Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1883 — The Railroad Election. [ARTICLE]

The Railroad Election.

The Rochester, Rensselaer and St. Louis Railway Company is a local organization, the directors all live along the line of work. The Chicago ana Atlantic Railway Company own and operate a strictly first-class through line from the Eastern Sea-board*' cities to Chicago , thus competing for Omaha and St. Paul through shipments. It is seeking a St. Louis and Kansas City connection. For the puipose of inviting the construction of such line through Rensselaer, and not elsewhere, the legal voters of Marion township propose to offer, payable when the road is completed, the proceeds of a tax, to be voted upon August Ist, 1883. This aid is to be voted to the local organization. The fear of imaginary evil ought not to debar ns from seeking our own immediate benefit. The local organization is the agent of the people to invite capital to invest in the project, and make Rensselaer a point Tne voters of the township simply say that if the R. R. & St. L. R. R. Co., will cause a first-class railroad to be built on a certain line, in a certain manner, and within a certain time, a certain amount of aid can be collectible ad valorem. The pedple of the township dictate the place where they want a railroad built, and we have not heard a single voter object to the place selected in the petition. , The voters prescribe the manner in which the railroad shall be constructed, so as to protect the farmers against the evil of stock-killing, and the law decrees a limit of time. Now if a railroad is a good thing for the people, they want it built. They select the place, time and manner of its construction, and contribute a small per cent, of its cost. This is fair, and no harm can come to our people. We propose now to answer some objections: Objection No. I—“ Our tax is too high now, and although the investment would be a good one, we are not now conveniently able to make it.” This objection has merit, but it is not tenable for the reasons: Ist—The occasion offered may not again occur. A neglected opportunity may be a source of perpetual regret. 2nd —Tbe time when the tax is to be paid may be a time of good crops and hign prices. The merchant, when trade is dull, renews his advertising, and awaits better results. Oojection No 2—“ l am afraid the local company are asking this tax to make«money out of the project?” No argument addressed to the man is fair unless supported by evidence. No man who engages as agent to assist any public enterprise, ought to have his motives questioned without reason. No° honest man will, without cause, ascribe an evil intent to an honest act of his fellow man. It is a case of measuring your own character. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakoth.” The absurdity of such an uulair objection will at once appear from the fact that not one oent of the money raised by taxation can be paid to any one until the work is completed, and hence the taxpayers could not possibly be harmed. Objection No. 3—“ The people in town will reap an unfair proportion of benefits.” The assessed valuation of property in town, in 882, was $128,000, and in the country $422,000. The town will have the greater tax to pay. The land in town is assessed at about 15 per cent, of the total valuation, while in the country the value of the land is onehalf the assessment. Real Estate will be most largely benefftted, and tho country will realize three-fourths of the profit, according to the rule of quantity. The railroad will pay back, in taxes, to tho township proper, fifteen times as as much as to the town. The objection is without foundation in truth. The tax is a fair way of aiding the project, and no ill feeling ought to exist on the part of farmers, against the residents ot Rensselaer, as such. %*