Peninsula Enterprise, October 27, 1894

Inland Waterway From Cape Charles to Chincoteague.

Transportation -- Water - Channel and harbor dredgingDevelopment -- BoosterismTransportation -- Railroad - Rates and fares

MR. EDITOR:

To one who is deeply interested in the prosperity and development of our County and Shore, the election for member of Congress, to be held on the 6th of November next, is of peculiar importance and significance. Upon its result hangs the fate of an undertaking of such a vital concern to every man upon our Peninsula, whether democrat or republican, white or black, that no word of mine can probably portray or exaggerate. The opening of a deep and commodious waterway from Cape Charles to Chincoteague, and on through to Delaware Bay -- as a matter of local concern -- is second to no issue pending in this political contest. Monopoly, to day, is triumphant among us; its steel like grip is upon our vitals, it is squeezing out our life blood drop by drop. In vain have we fought for justice, in vain have we plead for mercy and a fair division of profits. It throttles our feeble efforts for relief, and mocks at our entreaties. We are slaves! slaves to a monopoly that is as relentless as death, and as deaf to reason and justice as the ears of Pompey's stony statue. The means of our emancipation is now at hand. The day of our delivery dawning already, "Jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain-tops." The Inland waterway is the highway to freedom. Upon its placid bosom thousands of snowy sails will be spread, palatial steamers will glide, laden with humanity and the products of our land and waters and on its shores, everywhere, thriving marts of trade will spring into existence. Open every beach and island, the summer cottage and hotel will arise, inviting thousands from afar to our shore bringing wealth, prosperity and joy in their train. Desolation will then give place to happy homes, and thronged highways; and despair to joy, to hope and to life. A complete transformation, as if by magical hands, will occur everywhere. Mudflats, now profitless because of prohibitory freight rates and lack of shipping facilities, will then be made to yield thousands of dollars every year, fields now useless and barren from similar causes, will again yield their wanted tribute of our golden staple, bringing gladness, where now only despair reigns, and plenty where only want and woe now abide.

This, Mr, Editor, is the most critical, the most portentous time in the history of our Peninsula. From our determination now of this question, a new epoch will date, of ruin or of prosperity, of continued bondage or of freedom. Every man should do his duty; another such opportunity may never again present itself to those now living. If patriotic and true, the present, and the generations to come, will bless us; if false, if faithless to country, home and people, for sake of present political petty political advantage, we will justly deserve their wrath and their curses. Let us forget, in the presence of this golden opportunity, for once, at least, that we are partisans, that we are Republicans or Democrats, or Populist, or Prohibitionists. While the fate of this improvement is hanging in the balance, for the day, certainly, we should bury our differences and sink our animosities, every man standing shoulder to shoulder, side by side, in support of this our common cause. In union, in concert of action, success will be assured. Division will invite defeat and sure disaster. Of what avail for our prosperity, is the operation of a high or a low tariff, if by a continued high freight rate, and restricted shipping facilities, we are denied access to the great markets of the country? To-day we are paying this steel ribbed monopoly among us a freight tariff of over 100 per cent. upon our great product for the privilege of selling it in the markets of the country. How long can our great industry and our people survive under this terrible condition? The tariff imposed upon us by the Gorman Bill, or even the McKinley Bill, is nothing to us as compared with this. We are being ground to powder between two forces. To the government and to the manufacturers we are paying a tariff of 50 per cent. upon what we buy, and to the railroad we are now paying a tariff of 100 per cent. upon what we sell. Can human endurance stand this? To the completion of this waterway alone can we look for any measure of relief from this latter imposition.

Mr. Jones, our present representative in Congress, is deeply interested in the success of this proposed improvement. He now occupies there a position of wonderful power and influence. He is a most influential member of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, the committee in whose power it is to promote or to destroy this movement. If we send him back to Congress our success is assured. If we send a new man, no matter how able he may be, for a year or two, he will -- from inexperience -- exercise no influence what ever. Not being in accord with the party in power, no matter how good his intentions may be, he can do nothing whatever for us. Our present commanding position upon this all important committee will be lost, and this improvement so dear to us, with no champion at hand to help it through the numerous struggles yet before it, will be ruthlessly crushed aside and lost sight of perhaps forever.

I hope that no one, not even an enemy, will accuse me of adopting this method, to secure a petty political advantage for the party to which I belong. I am persuaded Sir, that those who know me, will believe me when I say that no such consideration prompted this communication. But, sir, I do affirm with all sincerity, with the deepest convictions and with all of the earnestness of which my soul is capable, that with William A. Jones, alone, rests the fate of this undertaking, and the consequent weal or woe of this entire Peninsula. In the presence of this great crisis, sir, no man should falter, no patriot can hesitate. Our duty is plain. Vote for country! Vote for home! Vote for freedom!

Earnestly yours,

"ACCOMAC."

Mappsville, Oct. 24th, 1894.