The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-02-18

RaitTo Loan---Necessily Demands u.
TO the Editors Of the Pioneer ani Democrat
The most important question now before
the people Of Minnesota. is that of the pro
posed loan Of the State credit, to the amount
Of S5,000,000, in aid Of the Railroads. II
is n question upon the proper solution of
which will depend, for many years to come,
the welfare Of every citizen. and il behoves
all to examine il by the light of reason and
argument, and without prejudice, ~ as TO
arrive at correct determination. Speeches
in favor Of and against the measure, have
recently been made by prominent public
men, and we are glad TO see the public mind
no fully aroused upon tho subject. The
provisions Of the bill now pending before
the Legislature are familiar and in spite OF
the many severe things which have lately
been said against the Railroads, and their
managers, VIC arc more and moro satisfied,
US tho discussion proceeds, that the truth
will prevail. that the Legislature ought TO
pass the BILL and that, il they do, the people
will ratify and approve the proposed amend
ment.
The bill, in its present shape. should bo
amended In several particulars. and VIC would
premise that what we have to say in this
article is upon the general merits Of the
proposition, 1. Q. whether or not il IL wise
and cxpedicnt for the State TO endorse the
credit Of these Railroad companies. II will
be impossible within the limits OF a single
communication to discuss the whole question,
but it is proposed briefly 10 considor ono or
two points which have been much dwelt
upon by the opponents of the Loan.
II is needless TO refer to the present
deplorabc condition Of Minnesota know
tall feel it, The question is, how to
restore prosperity. We want an influx of
capital and OF immigration---of money md
of men--and how shall we induce III We
maintain that the speedy construction Of
the Land Grant Railroads would do more TO
briug about the influx needed, than any
other measure and ms the opponents Of the
Loan have endcavorcd TO show that the
adoption Of the proposed measure would
tend to discourage the influx Of both capital
and labor, We shall coniine our remarks
chiefly to that point.
The history OF all new States, especially
OF the Northwestern States, has established
incontcstably one great TACT which may
now be regarded M all axiom In political
economy, that the construction OF railrond
lines Is an Indispensable condition TO the
speedy settlement and development, Of the
country We might cite, in proof Of this,
the history Of every Western State but VIC
shall confne ourselves to that OF Wisconsin,
as being our more immediate ncighbor, and
with whose rapid development We arc more
familiar. The pioneer railroad Of Wisconsin
was projected ia l549, and in 1851, the iirs,
twenty miles Of the Milwaukee and and Mis-
sissippi Railroad was completed and opened
for use. In the beginning the project was re
garded as hazardous experiment. and many
who were deemed sound, prudent, wise men,
predicted the failure of the enterprise. while
mrny others who were interested in the con
struction Of plank roads, (which were then
In high favor a. al invcstment) threw every
possible obstacle IN the way oi its progress.
Mos, Of the farmers along the line were op-
posed 10 is construction, and the old no
tions that o railroad was 10 benefit 10 the
country, but merely To the cities which hap
pened 10 be- its termlni, that the farmer
would cease 10 have q market for bis
coarse grains, etc, these and similar explo-
ded prejudices were objected, and with re-
tarding o3ce against the company. But
meetings were held in every school district,
facts and arguments presented to the people,
and they were at length convinced ,hs, the
railroad no, only ought to be built, but that
il was their duty and their interest to aid
in its construction.
The city Of Milwaukee, nt first, looked
coldiy upon the entrprize. Many Of the
prominent ci,izens thought that plank rosds
would accomplish all that wa needed, and
nearly oil were at the ous,et opposed 10 lend
ing the credit II the city in support Of the
road But constant discussion there pro.
duced il. usual enlightening effects and the
city subscribed for s234JO 900 Of the stock,
and Issued its bonds 10 the company for that
amount The frs, year after the issue OF
the bonds, the citizets taxed themselves 10
pay the interest. Subsequently the Com
pany agreed TO Iay the interest % the bopds
in lieu Il paying dvidcDfb on the stock
held by the city. The population Of Nil.
"nnsfE "AS dFu UciN'fu tJDvp hfFu SVF
900. but little greater than that Of 81: Paul
now, and precisely the sane objections were
urged then a. are now here against loaniDg
Ii. credit u tbc city in aid of the railroad.
!, wzs ssid that the taxes wouh b. enor.
NOUS andopprrs~ive. that the com oapy would
no, earn sufficient To pay the interest, and
that capital and emigration would SEEK other
paoss not - heavily burjenei with deb,
ard taxation. But large majority of the
eitizeus Of Milwsnkee b-Iieved o,b,rwise;
they were determined To MAKE Milwaukee
the commercial emporium Of W Wiscssssin. and
thy adopted WIZ policy. A 'ysfea Of
railroads .as planned sDi sgresh upon. which
Il vas tboayht. would bring about ,ha, ~
suit, the la Cro~ and MiIwsukse, TIE Nil
ws1kse and Chicago the Milwaukee and