Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-07-07

awynn; md Mr.. Avery's bill proposed to limit the
State subscription to that ten miles section at 81,
200 900, the. estimated cost by Mr.. Turner, whose
calculations were made on the supposton that all
the excavations would be solid stone Hence the |
will, fall below the estimates. In addition to this,
and in order to the State against loss, it
proposed that tax should be levied on passengers
and freight for the benefit of the State.
The question then is, shall the State subscription
of 100000, together with 81 100000 for the
mountain section, be made available as as the
private subscriptions be raised, and the pro-
gress OF the work requires; shall it be made |
available only in instalments OF 100000 each, de-
ferring the completion Of the road for many years.
keeping our Western people mountain locked, and
holding them in inequality with the people of the
Centre and the East thereby doing them injustice?
They only ask for justice and equality, by the re-
moval Of those restrictions imposed by the charter
We understand Judge Elliss position to be favor
able to the removal of these restrictions and to the
subscription by the State of sufficient to make
the mountain section. should the present appropria
ton be insufficient This, it would seem, is also
the position Of Mr.. McRae, though he started out
and canvassed the East under the not another DOL
lar " banner. In short, we understand Judge Ellis
to be in favor of the provisions of Mr. Averys bill
a bill that once passed, but was reconsidered on
motion of that guondam mountain borer, Gen. Dock
cry. and killed If this is not the present position
of Mr.. McRae also, know not what his position
is The Register his organ. says he is in favor of
amending the charter and of building the road
indeed is in favor of internal improvements general
ly-but is opposed to further State debt As we'll
might he say he in favor of eating, but opposed
to opening his mouth for the reception of victuals.
If he relies on the public lands he will accomplish
| no more than did the man that " sawed the air.
When that individual shall have sawed out material
| enough to build chicken coop, Mr.. McRae will be
able to make three feet of railroad in North Carolina
! with the public lands
Our own belief is that the sooner this extension
is made to the Tennessee line the better for the
State and for all its railroads. We there tap the
great valley of the Mississippi, reservoir from
which 10 draw forth nourshment, not only for this
| Western extension, but for all our roads. Would it
not be better, then. to increase our State debt at
! once, so as to complete system and put it in
| pas ing operation, than to 60 with our present
debt, gradually increasing from year to year, with
| out any return of profits from the present incom-
! plete system to relieve US from any portion of
taxes or to provide for the ultimate payment Of the
debt? If by the expenditure of little money
| We can make that already expended and which is
now unproductive, together with the new invest.
ment productive, does not policy dictate the further
expenditure? We are already to the ocean, and let
| us connect it with the Mississippi valley In our
judgment this will do to promote the prosperi-
f1 Of tho Sfafo To oAr ohs H.
poor and to relieve the people from taxation, than
any "sheer" of the public lands This, too, stays
the tide of emigration, instead of swelling it by in
vitations and inducements to remove West as such
distribution of the lands as Mr.. McIsae advocates
would hold forth.
But the Register twits the West upon its poverty
In its issue of June 9th, it says:
"Who believes that those interested in the West
ern Extension can pay two or three mionS-their
third? The amount paid by them into the treasury
in taxes shows such ability. The plan
is for that to be done by the whole State, east as
well as west out of the revenues Of the State. And
sohose taxes supply the treasury? What portion
comes from the section lying between MOI canton
and the Tennessee line? Let the people from mid
die and eastern North Carolina look the books in
the treasury department, and they will see who is to
pay for that road"
Now, Mr.. Syme, astonishing as it may appear to
you it is nevertheless true that if the people of the
West do not raise two millions the State cannot DE
called on for four millions; and hence your horror
of the States helping that people is groundess.-
The State is to help them only as they help them
selves-that is all they ask, and if they help not
themselves it is their concern, not yours nor your
candidates.
But the people of "middle and eastern North
Carolina" are called upon to examine the books in
the treasury department to see who pays the taxes
Doubtless the editor of the Register has scrutinzed
those books and diligently compared Currtuck with
Cherokee, &c. And he stands forth, the self:
constituted champion Of "mddle and eastern North.
Carolina" and in effect, says: "Ho ye poor people
of the West! Wehave taxed you to help to build
railroads for US and those railroads have enhanced
the value of our lands, opened market for our pro-
, duce and made rich. We know you still pay
according to what you worth, as we do, but you
| are worth SO little that you pay mere nothing
compared with u.s. In fact you pay so little can
not give of our abundance to help you, though you
paid of yonr little to help us to abundance
, We will not let you have railroad to enhance the
value Of your lands, to open market for your pro
duce and enable you to pay as much taxes we do
, by making you as rich as we are"
People of the West, we do not believe that sucf
the feelings Of the people of the middle and thu
east Here and there may be found few actuatet
by such sentiments; and here and there partizar
newspaper like the Register, that in its desperation
talks wildly, hoping to benefit cause that it knows
is not capable of further damage. II in earnest,
is evidently opposed to your interests; and not il
earnest it is powerless to aid you. As Mr.. McRae'
: organ you must judge him by the standard 20,