The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-11-13
Assessing Railroads.

tllV AtueS' ~ wisely ouESCDtO UlluU uue
consideration be given. in making these as
sessment. to the business transacted by
the railroads, and the profits accruing to
them, out Of which the assessments must
be paid. II further maintains that the
assessments in this State have been heavier
than they are in Northern States. not
withstanding the fact that the freight and
passenger business, and consequently the
revenues, in the North. are far in excess
OF those in the South. These matters
ought to he all well considered and pol
icy adopted which will not show hostility
TO the struggling railroad interests of the
State and South. There is too much
proneness to regard railroad enterprises as
simply the instruments of corporations to
make money, and to overlook the fact that
they are the essential agencies of material
development, of general progress and pros
perity-the channels of commerce. essen
tial to the business interests of the Sec
tlons where they are located. and the pri-
mary means to utilize the latent wealth of
the country.
1t is possible for corporations of this
kind to grow into monopolies, but it is
rarely the case that the compensation to
community at large, is not greater than
any disadvantage which might arise from
arbitrary exactions. We the better APP
preciate railroads before we get them than
we do after we have enjoyed the privilege
OF easy and rapid communications with
the outside world, and availed of their di-
rect communications with distant mar
kets. In IA community, shut out from the
activities Of business and isolated from
the busy stir andkeen encounters of trade
relations where steam directs the material
forces which accommodate commercial
pursuits, a proposition to build railroad
is eagerly seized upon, absorbs attention,
draws upon the purse and excites the deep
est interest until tangible results are real
lied in the consummation of the project
With 1t secured and when it's benefits be-
come common, the tendency is to lose
sight OF the fact that it has to be sustained
by both local and through trade support
that tax, in some form, has to be i'm
posed and collected to furnish the means
to pay for labor and skill to run it and to
keep it alive and useful, the same nourish-
ment must be given that is required to
utilize any other public enterprise. 1t
cannot beoperated without the cu-o operation
of the people for whose benefit in part it
was constructed, nor can it prosper if the
State places upon it tax burden dispro-
portioned to its business and resources.
The Board of Public Works, in dis
charging a duty imposed by law, should
carefully consider the ability of the cor
porations which come under their author
ity, to pay the assessments demanded of
them. Not only is it right to consider the
real investment, but the costs of operating
the road, the necessity for repairs, for en-
larged facilities which may be required by
the developed country through which they
may run, but the matter should be re-
garded in purely business sense, and
treated as such.
The railroad systems in the South are
in their infancy. Neither those in Vir-
ginianor other Southern States are in a
condition to bes heavy tax burdens. They
are in no sense monopolies. They are
struggling enterprises, dependent upon
the trade they create for their support.
They stimulate industry, utilize dead
wealth. encourage all kinds of produc-
tions, and furnish channels of access to
the markets where everything the soil
and the mines may yield can be converted
into money. These things are not prop
erly appreciated by those who are thefen-
eficiaries. Instead of being considered as
essential agents of developm ant and pros
perity, they are too frequently regarded as
enemies-the Object of the most unrea
sonable prejudice and the victims Of
thoughtless hostility.
All corporations ought to be amenable
to just laws fairly administered. But
their conditions, their resources and their
necessity as business agents, should be
nationally and intelligently weighed and
the authorities of the State act in relation
to them so that no onerous impositions be
placed on them. 1t should be the policy of
Virginia tonot only encourage the railways
already in existence, but to maintain such
liberal relations to them as will induce
others to be constructed. No State in the
Union has more to gain by an enlightened
and liberal system of internal improve
ments, and no people can be more serious
ly injured by an impolitic use of the tax
ing power as it may affect them. Capital
and enterprise can be easily diverted from
our territory by legislation and the admin
istration of law in an unfriendly and op-
pressive spirit. There should be a broad
view of the whole subject-a comprehen
sive grasp of what railroads do for the
people-what would be our condition
without them, and what may be our future
with them.
We join with our Richmond cotempo-
rary in a friendly admonition to the
Board of Public Works to act wisely and
discreetly in the assessments they may
make under the law, and to take into con-
sideration all the facts and interests in
volved.
All honor TO the Republicans of the |
Tenth Congressional district. The fight |
they made deserved success whatever the |
actual result may have been, With SPLEEN
lid courage they met the enemy at every |
point, and with only the weapons of legit-
innate political warfare, drove their oppo- !
vents from the field of fair debate. 1t |
was the knowledge of this that caused |
such unmanly resort on the part of the
Democrats in the closing days of the cam
)aign. Driven from the arena of fair
unable to stand face to face
With the people and meet their accusers on
he stump, they abandoned the legitimate
ield of warfare, and resorted to the most
Infamous falsehoods supported by perjury
md the foul use Of money to deceive and
purchase where they had failed to per-
uade and convince. At such a cost those
Who have apparently won the victory are
more than welcome to the consolation 1T
Iffords. With the Republicans abides the
comforting reflection that they conducted
hiob |