The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-11-13
s,.,. Ala !. Rs,,r.aA..

. The people OF Dubuque "uu D"so"E0s'
propose holding o Convention at Iowa City
on the first Wednesday in December next,
to consist Of ten delegates from each county
in the State, for the purpose OF considering
the expediency Of procuring State aid Tor
such railroads as are Of State interest.
Should the Convention determine to ap-
ply for such aid, the Government must refer
it to the vote of the people, and the law
proposing such aid must be published in all
the counties in the State three months before
general (Uct.) election.
The expediency Of such procedure de-
ponds principally upon the integrity OF the
parties conducting i.
A loan Of S. ,OO0, 900 furnished at intervals
rs needed for the finishing Of roads would
not require payment on the part OF the
State Of more than per cent. interest per
annum, supposing the whole amount to be
loaned this would be $l50,000 per annum.
This amount however should only be requi-
red until connection in particular direc-
ton was completed.
There are two points in the plan of the pro-
posed Convention that are un-Democratic.
The first is county representation. We de-
mand representation by aid and not by acres.
Thesecond is, partiality in the distribution
of relief. We 60 in for equal share in d.
viding the funds, a. equality Of share in
contributing IL expected, reserving however
the liberty Of considerinr whether the secu-
rity offered by any rAilrohd b insuf6cient.-
We fully acknowledge the justice OF the fol-
lowing remarks from Mr.. p. Smith, of Du-'
bnque, having anticipated their purport in
our issue nearly week ago:
ssThe emigration that will Cow into the
State, in consequences of such measure,
will be tenfold compensation for all the
money that the State may appropriate
Look ut the effects of q like policy in Missou-
II and Minnesota. Those States are pros
porous, while Iowa is standing still. Every
stcamer that goes up or down the river, is
dePd Whiting Iowa, and building up our
neightngs.
Wha Usrncourngemen is there now, for
emigrantsto settle beyond the pale of civil
isation, and beyond the reach Of Il market
FOR many years to come ? The good lands
Of Iowa, il their present condition are little
better than barren waste. Let our policy
be bread as our natural resources are ample,
and Iowa will contain two millions Of inhab-
itants in six years, and the taxable proper
ty of the State will be increased more than
two hundred millions of dollars. Blot out
the public improvements from New York
and Pennsy lvania, and those States will be
ruined. Establish judicious system of
public improvement in Iowa, and it will at
once occupy its natural place-one Of the
most prosperous and interesting States in the
Union"
The Muscatine Journal remarks:
"The homelv adage, 'Let each tub stand
on its own BOTTOM is no less applicable to
railroads than other matters: We are there
fore, opposed to this project from beginning
to end. 1t ought not to be expected that
the State can afford to give aid for railroads
sufficient to benefit alike every part of the
State. These improvements must be in a
great measure local, and to compel the people
of the State at large to shoulder equally the
expense of their construction is unfair. 1t
IS folly to argue that the stock taken by the
State will be Il good investment. Every
man at all posted about railroad matters
knows better. No sensible man expects to
realize a dividend from railroad stock at
present. Very few OF them are paying more
than running expenses, and if the number of
railroads is increased by State aid, they are
not likely to be better paying investments
for many years to come. Another potent
argument against involving the State in this
matter is the msmanagement and extrava-
gance which always attend public improve
ments. If this scheme is adopted, it will at
once create a division of interests, and set
on foot such corrupt plans of sale and bar
gain among our leading men, for local and
personal ends, as cannot result in permanent
good for the public. The argument used by
the advocates of State aid to railroads-viz:
that the people are leaving Iowa for Mime
sofa and Missouri, because railroad enter
prises have received large assistance from
these States, is all 'bosh'. We wish the
investment of ten million dollars made by
Minnesota in her railroads will prove to her
advantage, but we fear it will not. She may
soon find all her public spirit or enterprise
crushed out by n burdensome debt.
The scheme of calling an extra session Of
the Legislature and loanng the State credit
to the amount of ten million dollars for rail-
roads, is said to be the object Of the conven-
ton above referred to''.
The arguments in the above article are
very cogent and candidly set forth. The
point is to furnish the aid without incurr-
ing the disadvantages alluded to by the
Journal.
In the first place, rs we mentioned yester-
day, let the delegation be pro rata with
the population SO far for the representa-
ton.
In the next place the evils anticipated bv
the Journal rs likely to arise from the pro-
posed measure are these.
LIST. 1t will stimulate railroad projects to
an in urious extent:
%. 1t will make the people of one section
who derive no benefit from the measure pay
for the benefit Of another section;
Sd. 1t will afford an opportunity for reck-
less extravaganza in the distribution of
funds
4th. 1t will promote clog rollng". the
friends of some road will bargain with the
friends of some public measure to exchange
support;
5th. And a very important feature--It
iliinvolve the State in debt which although
apparently very lucrative whilst it is being
received and disembursed, will prove very
onerous when the interest and principal have
to be refunded.
To all of these objections we reply:
Let there be no favoritism. TO avoid this,
let the aid be extended upon basis of uni
vcrsal Applicability as for instance Let every
railroad that has graded its track be fur
nished with one half of the funds necessary
for supplying it with iron, &C., &c. In the
case of two connecting railroads, if one is
wiling that its quota of aid shall be trans
ferred to the other, let that be matter of
consideration for themselves. Especially
don't borrow $l0,000,000 because you can
or because you may, but only such portion
of it as you ought.
We purpose furnishing some suggestions
upon the best method of fnanciering the
matter in future article.-keokuk Post.
State Aid to ention.
The different newspapers Of the State are
now speaking out about the proposed extern
sion Of State aid to, Railroads. The pre-
vailing sentiment. as representad by these