Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1915 — UP TO THE VOTERS [ARTICLE]

UP TO THE VOTERS

Of Newton Tp„ Whether Or Not Tlu*y Will Give Promoters $10,000; The subsidy election in Newton township to vote on the proposition of whether or not the taxpayers of that township will make an absolute gift of $16,000 to the promoters of the so-called Lafayette and Northwestern Railroad, will be held next Wednesday. Personally it is none of The Democrat’s business whether this subsidy is voted or not, but we have always thought it not only the pro vince out also the duty of a news paper to protect its readers from imposition as far as possible, and for this reason this paper has always opposed the voting of subsidies to any private corporation. And, to us, it looks like the most foolish thing on earth for Newton township especial!} to give away money in this profligate manner. it already has a steam road on each side of it not more than 4 or 5 miles away from any farmer in the township, and steam roads carry freight, while electric roads, which this*is proposed to be—should it ever be constructed —do not, so far as our observation goes, carry anything but express and baggage. Why, then, from any manner ol reasoning, should the taxpayers give up free gratis for nothing $1 6,000: The proposed road runs on the half section line and crosses but two public 'highways in the township. If one wanted to take a car. on the road—-should the road be built—he would have to go about a half mile at least to reach it. Therefore, from a traveling point of convenience it would benefit but a very few, and with the Improved roads Newton has recently built, the number of automobiles already owned in the township and the . scores of more that will be owned there before this road is ever constructed, the electric road would be used but very little by the residentsof the township, and the $1 6,000 could be spent to much greater advantage in building more and better wagon roads, which would benefit all, and they wouldn’t have to pay, anything extra to travel over them either. ,"' There will, no doubt, some day—* if the automobile, which is even now said to be cutting great inroads in the earnings of electric roads, does

not make it unprofitable to operate them—be such a road built across Newton tp., built by some company that will only ask for the right-of-jierhaps. and the good-will of the people, and why tie up the proposition for a number of years by voting a tax upon yourselves and making it impossible for the REAL railroad builders to come through your township?

There may have been a time was a time, in sact —in the early history of our country—of Jasper county even—when there was some excuse for taking money out of your pockets and helping to pay for a railroad to afford you a nearer market and better traveling facilities. But that day has gone by, as these same promotors who tire now asking you to hand over your money to them said when this line was first talked of, in February, 19 1 I; "In times past that plan (bonus) worked well often, but things have changed in the traction business A bonus is a had proposition for two reasons. If the road is a good thing and can be built from right of way to time table at the, right figure, a bonus is unnecessary. If there is no real field for the road the bonus is a bad thing for the community giving it. If this proposed line on which we are working materiliz.es, I ASSURE YOU THAT THERE’ WILL BE NO SUCH THING AS A BONUf FIGURE IN IT."

The subsidy proposition is indeed all wrong today, and the law which permits the taking of this money from the pockets of the taxpayer whether he wills or not, should a majority vote for it, was passed away back in 1869, when Indiana needed railroads. But today there are but three states in the Union that permit this thing to be done any more—Mr. Brown himself told us this when he was against subsidies, so we suppose it is correct.

However, the matter is up to the voters of Newton township as to what they will do. If they want to tie up the prospect of any one else building a line through the township without asking for aid for several years, as long as this subsidy holds good; if they want this prospective tax hanging over them all this time; if they feel that they have money to throw away and had rathe, give it to some promotor than to expend it in better roads-and more drainage—if a majority feel this way about it, why the minority will