Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1883 — The Rail-road Election! [ARTICLE]

The Rail-road Election!

Beaver Township, in Newton county, has voted the two percent, tax tor the Rochester, Rensselaer, &Bt. Lpuis Railway by a vote of 121 to 31.

“The Rensselaer Republican calls it the Cincinnati Inquirer.”—Oxford Tribune. Well, what if we did inadvertently apply the word Inquirer instead of Enquirer to the journalistic What-is-it of Beerapolis? “Inquirer” is the more common and preferable form of the word, anyhow, and its use, in speaking of the paper in question, was an error too slight and excusable to be deserving of notice. If we had made such a complete “give away” of a blunder as the Tribune, itself, made, a few weeks since, there might be reasonable grounds for criticism. In the course of an ignorant and superficial paragraph, in regard to two of the greatest, noblest, and best known people in modern literature, the Tribune gave the surname of George Eliot as “Elliott” and of John Stuart Mill, as “Mills”, thus revealing the fact that it was trying to show knowledge of authors of whom jt was so, absolutely, ignorant as not even to known their names. If the Tribune chooses to step on our coat tails again we shall favor that journal with a few remarks upon the very dishonorable practice of paragraph and editorial stealing.

Written for The Republican. The Legal voters of Marion township decide, on Wednesday, August Ist, 1883, by the lawful method, whether they desire an East and West Rail-road through the township. If built, there will be seven and one-half miles of track laid in the township. It will cost to build and equip the road in the township, about $160,000, and in the county, about $400,000. After the road is built it will be assessed for taxation at about SIO,OOO per mile. The amount to be raised by the proposed tax is $17,000. Payable, if at all, ? in the year 1885, and jin the year 1886. This is, probably, the only aid which can be procured in the county, and amounts to about 4 per cent, of the cost of building the road. THERE CAN BE NO USELESS EXPENSE. The Railroad Company must, inorder to draw any portion of the sum voted, commence the work, designated in the petition, before August Ist, 1884, or z within 12 months from the date of the

election. This is required by law, and placed in the order. No one can honestly doubt that unless the Rail-road is commenced before August Ist, 1884, not one cent can be drawn from the Treasury. THE LEVY. No levy can be placed on the duplicate until June, 1884. The levy of June, 1884, cannot be collected until April, 1885. In the past history of voting rail-road taxes in Jasper county, there have occurred lapses and delays which created a prejudice in the minds of our people. The law, petition, order and notice are now so complete that no possibility for cumulative taxes and penalties, nor for private speculation exists. The people dread these matters, and pothaps justly. The legislature, the petitioners, the board oreommissioners and the auditor have so carefully guarded against a re-currence of such delays and unfairness, that there can be no repetition of such aggravating circumstances. WHAT MUST BE DONE TO ENTITLE THE R. R. CO., tO DEMAND THE MONEY: 1— The track must be laid entirely through the township. 2 A train of cars must pass over the entire distance. B—A side track must be laid at Rensselaer. . -1

4 A depot must be built within f of a mile of the Court House. 5 The entire right-of-way must be securely fenced, wherever the law permits it to be so fenced. 6 Cattle guards and farm crossings must be made to accommodate public and private ways. The Railway Co., are required to perform their part of the contract as an entirety before they can draw one cent of money, and not only this, but the matter is so arranged that not one cent need be paid until the R. R. Co. comply, in full, with their part of the contract.

BENEFIT TO IF THE RAIL-ROAD IS BUILT. I— The R. R., will pay, as taxes, into the county treasury, every year forever, the assessed rate,.for all purposes, on about $150,000 worth of property, which will net to property owners, outside of the town of Rensselaer, an annuity in taxes on the sum invested of at least 8 to 12 per cent. ll The competition in the carying trade would make every bushel of corn raised in the township worth I of a cent per bushel more, and on land appraised at $lO per acre, for taxation, and raising 40 bushels per acre, this would pay each year’s taxes. AU other salable products would bear increased prices in same ratio.

Ill—The increased competition in the retail markets in the town of Rensselaer would cheapen every article the farmer wished to buy, and increase the price of every product they sell. The price of coal, lumber / and hardware would notably decrease, while the price of hay, grain and live-stock would increase.

JV —The market would be made so general atjßensselaer that a farmer could sell all his*surplus, and buy all he needed, at his own county seat. V— For aU articles bought or sold at distant places, and all articles moved, the rate of freight would be diminished. Vl The cost and convenience of travel would be cheapened, and made more direct. VII — The market value of land would be increased, at least on an average $1 per acre, which would pay at least 500 per cent, on the land tax. VIII— The building up of the County Seat will tend to make better roads, and add to the beauty and comfort of living, in a marked degree, IX— The price and demand for labor of all kinds will be increased.

The owner of land will reap the greatest benefit, as he can pay his taxes each year with the advancing prices of crops, and this benefit is a continuing one, while his property is increased in value. Every land owner, if he understands the rule for getting on in the world, will vote for the tax, because, if the road is built, he will realize a profit from his land. Every laborer, who has little tax to pay, will vote for the tax, because, if the road is built, the price of his labor will be increased, while the cost of living will be diminished. The only classes of persons who might, out of selfish motives, vote against building new fail-roads to our County Seat, are the following: 1— Lumber and coal dealers, and gram buyers, because, their enjoyed monopoly may be broken up by lively competition. Lumber and coal will become cheaper, and grain advance. 2 The Bankers whose “two per ct. per month money” will have to compete with rates four times cheaper at the money centers. Hitherto I have adverted to the selfish side of the question. A Rail-road is a mark ot progress, and we need all such improvements for the public good. On» h?s brightened us up very much, and another taill highten the public spirit of the whole county.

Wh ■> believes that the back-woods of Swamoy Jasper could have ever remove I the mill-dam, furnished an honor'd Judge of the Supreme Court, and t iken so high a place in the public eye, but .for our Rail-road? The voters should think of these things kindly . and not rashly vote against a proposition so fraught with good, by reason of seme “enviousfeeling,” some root o 'ancient bate. The sources of friction are now removed and we should act in this matter as brethren for the common good. The question is fairly put, and jour answer will tell whether jou want the Road.