The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-08-31

THE TRuE kAILu AID Policy OF Iowa
The North Missouri, AMI Cedar Rapids r.
X. Company IL the name oi n new corpor-
alton organized at Uttnmwa, Iowa for the
purpose OF constructing u railroad from
Ostumwa to'Cedar Rapid~~a distance OF
seveHtv.fve miles. Only - miles more
will he required to complete this liue to !,
junction with the North Missouri Railroad
at the state fnc ard the latter road will
soon be constructed to that point.
When this link is completed twill make
continuous road from DubHqe to Keo-
kuk. Il distance on 2L5 miles. I'nc crack il
now being lain between Marion ana &C.
tar Rapids on The Il. =. W. x. r., and this
road wiz be open from Dubuque tn Cedar
Rapids, for passengers and freight 10y the
first OF September next.
When the new link between Cedar Rap
ids and OttumWa is completed the whole
line from Dubuque to kcokuk will consti-
tute, substantially, what was once called
the "Ranshorn" railroad.
Hon. Geo. Gillespie. President of the
new organization was in town day before
yesterday and had a conference with some
of our business and railroad men with /"
view to securing their corporation in de-
velopiug this new scheme.
1t is supposed that the building OF this
road will more than quadruple the carr
ings the Dubuque Southwestern and no
reason is perceived why larger busin, as
will not be done over that ronte than is
now done over the Illinois Central.
The Iowa route will possess several a(-
vantages over the Illinois Central; one Of
which is ii will avoid crossing the riv, + nj
Dubuque and the products Of Northern
Iowa will find a southern market by o
nearer route. Another and Very great
advantage is that Iowa will not have {,
pay tribute to Illinois. Most of our read
ers know that the Illinois Central Rail
road has to pay into the Illinois STATE
Treasury seven per cent Of the gross earn
ings made by carrying Iowa products to
southern market. a more liberal policy
prevails in the State of Iowa. The tax up
on the gross earnings is only one per cent
1t is evident that this heavy tribute levied
by Illinois would drive the whole business
of Northern Iowa over the Iowa route.
Complaints are often made against the
Illinois Central road for charging higher
rates for fare than are charged on the
west side ofthe Mississippi, but very
few people have vet made complaint
against the State of Illinois. for levying
tribute on her sister States whose citizens
or freights have occasion 10 pass over Ill
imOiS roads.
The true policy of the State of Iowa is to
develop her own resources. \ road from
Dubuque to keoku will earn more than
81, 900 per annum.
More than one half of this amount will
be expended among the people to pay the
current expenses of operating the road.
The value of real estate will be increased,
farmers will have an additional outlet for
their products, which are considerations of
the most vital importance. The rapid de-
vslopment of Northern Iowa absolutely
requires this thoroughfare.
We learn from Mr.. Gillespie that -four
and pork have been shipped from St Louis
To New York this year for lessthan half the
cost OF sending the the same by way of
Chicago and Buffalo. The reason of this
is that the Mississippi as well as the ocean
are free from tolls and tributes. 1t is a
well known fact that the State of New
York collects, by way of canals tolls, more
than double the amount that will pay the
interest on the canal debt. The excess is
nothing but q levy of tribute upon wastern
western products.
Superficial observers may think it fine
thing to levy heavy taxes upon transport
alton lines. 1t ir quite certain, however,
that such practices must ultimately result
in driving the business into other chan
nets. suppose, for instance, that Iowa
should levy tax of fifty percent, on all
the earnings made by the roads OfIowa.-
There is no doubt that money would be
plenty in the State Treasury. All the cor
rupt politicians of the State would at once
set out on u grand rampogc for power and
propriate the money which had been taken
from the products and earnings OF the poo
pie; the public morals would be prostitu-
ted: bank robberries and forgeries would
soon be the order Of the day, as they now
arein Wall street. We say let us have the
rev road proposed to be built by Mr. Gil
lespies company, and we believe it will
furnish IA route by which we can ship orr
products to the east and south that will be
comparatively free from taxes and tribute.
That is what the people eff Northern Iowa
want.-Dubtque Times.