The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1853-07-29
THE CONTEST FOR CONGRESS.

The great interest manifested by the PEG
pie of this section Of the country upon the
subject of Government aid to our Railroads
and Rivers, and the anxiety to know the tru'
positions of the candidates for Congress
on this subject, induce US to recur to i
again, even at the hazard of repetition
In the matter ofrailroads, the construction o
a line TO Charleston, S. C., through the Ra
bun Gap, is of imHehsc Importance to Eas
Tennessee, while the improvement of the
Tennessee river and its tributaries, and ar
early and full development of the natura
resources of the State, is of equal Importance
in placing our State amongs. the first in pros
perity and power with the sisterhood OF
States. For the accomplishment of these
great objects we know Mr.. Van Dykes poll
cy to be this;-it is admitted that the General
Government tiow holds in trust for all the
States of the Union, fourteen hundred millions
acres of lands, and that there is now in the
Treasury of the United States $21 100000.
If this S2l 100000 and one sixth even of
this domain, could be distributed among all
the States according to federal population,
the share coming to Tennessee would enable
her to complete her entire system of Railroads,
to improve all her rivers, and to build up and
sustain perfect system of Common School
education. To accomplish this general dis
tribution in order to carry out these great OBJ
iects for the benefit Of the people, Mr.. Van
Dyke stands pledged to use his utmost en-.
deavors. But if upon a fair and energetic
experiment, this cannot be obtained, then,
upon the principle of taking halfa loaf, when
whole one cannot be had, his resort will be
to this plan-that is for having Congress to
pass law in which provision shall be EN-
bodied, securing TO the State of Tennessee as
much of the public lands as may be necessa-
nv, with directions that the State shall invest
so much of the fund in the construction of
the Rabun Gap and Memphis and Charleston
roads, as would ensure their construction
through the State, securing to the State, for
Common School purposes, the interest on the
amount invested, or the profits of the stock
taken in the road, and paid for by the pro-
ceeds of these lands.
Believing that the first proposition would
have more advocates in Congress than the
second he thinks that should be first tried
but failing in that the second would follow,
or any other constitutional one, by which the
people Of Tennessee ,oouM get her portion Of
the public lands, or the surplus rerenue.
These we know are Mr.. Van Dykes views
of poicy-and it is according to this enlarg-
ed, safe and liberal plan, that all our works of
Internal Improvement should receive the aid
of the Government Mr. Smith we under
stand to be opposed to this policy, and offers
as a substitute the plan of the Government
giring to private Company portion of the
public lands, the Company to be the sole ben
liciary of the gift, to the exclusion of the
people whose property the lands are-the
Company receiving the interest of the fund
thus invested, or the entire profits of the
road thus aided in its construction.
This constitutes the essential, vital differ
ence between the candidates for Congress,
which we have attempted to show for the
last few weeks, and which we now repeat, on
account of its great and manifest importance
TO the people of this District Let the lands
be given to Tennessee, and let the fund, or
the interest or profits arising therefrom, re-
main forever under her control for the educa-
ton Of her children, instead of being donated
to private, sOulless corporation, a splendid
monopoly, to receive the profits, or to squan-
der the fund in extravaganza and folly, with
out accomplishing the object of the donation,
the construction of the road.
This will be our last paper before the elec.
tion-and we appeal to candid men of all
parties, who have the good of the country at
heart, to vote in this election, as they should
in every other, for the good of the country;
and not for the building up of monopolics,
and tho wasteful extravaganza Of the public
funds in the erection OF splendid corpora
TONS.
Voters of tho Sd Congressional District,
pause and think upon this matter before cast
ing your votes! Remember that your chill
drcn and children's children are interested in
the decision you will make on the day of the
election.
WASHINGTON NATIONAL McsUMENr.-It is
proposed that boxes be kept at each precinct