Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 174, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1915 — The Truth About the Subsidy Tax Proposition. [ARTICLE]

The Truth About the Subsidy Tax Proposition.

The Republican does not want to make this paper appear as a special issue for the railroad tax subsidy, but there is no matter so important that confronts the people of Rensselaer at this time as the hope that we may be able to secure for this city another railroad. There is nothing so certain to help our growth as an interurban railroad that will bring to our doors to trade the people from the neighboring cities. It is very probable that another election will be called and every citizen in Marion township should rise up to the full realization of what success in getting the road would mean and what failure to secure it would mean. Every man should refuse to be influenced by the antagonism of any person who has a personal ax to grind or whose anger has led him to the point of opposing true progress and to attacking individuals and assailing a proposition in any sensational manner calculated,jto defeat the measure by petty prejudices and mudslinging. The current issue of The Democrat proves an attitude of hatred that shows no fairness at all and shows a desire to poison the minds of every person against a progressive issue that will result in such splendid development for our city and country and to which so many of our business people are committed. In a slurring manner The Democrat refers to the “disinterested” parties who came here Thursday to discuss the matter with businessmen. Included in (those who were here were several farmers near to or through whose land the railroad would pass. These men’s interest is so great that they have willingly associated themselves with O. L. Brown, the promoter, and have purchased stock to supply the money needed to carry on the expense of making surveys, etc. They are men who own broad acres of fine land and who will be glad to pay the tax for the support of the road and who have gone further in their deep interest of development and put up considerable cash and a lot of time and whose judgment should be worth as much or a lot more than that of an editor whose 'hatred has led him into a campaign of petty politics against a movement that is the most important confronting Rensselaer and Marion township that has ever presented itself for consideration. The writer has known Perry O’Connor, Charles W. Stockton, Wilbur Stockton and other prominent Round Grove township farmers for many years. He knows that they are wealthy farmers and that they are good citizens and that they have been working for a railroad in their country for twenty years. We know that they believe there is a chance to build IJiis railroad and that they have the deep interest of wanting it built because it means so very much to them. Many Rensselaer people know E. G. Perrigo, son-in-law of Thos. Crockett, of this city, and a well-to-do farmer living west of Morocco and know that his interest is in having the road built because it means accommodations in travel and marketing to himself and his neighbors and an increased value to their lands. Persons who know him or who know the others named know that the insinuations in The Democrat about “disinterested” persons are worthy the calibre, of mind only from which their eminate and Whose citizenship ranks away and above that of a man who nags a big proposition in the same manner that a pup snarls at the heels of an elephant. , The Democrat poses at a legal interpreter and flaunts before its readers the statement that the road if ever built must follow the blue print plans, but an interpretation of the law from the office of the state s at-torney-general is to the effect that the law applies only to steam roads. The Democrat undertakes to make much of the editor’s wisdom and it will be necessary for him to use a strong magnifying glass to keep up interest in his campaign of personal hatred and abuse and have readers of ordinary intelligence go no deeper than his own statements to learn the truth. The Democrat closes its article of calumny with the statement, ‘We have been hounded enough along this line.” And yet tKfere are citizens, many, many of them, who will be only too glad of an opportunity to again vote on a proposition that is to “hound” us with a new railroad and “hound” us with an opportunity to be by far the best town in a radius of fifty miles. A fanner called The Republican this morning and asked what was done at the meeting Friday night and when informed said, “I am glad it is to be taken up again. lam for it and want to congratulate The Republican for its stand for progress.” Several women in Rensselaer urged the support of the subsidy to the editor of The Republican Friday evening and we believe, firmly .believe that when the route is chosen through town and the people become thoroughly awakened to the possibility of securing the road that a big majority for it will be returned when another subsidy election is called. One man said that he hated to see Rensselaer ever withhold support from anything calculated to make us grow and that if the road should never be built he considered it a great mistake to return a negative vote against a measure so beneficial. 'Let us rise above selfishness and penury and be boosters and purii the next subsidy