The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1857-05-16
THE CLINTON AND EATON ROuGFiltA lLROAD
WOULD II INCREASE THE TAXES OF THE


road from this point to Baton Rouge. Now let us
examine the question fairly, and seriously, and see
If their approximations are we'll founded. The propo
sttion is that the State shall lend its aid to the
amount of ono hundred thousand dollars, by issuing
It's bounds for that sum- bearing eight per cent inter
est payable annually. said bonds TO be due some
twenty-five or thirty years hence. For The present
no one will pretend to say that will have anything
10 pay but the eight thousand dollars of interest
annually, which will accrue on these bonds. This
eight thousand dollars is to be paid by the whole
State and not by the parish Of East Fclicana alone
Now if this he true, and defy any one to gain say
it, what will be the proportion which the tax payers
of East Feciana will have to pay? The total
amount of taxes upon land and negroes in the whole
Stale is in round numbers about $780, 900, and III
the parish Of East Felciana, about Sl05o0. Any
ono can work ont the question by the single rule OF
three. If the sum of Sjs0.00o, has TO be increased
eight thousand dollars, how much will $4,000 dol
lars have TO be increased. The answer is one hun
drcd and forty-scvcn dollars (Sll7). If We make
the calculation upon the whole revenue Of the State
the proportion will he much less. The whole amount
Of revenue of the State is jG2Gd55, and the
total amount paid by East Fcliciana S2G.5l2lo. The
portion that would fall upon the tax payers Of Fast
reliciana according to this rule, would be about
$40. Now in all fairness II this small Increase Of
taxation to he complained Of. ltwoull only amount
TO small fraction Of n dollar to each We nrc Al
ready taxed 10 build railroads in other parishes of
the state. and Why not let them he taxed lltilc ior
building railroad from our parish site to Baton
Rouge Our refusing 10 be taxed lor orr own con
veniencc will not prevent orr boing taxed for the
benefit Of Others For may be assured that the
pcopIn Of the rest Of the State are not going to re-
fuse the benefit Of the State aid, when they can get
IL 10 assist them in building roads for their conven
icncr The policy Of the State has already been cs
tablhcd by the constitution Of Tie Sate, aad nc ia~s
hm hare tec subsequently passed. giving aid to the New
Orleans and Jackson railroad to the Opconsas rail
road the Shreveport and Nicksburg railroad, and
10 the Baton Rouge and New Orleans railroad Shall
We not avail ourselves of that policy to build rail
road from Clinton TO Baton Rouge which is demand
ed by every consideration, Of interest, convenience.
and utility. 4 railroad that will pay better than
any road Of the same length that can he found any
where III the south A road that will cost lcss 70
build IT and add more value TO the real estate of the
parish than any other one thing that be devised
conceived or established.
Then why sh III we not exert orr energies to have
this railroad: No other question Of erlal impor-
lance to us be agitated i'll this section OF the
State! Docs not every man, that can reason nj all
know that he can get his cotton TO market and his
supplies home, cheaper by the railroad Than he can
i to have to haul it TO the river Does he not know
that he saves not only in the expense, but he also
saves in not having his team and driver upon The
\ road exposed to danger from high water and had
! weather: and from sudden sickness that often hap
pens? How many drivers have died, and how many
teams have been destroyed in lornor days from
these causes? If railroad would enable the people
10 get their produce 10 market cheaper. and hoil
supplies back, at less cost, than they could other
wise do is il not clear to the mind Of every one lila
il would be taking of taxation instead Of increasing
H. We must remember that the taxes We pay 70 tn
State are not all the taxes we have 10 pay Every
dollar We have to pay ont in The way Of expense il
tax. and whatever will diminish that expense, 4
far relieves us Of taxation If by paying oat ono
dollar. we save several in our pockets, would no
this be relieving us of taxation instead Of incrcasnG
it,
Tn investigating this question Of railroad from
Clinton to Baton Rouge, we must examine II in eve
, ry light It is not to be considered alone in tn
light Of profit and loss to the state or the company
but also. in n more liberal and enlightened spirit
we should examine IL, as 10 the advantages II vii
confer on the people of this parish and the adiaeen
country We must look at the quantity Of lands j
. would bring into cultivation, that are now idle an
unproluctye We must consider the probable IN
crease of population and property IL will bring int
this parish and the parish of Baton Rouge, and shon
+ the railroad be built from Baton Rouge to New On
IS leans as most likely il will be, VIC are TO cSamin
Ii and consider the demand, also, that will be mad
IS upon the people of the two parishes and the countr
near by for everything in the way OF table supple
in New Orleans Every turkey, chicken, lamb,
anything else will be sought after by persons irol
the city who will pay the cash, and at much hlght
prices. than these things now sell for. Such ron
y will create, and foster other ways OF makinga prof.
y able living, besides making cotton. Many person
would find II TO their interest to turn their aitenio
" TO raising stock and fruit and vegetables, instead
7 what they now produce. These things must be col
sdered in the examination of question OF such
l. tai Importance to the future prosperity and happ
= ness of the people of East Fclicana.
A railroad from here to Baton Rouge, and Ne
I Orleans l. 10 be considered in another light whlo
n perhaps few persons have thought of, aud IL is thi
as The neonlc of this parish are much disposed to mos