agricultural
community, the large Increase c! the State
revenue, and to the very great benefit OF the
railroads tht,r> elves. Nothing short OF q
bind policy on their par: could lead them to
the commission Of the errors which have
thus crippled the general prosperity and re-
stricted !hcir Own success.
There is 20 .rcl.er error than that which
leads railroad men 10 suppose hat their roads
ale ind, dependent of tie peolle-that they can
prosper in The bosom OF an oppressed and
unfortunate community. Look at The Ba!ti.
more and Ohio railroad. " hat gave that road
lis Great success: The city o: Baltimore.
All the excrtionS Of the road were directed
towards .hc building up OF that city rs the
surcst way 10 make itself prosperous. II has
displayed sn honorable fidelity tothc chief
City of the State which chartered it. and its
reward has been great. While roads which
have been governed by false principles,
which have been Used under q teuSon for
personal ard party considerations rather
III, State, have Ii. gercd and cuntinucd POOR
with little prospect Of II better condition.
No railroad president has moral right TO
place himself outside Of the community
which gave lis ioad existence and hrealhed
inlo his own noS.rS the breath o. official
lie. Indeed, he can hayc no prosperity
independent OF lis own prnple. TIE rail-
ROAD .uan who imagu that be can succeed
While his fellow -citizeus are poor and Their
trade upjn>tly burihcned and neglected is
doomed 10 disaster and ruin.
These are pain and simple truths, which
al practical and con>ilcra:e men will en-
dor>e. No Lran ever had the world in q
sling. No man who outruycS both justice
and coed $cHSe can long maintain ruling
position. The Logic Of reason and justice
" i'll upset him in tine If 10 other vndica-
tor Of public right inte:po>c>. death will in
time come 10 end il bad rule and substitute
another in is place.
1t would TIC a happy thing for this people
ii wisdom and practical sense would come TO
their relief iroui the wrong, inflicted upon
them; hu; Il little patience will give them
that relief in spite Of The greed, ambition,
and folly o, a few misguided men. ~ sure
as We live a better day is coming :or Virginia
and Richmond.