Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-02-10
Railroad Tax.


HENRY O'CoNvoR, Chm"
Railroad Tax.
A communication last week from Wap-
senonock, and series of resolutions this
week from Moscow, show determination
to resist the payment of the railroad tax.
The sentiments entertained in those two
townships, although buried under heap
of stuff about I" monopolies . and "tyran-
nical majorities,' is really and truly just
about this :--"B By mere good luck, we hap
pen to have railroad communication with
Davenport; if the balance o. the county
wants a railroad, let the people wait for
good luck, as we did; let them set down
and suck their fingers till some good nasured
capitalist comes along and builds road for
them. We've got railroad, zoe don't want
another = they'll get no help from u.s."
Men much oftcner deceive themselves than
they deceive others, and frequently asecret
motive influences a man when he would
scorn to acknowledge it, even to himself.
Local circumstances influence men in all
the relations Of life, social and political.
1t is entirely probable that if we lived in
Wapsenonock or Moscow townships, we
should take the same course they are taking.
We say this, not because we believe they
arc right, but because we acknowledge the
powerful influence of io~al circumstances,
in leading men to deceive themselves. How
is it that slavery is defended in tho South
and opposed in the North, upon moral and
religious principles? Has the hand of God
stayed morality and religion upon the one
side or the other of Mason g. Dlxon's line?
How was it that Boston, when her merchants
were interested and her ships employed in
the slave trade, vehemently opposed its
abolition, and why is it that now, all Boston
would rise up in horror, if it were proposed
to legalize it? Have Boston morals i'm
proved SO much ?-or may we not suppose
that change of interests has exerted pow
erful but una lnowledged influence?
Sometimes lending man gets a crotches
in his head, and leads his neighlors astray.
John G. Calhoun led the whole South by the
nose, although he advocated the most ex-
travagant opinions: smaller man may
mislead neighboIhood.
A farmer worth FIVE hundred or five thou.
sand dollars, thinks it not worth one dollar
or ten dollars to him to have a choice Of
two markets he will cry down railroad
as monopoly, and at the same time is
willing to check the growth Of Muscatine,
which would result in building up mono
poly Of buyers at Davenport. Which mono
poly is the worse for him? Suppose COM
pany is benefited more than himself, why
should that trouble him, if he is directly
or indirectly benefited more than the
amount of the tax he pays? He can under
stand how the county builds up the town,
but he cannot sec how tho town builds up
the county. He can understand the pro-
priety of taking his produce a long distance
to large market, but he does not see how
he is to be benefited by building up such a
market at his own door. He understands
how the value of some lands in Muscatine
county may be increased in value by rail-
roads, but he does not perceive that conti-
guous lands will rise also, and that thus the
railroad influence will more or less Gcneh-
cially affect every acre in the county. No,
we take all that back. The people of Wap-
senonock and Moscow townships are intel
ligent men, and the reason they oppose their
own interests is because - well, we don't
know what's the reason!
A BIG REWARD will be given to anybody
who viii tell us what Democratic Principles
are! We have inquired of the Democratic
organ in this city, and the editors don't
know, we therefore advertise for man who
can tell US what Democratic principles are.
will the editors of the Enquirer tell US
whether they are anti men, or opposed
to amendment Of the constitution? The
Democratic party of Iowa supposed itself
to be IN favor of amending the State con-
stitution, until their leaders, in convention
assembled, placed themselves in hostile
attitude. What do our neghbors of the En-
quirer think of it? Do they think our legis-
lature meets often enough? Will they de-
fine their position on these points?
THE STATE CoNvENTIoS.-Ihe Keokuk
WMg objects to the call of the Wing State
Convention at Iowa City, on the 22nd inst,
on account Of insufficient time to secure a
representation from the more remote coun-
ties. It having been understood for some-
time previous to the call that the 22nd would
be tho time, We apprehend the Wings
throughout the State are already prepared
for it. The Whig says the people of that
section OF the State "will ignore the call, and
request the postponement of the Conv ention
to the 18th day of April, at least" We
think tho editor is alone in his position. At
any rate, the call is responded to at every
other place, and the Convention promises to
be large and interesting one. The course
Of the Whig is arbitrary and unreasonable,
and we hope it will fall into the ranks at
once.
Three drunken sailors got into FIGHT at Cbicsgc,
sw days snce, in which two had their noses bitten
completely Oh and Sne his right eye sougsd entirsly
at