Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-01-29
For the Southern Standard.


Mr.. Editor 1T is very seldom that trouble news
pHpers with communications and would not do so now
it not that article in your last paper, signed
ga tax payer contains statements entirely var
with facts, which unless reiuted might do
harm.
| believe all persons are bound to be more or less
crazy some one or more subjects, and your
pondnet is so perfectly wild against the Rail Road
that he seems to have gone crazy in his opposition
and can only look at the subject on one side. He
says "the poor will be taxed to benefit the rich
This is not so. Every person will pay in proportion
to their means, and be benefited in like ratio. If
any advantage is to be gained it is by the poor man,
therefore the poor man is most deeply interested i'll
the vote being carried-How The rich planter can
go to Mobile with his so and 100 bales of cotton and
while there purchase his years supplies and that the
lowest cash prices. This the small planter or poor
do but is left TO the tender merces of the
dealers in the small towns, who the moment the river
is down, make him pay whatever prices they choose
ask.
II the people turn out and vote in favor of the road,
and carry the question in the affirmative, it will be inn
possible for any one to impose the wants of the
community, merely because he happens to have an
ticie which they need.
Let US take an instance The river is now down,
suppose it should not rise again this winter Salt
which sells at 81 25 would 90 up to from So to 50.
Now if we had Rail Road it would be impossible to
obtain these eXorbtant prices, it could be brought
up in few hours. When the road is completed the
farmer can know almost exactly how he make his
purchases he knows the price, and is at all times GER
tain of obtaining full supply of what he needs,
small advance from Mobile COST and not be subject to
the caprces of the river, which is never up at the right
time.
siy the way your correspondent to be partic-
uiary anxious in relation to the Tombgby river and
from his language he would lead us to suppose that il
the Rail Road is built shall not only never see
Steamboat here again. but that the river itself will al
up. He says the first Steamboat he ever saw was on
the TOmbgby. The whole tenor of the communica-
ton would impress in the belief that he had never
anywhere else, had never seen Rail Road
and consequently knowing nothing of the Importance
of the roads, is therefore entirely unprepared to write
article either for or against it. He has certainly
written without knowledge, will be seen by the fol
lowing. He says the road may run 25 miles from Co
lumbus, when he we'll knew Cor should have known
before attempting to the subject that the route
has been decided on and that it almost exactly
II miles from the town, and portion of the road as
selected is now in progress That he knows nothing
of Rail Roads, he shows when he says sit will require
Il double track, to go and one to come" He might
with just much proprety have urged that there must
be two roads to Pckensville, one which to 90 and
one to come. If he had been any of the South
Carolina, Georgia. Ohio, any other large roads, he
would have found but track; and it is to be hoped
It they can go and come track we can do the
same. There are of course every Rail Road, shor
turn outs where the cars going in different directions
can pass.
Your correspondent seems to endeavor to mislead
instead of enghten his readers whether Intentionally
or through ignorance am not to Judge. He says t.
complete the branch road will require so miles of track
which at $4,000 per mile would cost S75O,OOO, anC
says he supposes the county would like to be taxed
that immense sum. Now if before Jumping at sucE
foolish estimates, entirely of reason and at var
with the real facts of the case he had taken thu
trouble to read the estimates of the Chief Engineer
he would have that the branch road will be some
l3 miles long. The cost of grading the branch will
be $4,000. From this deduct Columbus subscrip
ton $4,000. leaving $85,OO0 be raised by the pro
posed tax. Now the Mobile & Ohio Rail Road com
pany have agreed that if will carry this vote through
that they willlay down the iron on our branch road
and take pay in stock to the of 75 OOO so al
are, can be called for branch road is S75
Quite difference truly between $4,000 the rea
amount and the fancied $75O,OOO of your correspon
dent. If we go forward and carry this VOTE we hav
the $4,000 aid from the company for the branch;
reject it, then will have later to rails
the entire 100000 ourselves.
This is democratic county; we believe that ma
jortes shall rule Now not only is there large ma
jory in favor of the road but at the last election ther
only lacked some 10 votes of being thirds in avo
of it, The election comes off Monday the 3Is
inst. Let every person that day 60 to the polls
and vote his conscience Directs but on no accoun
stay away and then regret it afterwards.
A TAX PAYER.