Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1883 — RAILROAD ELECTION. [ARTICLE]

RAILROAD ELECTION.

The Railroad is in one sense a private corporation, but in another and bettersense railroads form a part of a general system of public improvements essential to the settlement of this country—adding to the comfort and beauty of living. «uppose a gravel road was to be built by assessment, it is a serious question as towhich is the cheapest—a free road to be maintained bv future taxes, or a toll road simply adding to the cheapness of travel and transportation; Suppose a costly” iron bridge is to be built, ii is a mooted point as to which is cheaper and better to pay taxes and have the bridge free to be repaired and rebuilt by perpetual taxation, or to have a company care for the same at a reasonable toll and rebuild at their own j expense.

'rhe advocates of each plan can give good and plausible reasons for these diverse positions. A railroad brings cheap, er rates of transportation and travel for long and short distances, and hence is a benefit to all who desire a common carrier of persons and freight. The community generally do desire to move from place to place and for that purpose do pay road, turnpike, bridge and street taxes every year. There is, then,, a general demand for steam locomotion as well as for footwavs to walk, ride and drive.' The. railroads are restricted in the rate of their charges by statute and their rates are below any other practicable method of carriage. The speed is greater, saving time. The.rate.per mile is less, saving money. We propose to meet by fair argument some of the objections made to voting the tax on August Ist J 883. No other means than open, fair square reason will be used by any true friend o. the pubfie. Objection No- I.—“ The tax will help to build up a corporation.” This ought not to hurt any fair minded person if, in return for the small aid given, the corporation builds us up an equal and even a greater amount in our purses. This country is a nation of people, and corporations cannot vote. If people are controlled in their votes by them it is a

sad reflection on the honest integrity of the people. Hence no corporation ought, with any high-minded, honest man, to have a partime of influence. A corpora-' tion has no soul, and its wicked deeds are all to be ascribed to the men who may control the same. They ought so be as honest as those who control a farm. In the management of corporations, as in the management of any busines, honesty is the best policy. No man nas any right to assume that our railroad, if built, will be managed on any other basis than the strictest morality and rectitude. Because the rules for the settlement of claims and the | adjustment of differences prescribed by ihe officers on one road maylbe unjust, there is no room for saying that all managements are alike unfair and rasping to a man’s feelings. The same reasoning would measure liberal, enterprising men by those who do not see as they do.— Railroads are like partnerships, and we trust no such cynical rnle would be just as to them. Objection No. 2—“ This will be like the county tax we once voted; it will lay In the hands of the treasurer and banks for years.” We think is " effectually provided against in the petiticn, the order and the law, In order for the railroad to use the tax it must commence its work before August 4, 1884, and must complete thro’ the township, construct its side track, build a dei o‘, and fence its road. This is fixed bv an amended law of the State. It is set forth in plain words tn the petis tion and in the order, and will be confirmed by lhe vote of the people. No possible power can change the decrees of the legislature, the court and the people, so as to act on the contract completed by a favorable vote on August Ist, 1883, and an order ot court following the same The limit of time operating against the railroad company compels them to complete their work. The law, the order, and the notice all state this. The law is now plain: The. railroad cannot demar d the money until it has fully constructed its work as contemplatin the petition.—See section 4061 ot tetatules oi 1881.

4061 restricts the power of the railroad; the petitioners have restricted further, and the Board of Commissioners cannot pay one cent until the railroad Is completed as required in the petition. The law compels the railroad to cominence work within one year from Aug. 4th. 1883, when the Board will make the first leyy if the vote is favorable. Ihis levy cannot be placed on the duplicate until June. 1884. and no one need pay a same until after April 15. 1885. The tax will lapse unless the building of the road is commenced on or before Aug. 4, 1884. Objection No. 3 —“lf they want a railroad let tbem build it.” It would be a fairer statement to put it in this form: If we want a'railroad let somebody else build it, and we will gladly use it and reap the benefit of their liberality. Suppose a man was to start with a proposal to build a church or other public enterprise, and those benefitted would say, if you want it, build it, what would be thougnt of such? So of all other quasipublic project. Lit the objector say, Ido not want a railroad, and give an honest reason, but don't play bluff. Objection No. 4.—“1 am opposed to taxation in principle—all taxation is tyr anny.”

Now, my dear objector, you touch close to a sentiment dear to every one!— The school tax is tyrannical on old mammon, but it helps to clear away the clouds of ignorance. The road, state, county, township and town taxes are likewise ail tyrrannicai. But if any man who believes in society will study the matter he will find that all taxes are unfair to some individual*,jyet all taxes, including a railroad tax, work, together for the common good—that aid to any given public project can best be secured by taxation. On the voluntary principle the liberal minded will be oppressed, while the careless and selfish enjoy equally with them the benefits of their enterprises. The building of court nouses, jails, school houses, bridges, and public roads do not bear with exact equality, but they are necessary to sustain the fabric of saciety. Objection No. s.—“ The railroad will not be free.”

That is true. To make a free railroad our taxes would have to be at least 3n cents on the dollar in every township along the line, and this would be oppressive Then to keep up repairs and expenses, annual taxes would require a further levy every year. This cost to rebuild applies to all public buildings, bridges, and free highways. The railroad is kept up at its own ex. pense. Public buildings and bridges pay no taxes, while the railroad will repay in taxation an annuity of at least 8 per cent., which is fair interest on the people’s investment. All classes are benfefittea in their purses and property, except three. The retail merchants whose livinglis based in buying and selling for the farmers at a profit.— They may have less margin ot profit in the sharp competition of a live, growing town, but the number and magnitude of their transactions will increase. The producer and consumer will be benefltted. The grain, lumber and coal dealers, who buy farm poducts on a wide margin, and sell necessaries at a large aivance may fear competition, but such competition will help the tillers of the soil to sell at a higher price, and buy at a lower price, artieles of necessity. Bankers and money lenders, when brought in competition with money centers will have to be content with a considerably less rate of interest than they have been accustomed to receive. REASON.