Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-11-20
THE KNOXVILLE WING.
Knoxville, Tenn, November 20, 1867.
For the whis.
state Aid to Railroads.

tumultuOus blilOws thereof having ceased TO toss
and lash the Snip of State il behooves all on board
10 put their vessel in order Whatever differences of
opinion may have existed as 10 the safest course
The nearest harbor and the wisest helmsman, those
matters beiEg settled we all unite in interest
and desire that Ship Of State be put in the best
possible condition. To drop the figure, our internal
improvement system demands the closest study, the
most unwearied attention. and the greatest wisdem.
In this communication l propose 10 make few
suggestions in regard 10 State AID to Railroads
That State has been liberal in its past subscrp-
tons TO Railroad enterprises is well known TO every
who has studied our legislation and that liber-
ality is guaranty that further aid win be rendered
whenever justified by prudent craftsmanship The
State has been the benefcent guardian Of our Rail-
roads. Many Of them she has guided to maturity
but there are others still in almost helpless and
hopeless infancy. 10 some of these latter the State
has a large interest-an interest covering millions
Of dollars. This interest must be either abandoned
and the roads doomed TO irretrevabe bankruptcy,
the State must continue her assistance. Here then
the plain question looks us squarely in the face
shall lose all or risk more Some persons oppose
further aid the ground that we cannot afford it.
ask which is cheaper to abandon iUe million DOT
lars Of State stock in Railroads by approprating
FIVE millions more 10 sGUe the Utole7 Which is
prudence: 10 make even at some sacrifice a last
payment Of FIVE thousand dollars on a farm worth
ten thousand fail 20 make said last payment and
lore the whole FARM 1 am satisfied that if a good
plan be proposed Legislature will not adopt that
penny-wise and pound-foolish policy attributed 10
Il by some.
With all Difference, therefore the following method
and plan of State aid TO Railroads is proposed. Let
the Legislature pass general law in favor of all
the unfinished roads in the State moro than half
done, wherein the State has made subscription. Let
this law be framed that the faithful and economi-
cal expenditure of the public money shall be amply
secured. This can be done by making the compile
ton Of particular sections Of each road condition
precedent 70 State aid. For example after the
completion Of each and every ave-mile section of
roadbed aud report thereof 10 the Governor lot the
Governor appoint competent engineer TO examine
such section and report thereon under oath and il
such report shall show that the section Of road-bed
so examined has been made in a manner suitable
for first class road that then be shall be authorized
and directed 10 issue 70 such road say sixty thousand
dollars in State Bonds. These Bonds should be is
sued in The Of the particular road TO which the
aid is granted, and should be declared first mort
gage on the whole road and separate and special
tax should be levied and set apart wholly and ex-
clusively for the payment of the interest on such
bonds
The advantages of this plan are manifold. LIST.
The economical and faithful expenditure Of the pub
lic money would be secured. ID Prudence and
discretion would be encouraged in the road officials.
BY an ndiscrminate appropriation in gross neither
economy nor prudence is encouraged. Sd. The
State Bonds would be identified with the road 10
which issued and thus such road would have az in
forest in approaching the price of its own State
Bonds and this would be positive encouragement
to energy and carefulness. Now however prudent
and business-like road may act, it has no chance
Of raising the price Of its State Bonds without rails
ing tb9 urice of all the bonds owned by the State
This is a serious dscouragement. Each road should
have All the benefit OF its own good conducts and
TO give this benefit the Bonds must be idivdualised
,cith me road must be- as Il WERE road Bords en-
dorsed by the State. lth The amount appzopria-
ted should be about Twenty-Five per cent less than the
actual cost of each fve-mile section of road-bed.
This would both compel and encourage the outlay
of private capital in the road, and the road would
be forced TO use both economy and enterprise.
When appropriations in gross are made, the road
may go on and spend the amount iavishly and then
come 20 dead stand. No efforts or but few are
made 10 secure individual subscriptions. The road,
like mountain torrent or drunken man, rushes
on swimingly for short time-aBd then stops and
&c dry 9TH BY levying special and separate tax
devoted 70 the payment of the sccruing interest
such payment will be secured and prompt and this
is the life-blood OF Bonds. 9Th. Each road having
an interest and the power 70 appreciate its own par
Hcuar State Bonds would put forth an effort IN thai
direction. which would not be without result And
thereby both road and State would be at once bene
flied And 7th The effect Of this plan on the value
Of our State Bonds would be iaconsderable; for, in
the first place, the Bonds would be issued in small
quantities at a time and the deleterous effect OF !
gut in the market avoided; and in the second place
these Bonds being distinct iSsss from TIE genera
vote Bonds and partalSing more of the character
-. Bonds, would not affect the quotations Of th'
pr.vi Nus State issues.
Tba hove reasons and suggestions are respectful
10 s,br;, &c 50 the consideration Of our Legislature
ana ,ho;- n N6st careful attention invited thereto
Vho,o ,ho ,s dSm of course is proven, no legisla
~, No. fosr - adopt il on the ground of its cost
ba ,1o s,sts, ued she last Legislature al the bal
obo, no,Otbs,a Nding the ceaseicss Outcries OF II
enemies about e1ces. I'VE taxation. The people VA
likewise sustain the resent Legislature II all JUDI
cious or necessary app ePriatiOns But the Peep.
will not sustain legsla Tor who by refusing 70 VO'
further State aid 10 rairo eds shall lose 70 sne OsA.
millions Of State money hl vetOiore voted. ana
viii not do for such legisl vtor to say 4ne Pa
proposed was poor one" i he people VIII answer
" It was your business 10 prop' Use soo@ one,
The present party in power has iocn'lne0 ,rse
with the system of Internal impTo'eH's'~
system is s,asmaaship and it must not be di'c.'r'
ed. II it costs money the money must pc rH''o
Economy must be practiced elsewhere 0ns :, s'"s y.
amendment 70 our State Constitution would fA'
the State the interest on every dollar Eppropria'
as contemplated by this communicated, VIZ
amendment prohibiting the Legislature rom y
sing any special private incorporation ao' O"s
curing II TO pass general Incorporation IA
whereunder All corporations should GO '0i"'e-
instituted. By such an amendment one-'nifD
sAaeslative expenses and one-tbisd Of our
.vodar printing legislative prooeedins' would
.very ssiehy means Of tax on the iSrna''on
'...esd Of aasoratiOn, an actual source Of reven'
-, II is an sligAied expense would be the
sVsFb where there j. "