The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-12-12
Shall the City Subscribe TO Railroads. .

TO the Editors Of the Dispatch:
Geatlemcn.-Pcrmit one OF your sub
scribers TO say word in confirmation OF
the views expressed By Mr.. John Dunlop
in his recent card, and by the cear-headed
writer OF d communication in your paper
OF Monday the Sth.
The Inst writer shows conclusiyeiy that
no city, however plausible may be the
schemes presented, can legally or safely
embark in railroads or other works OF Ia
ternal Improvement.
Look at the financial wrecks OF cities all
over the country; look ut the past history
OF repudiating States; look at the mournful
snectace exhibited by Virginia now; look
NJ the mountain OF debt due by States and
munIcipalities all over this broad land, and
think Of the frauds and crimes resulting
from them!
We need not Junius to tell Us that 'prl-
yate credit is wealth, public honor Is Sc.
curity, The feather that adorns the royal
bird suDports its flight strip him OF bis
plnmaee and you tx him TO the earth"
We mean to speak with entire respect OF
the many worthy gentlemen who, rs we
think, sought TO enter the thin edge OF the
wedge to inevitably larger appropriations
In the future, in addition to the S75C,000 OF
boz. ds now asked, but we are not the less
grateful to the co3l-headed members OF the
Board OF Aldermen who vetoed The scheme.
You well say that the writer in Mondays
ps ger hes clearly stated some general views
which are applicable 10 all times, and re-
Gently able articles have appeared IN the
New York Herald and Baltimore Sun warp-
ing their cities against the alarming dangers
which threaten them from any increase OF
their city debts, with the examples OF
BROOKLYN, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Mobile,
and Memphis looming up before them as
lighthouses, showing the dangerous reefs
and shoals OF large Indebtedness, not to
speak OF our Virginia cities and towns
which have compromised or aim to discount
their bonds.
Reoeatedly have the ablest courts in this
country held that the powers OF the Ruat-
,cipal authorities OF cities and towns ar
necessarily confined to appropriations Of
nu-ely local character, and thatrali ess ri
buttons by them for works OF intsrssas ina
proyements beyond their limits ass uItrt
rires-beyond the authority wisa which
they are clothed, being power az ,quate tc
entire ruin and bankruptcy.
Now, how does the debt OF oE.r city stand
at present!
Some several years since some OF the mos
sagaeious and publie.spiIitf. d property.hold
ers and businessmen, becoming alarmed a
the magnitude OF our city debt, seeing tha
new city expenditay yes-Teservoir, pump
house, city hail. &e.--would soon run on
debt to $1,000, COO. presented petition t
the Legislature as,ling an amendment TO to
city charter, by which the debt was iim!te'
to 1s per eenr OF the assessed value OF tn
real estate o. the city, and that amenamsh
further p..oyided that all appropriation 0
bonds (. for the benefit OF any company IN
corpo,.a,ed for works of internal improve
mep,t or other purposes" should De sub
p,tted to the legal voters OF the ciiy an
ratified by majority Of the registered Irse
holders [iaot majority Of the tresa9sasr Isa .
/ actually cotias on the question:, and also D.
three fourrhs OF all the legal voters. =,
| Under that amendment and upon IN
Hath OF the l8 per eenr. restriction iafg
investments have been made 10 our pono