Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-07-25
For the Quasqueton Guardian.
FelloaO Citizens Of buchanan County

whether our lands shall be of no greater
value than they now are, at the end OF
the next ten years. Every county in this
part of the State bids fair to be more
prosperous than we. Let us examine the
mattery and ascertain, if possible, why
this is so. Other counties have no more
favorable location. Our lands are not
surpassed by any in the State for fertility
We are admitted to have several of the
most valuable water privileges in the
west-and why may we not be one of the
first counties in Iowa in importance Il
all lays with ourselves, and now, when
every sister county is striving to build
themselves up, why must we remain in
the background. The truth is here-we
stand idle while they are pulling every
string, (as the politicians say.) If we
have credit-why not use it? Every
business man thinks as much of his cred
1t as he does of his real capital, and he
uses 1t for his interests just as much
Our neighboring counties are all doing
the same thing. They are doing more
with their credit alone than we are doing
with capital. The consequence of this
Is, the value of land increases, improve
ments go on with rapidity-railroads are
in progress of construction everywhere
Farmers in other counties have become
enlightened on these subjects. They
have voted for railroad loan when their
credit was far behind ours. And what is
the effect of it ?--how do these same far
mers feel now? Can We not see that the
citizens of Jones, Linn, Dubuque and
jackson counties are well satisfied with
what they have done ? Gentlemen, the
only way we can feel as they do, is to do
as they have done.
1t needs no great range of foresight TO
see the advantages of road running
northwest up the Wapsipinicon Valley.
Outsiders will say that it will do the
state and community as much good to
build road up the Cedar But that Is
not our case. There cannot be shadow
of adoubt, gentlemen, but that railroad
will be built over one Of these routes
chance as We e now have ti6 81 securing e the
road slip through our fingers. 1t will
never return, and the decision which you
give at the ballot box at the August elec-
ton can never be rescinded. Can you
not see where your interests lie, and will
you give them up to tier of counties
lying west of you, when by one bold
stroke you can secure them 7? Dubuque,
not satisfied with half dozen projected
railroads, must use all her influence to
kill the Wapsipinicon road. Why is
this =? They can see that in tho event of
the breaking up of the northwest road
through your county, they can make you
pay Dubuque profit on every thing in
the mercantile traffic that you use. The
Express Dc Herald, not contented with
blowing great gales for their own bene-
| fit, must, forsooth, tell us what we must
do--who we are TO elect for county off
GERS. There can be no doubt where
their interest lies, and we must know
fellow citizens, where our interest lies
| have always been Democrat am
still Democrat-and | trust that the
name consecrated by Jefferson will follow
me TO the grave. But when | see mel
minding other peoples business, and try
ing to raise themselves and their locality
in the minds of the people of other dis
tricts of our country, by pulling dowr
every one else, | must speak out, else
should forfeit the name of Democrat.
Do not make this subject a party is
sue. Vote for whoever your judgment
tells you is the most worthy man. and
governed by the most worthy principles
but vote for the loan. Some have triec
to instil into our minds the idea of taxa
ton. Gentlemen, this is all false. Th,
county's bonds cannot be issued under
the laws of Iowa without good and suffi
cient security being offered. 1t amounts
to the same thing as signing note witt
your neighbor, he giving you deed o
trust for his farm as security. But, yo,
say, why is sucn security necessary
Go to the bank to borrow hundred dol
lars, and they will not lei you have it fol
a moment, though you were Rothsehild
without good and sufficient security.
The real value of a northwest road
and the benefits to be derived from il
have been proved to you by the bes
course of reasoning to be almost incalcu
liable to the county as county. to ever,
town in the county as a town. and to ev
cry individual as an individual. Again