The Weekly comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1853-1855, 1853-12-25
A SERIOUS SUBJECT sUBER PEOPLE
ONLY.

although the power is in the hands
Of the Representatives to do as they
Ike. still it is we'll to call tlle attention
Of the public mind to some few facts
invol, ,ng the future prospects OF the
STATE
The action Of the last legislature is
fresh before us--the paper upon which
it's acts are written. is SCARCELY dry !;
and it behooves the resident popula
ton of the State, and each nau whose
interest and happiness is therein in-
volved, to look back on what has been
done, and look forward to the perspec-
tive ruin which stares us in the face.
The expenses Of our State govern
,neut, are already enormous our Off
GERS have salleries unprecedented in
amount, aud linitless contingent funds
A ruinous free banking system is in
force, and the bonds of The State have
been given to many doubtful enterpll-
ses of railroads and otherwise, that
have in every Instance, nearly, turn
ed out to be mere speculatiops, on
the part of a few experienced dealers
in "stocks," who have no more at
heart. the interest Of the State than
eat-dshes in lis muddy waters lfthey
swim. it IL all in all the sinking Of
other things is q matter Of small mo
ment.
They will go into the next legisla-
ture iu solid phalanx, pledged to sup
port one other. Aud aid will be asked
In addition to aid already given for
Great Northern, and Great Western
railroads. Many eloquent and patri-
otic speeches will be made about prog
ress .euterprise---the example Of
other States will be offered, to show
what railroads have done, aud the rail
road Magaziae will be introduced with
ii. statistics, to show what they hav'nt
done. The question IL what have they
done. aud what remains undone that
they eau do for Louisiana, to compen-
sate the people at large for tie bonds
Of scrv,tude, into which they sell
themselves to give aid to railroads 7
In considering this question, Louis
iana and Louisiana alone, must be
considered with all her peculiar iusti-
tutions, and immcnce landed estates
the speculations that have been, and
continue to be made ia her lands,
by persons not in the most remote de-
gree interested in her welfare Does
the commerce Of the State at large,
require the work : And is not agri-
cultural persuits confined to a very
limited number--most Of whom will
resist TO the death. any tax upon their
immencc estates for any enterprise.
These, and kindred subjects, must be
enquired into, and il will be found that
the State, in its present civil, and po.
litical phrase, requires rothing Of the
kind
The pledging Of State aid to rail-
roads, is Of very doubtful expodiency
under any condition of things. We
trcmble to make this assertion in the
face of the example Of "other States
but it is done with sincere conviction
Of truth. It must not be forgotten
that Louisiana is not New York 0,
Ohio, in the contemplation and specu-
lation in reference to the effect Of
railroads here. As the subject is rath-
or an unpopular one, aud our leader is
long enough for q Tuesday morning 5
leader we will cut it off abruptly here,
to give place to few remarks of the
Nashville Union on the same subject
They are as applicable to Louisiana as
1 fhnr nrn "a Tnnnl,,.na