Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-02-25
The Constitutional Amendment enab-
ling the State to Render Aid to Rail-
roads.

seen announcer "nlcn not Oniy opposes
such aid but denies the right of
majority to vote taxes on a minority
for any public Improvement.
Considering that in Grant County
no paper Of general circulation is
supporting this measure of State aid
to railroads, and believing that it is
far better for the people to read and
know both sides when a question is
up, which divides the public, we
have been trying to find well writ,
ten argument favoring State aid to
railroads. We have come across an
article of considerable length in the
State Journal, the writer appearing
to approve what the Milwaukee
Ne,rs has said favoring the new
scheme. We greatly reduce the
statement signed Wisconsin" which
appears in the Journal Speaking of
the amendment, the writer says:
If it should be adopted by the PEG.
pie it does not necessarily create
debt, because 20 miles of railroad
must be built before dollar can be
donated. If no roads are built no
bonds can be issued. But suppose
after its adoption one hundred miles
of road should be built in the state !;
that renders the state liable in the
sum of five hundred thousand dol>
lars, and for this money the state has
secured one hundred miles of first
class raili DAD. fully completed and
equipped. To pay this the state is
sues six per cent. bonds. The inter
est on this sum is $4,000 per annum.
To pay this sum we have the tax of
three per cent. on the gross earnings
of the railroad thereby created.
In addition to this we have the
tax on the gross premiums Of insur>
ance on the new structures and tie
business of all kinds started by the
building of the road, tho tax on tele-
graph lines as we'll as the increased
valuation of lands all along its line.
This it is thought will be more than
sufficient to pay the interest for the
first few years, and that as time pro-
crosses and the business of the road
increases, new sources of revenue
will be opened up, SC that a sinking
fund may be produced sufficient to
ultimately cancel the debt. A tax of
3 per cent. on the gross earnings of
any one hundred miles Of the road
which may be built in the state will
furnish it is believed "a sufficient sum
TO pay the interest on FIVE hundred
thousand dollars. If this reasoning
is correct, such donation as is con-
templated by the proposed measure.
can hardly be regarded as an unsafe
or unprofit able investment. Indeed,
the State would be a great gamer
by the operation. There would be
positive and permanent gain of he
enhanced valuation of real estate
along the whole line of the new road,
of all the new structures erected, Of
new farms improved, and of the al
most countless advantages resulting
from railroad enterprises, all of which
would constitute fruitful addition
to our sources of revenue, and which.
by lessening the burthens oftaxation,
would spread its beneficial influence
to all parts of the State. Suppose
debt Of B millions of dollars were ere.
ated for this purpose, that would add
600 miles of railroad to Our State
such a consumation is certainly de-
sireable, and if it could be reached
without adding single dollor to the
burthens Of taxation, | apprehend
that any scheme for its accomplish
ment would meet with universal APP
proval. Six hundred miles Of rail-
road lines, completed, equipped and
in running order in our State, would
constitute an eXhaustless fountain Of
wealth, and instead of adding to,
would diminish taxation even though
they were gained at the price OF 3
millions of State indebtedness Now
the principal, and | might say the
only objections urged against the prov
posed plan are founded in conjecture.
They spring from fears and not from
facts. They predict that such a
clause added to our State onstitu-
ton would prove source of corrup'
ton. These objections do not aim
at the proposed amendment, but at
those who may be called upon to car
~ it into effect. Arguments of this
character connot be very we'll met
If it is assumed that the Legislature
will deliberately violate such a pro-
vision of the Constitution, it might
as well be assumed that they will
prove equally disregardful of all 9th.
ers. Arguments built upon the as
sumption that future legislations are
going to be composed OF q majority
of rascals, cannot be controverted
except by other assumptions. | will
not spend time on that question:
We can only look into the resolution
to discover whether it embraces q
proposition Of merit. We can see
nothing there very obnoxious Its
design is manifestly to promote the
building of more railroads, and
through this means to develop The
unexplored resources of the State,
and add to the wealth and prosperity
OF the people. No one will say that
this is not good object, or that it is
not a Legitimate subject of State con>
cern. Is it feasible then can it ac>
complish the design it has in view
Will its adoption give new impulse
to railroad enterprises? If it will
accomplish this purpose, the only re
naming question is whether the
amount Of the proposed donation will
bring back equivalent benefits to the
State. Again the adoption of the
resolution by the present Legislature
only results in submitting it to vote
of the people. Ii the people desire
such clause in their Constitution
! tbaV will ratifv II anH II tha,, 10 49,