Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-05-27
Aroostook Railroad.

Il rOOSCOOk Railroad,
. We hne given our readers the Speech
made BY Mr. Nc rillis in favor Of the State
artlnS by the grant Of the public lands this
proposed enterprise. anc are now publishing
that If Mr.. Pixies against the whole thing
We might leave this question right here
with the belief that We had performed our
duty to our readers and the public. We
are more than half OF mind to adopt this
course, because We have no very strsng pre-
JUDGES for or against the measure impelling
US to take II stand. 1t also presents itself in
an anomalous aspect, which in these days
Of political contests, whea from personal
or partizan considerations, or from higher
views Of duty almost every question Of
public concernment is made to take a politi-
cal turn it assumes no partizan phase
Democrats. Republicans, Abolitionists, and
the representatives of all other parties that
now exist or ever have, will be found array
ed ut the polls on both sides of this question
Location has much to do with mems opin-
ions about the practicability and utility Of
the road. Local advantages or disadvanta-
ges will control the votes OF the most active
ones>ap election day. 1t cannot be expected
that the shore villages from Bucksport to
Calais will rush u the polls to vote yea on a
question, which when settled rs the friends
desire, may result in diverting from them u
portion OF the travel and trade that they
now ENJOY. If there are any persons in this
section who are in favor OF the road and
State aid, (,nd there are some.) soue high
er motive must actuate them-St,,te nScessi-
ty, or some oSershadowing good to the
whole body polite. which oyerrides and
controls ali minor considerations.
There are q few questions necessary to ex-
anime before voting ye, or nay. The first
question is, will the road pay? II it vii.
not, then the State and the individuals who
invest i'll the enterprise will lose their money.
But says some enthusiastic Individual, every
boGy vlse will lie b nentted but the stock
holders? Well, make those who are to re-
GIVE the benefit, then. pay portion of the
expense OF Constructions. Devise some plan
whereby the burdens snail be borne by those
WHO reap the benefits. Ii our young men
are t. be kept at home, and the waste lands
OF the State cleared and set,l d, and the tax
able property of the commonwealth greatly
augmented, then the State should by all
means loot a generous Snare Of the bills.
The primary object OF the State in her
land policy. is TO promote the settlement OF
the land. The price asked and received is
emily fifty cents per acre, and that worked out
On the I. ads. Inns IS iib,ril to the settler and
generous on the part Of the Site. If the
State gives her lands u tbs enterprise, then
the setlllr wll have 10 pay Sl,0o cash per
acre Tor his laad. Wiz this promote the
settlement OF Aroostook county? We think
not. II We were a citizen ot that county IN
less located near tho road We should vote nav
on this qnestion,-if we had the best in tercst
Of the county at heart. No benefits accrung
from single ralr ,ad, will mpensa.e for
the additional cost Of the land TIE people
in that new country find their best market at
homo. They want market for nothing
they raise at present unless it is stock;
and when the time comes that their wants,
and population, and trade, demands rail-
roads, and warrants the belief that some sort
Of dividends will gladden. the hearts of stock
holders, a road viii be built. These things
come along as a matter of course. This for
cins this kind of public improvements out OF
season, before the proper time is expensive
ana ruinous to proprietors, and checks legit-
innate and proper enterprises. Let q rail
road be started and fail, and many an enter
Prise OF the kind, that might be prosperous,
will be postponed for years The bright Wis
ions OF success which enthusiasts see in pro-
jected railway enterprises. always fail in re-
aization The good dividends come before
the work is completed. Leaving this view
Of the question out Of sight, it is well To in
quire what the effect will be in adding 10
the population and wealth Of the State This
is the real question. and we ask our readers
to read the views OF Mr.. Pike and Mr.. Me-
Crillis on this point.