The Hickman courier., 1868-12-12
For the Hickman
TOWN TRIA.

MR. EDITOR II was much pleased
with your article Of last week under the
above heading, and while itspeaks plain
lv of some matters, it does not strike at
the root, or causes which operate againS
our town.
Faction, or personal feeling and inter
est are the causes which Aralyze the
prosperity of our town, a,Swhile that
continues either in her corporate capaci-
ty, or amongst her citizens, the town
never can prosper. Hy policy, nly OBJ
iects and ma interest, while it holds sway
will ever retard the general improvement
and interest of the place Rash, incon'
siderate and hasty action on the part Of
ana leads to disastrous consequences and
fatal results Your contrast of Hick-
man aud Paducah furnishes evidence Of
the truth of theubove propositions The
legislation of Paducah has been Of that
character which has fostered and encour-
aged the good will of all her citizens,
instead of melting disputes, law suits
and Illuminating bulls in regard to cor
porate affairs The citizens there al
though there are conflicting interests,
subsidies them to the general good, aud
seal their lips TO condemnation if they
can not heartily approve. They do not,
like the dog IL the manger, neither eat
the hay nor let any thing else cat 1t.
They build churches, and then are not
so Jigoted and proscriptive as to refuse
the use Of them TO those who may un
fortunately differ with them upon reli
gious views They maintain system
of public schools, giving to the humble
and poor the means of education. In
fine, they act in concert in matters of
general and public character, trusting
that the incidental benefits VIII fully
compensate them for all efforts.
The trade and business Of our town Is
declining, and all from the want Of lib
eral, public spirit Why is it that We
have NOT over half of the business from
our Railroad that we had year ago. 1
mean local business Let those answer
who put themselves in antagonism with
three lourths of the stock holders along
the line of the road from here to Nash
vile. I am informed that freight is
carried from Mckenzie to Nashville at
about the same it is brought from Nc
Kenzie to this place Why these dis
criminati0ns against Hickman? Why
were hundreds Of dollars spent by ourl
city fathers" in defending suits this
year? Why was the Wharfage of the
city appropriated for years in advance
Why was our common school system, /
and tax for the support Of the same
abandoned? Why was our Seminary
suffered and permitted to laUguish and /
die, and not a man be found who would .
give it a helping hand? Let the apathy, I
selfshness and the hasty and inconsider
ate action Of our people answer.
1t is not, Mr.. Editor, the fault of the
property holders, so much as it is the
fault of others, who give tone and course
to these matters. The property holders
are few, and they are in the power Of
others in regard to these public matters,
yet we see no effort made to accomplish
any great and laudable objects. The
man who has done most for our town,
the most public spirited citizen and one
Of the largest property holders,-I mean
10. Keith-is now poor, and many Of
those who made their thousands out Of
the labor, energy and public spirit Of
that man, would refuse him, doubtless,
credit for plug Of tobacco, and chuckle
to think what fool he w1.6 labor and
toll for their advaucemend~
l regret to say there isOtoo much Of
that spirit in Hickman, and never w
she succeed or prosper till a change&
wrought in her public mind. Schem q
ing, cunning. wire working and design
ng men are an incubus upon any place
Jliques, factions and partisans make a
lead lock wherever found. Shy locks
and shysters are fungus growth, but
erial, it will not support its own weight,
out must fall, and when fallen no one
sill mourn its departure. @.