Nebraska advertiser., 1869-07-22
whasn sr the ADVERTISE
RAILROADS.


M. EdRor@There has been much
said against our county voting bonds
20 the two Railroads; '.that it is
against the interests Of the farmers,
and win only benefit the towns, DC"
I have no property in the towns, but
am engaged in farming, and believe
the farming class viii be more bene-
fitted by these roads than the towns,
and viii briefly give some Of my rea-
sons for entertaining that opinion:
LIST. That after one OF two years the
Railroad property in the county, at
the present rate Of taxes on other
property, viii pay the interest on the
bonds and part Of the sinking fund to
redeem the bonds within the twenty
years.
ID. That as the river now has the
monopoly Of the carrying trade, by
putting two Railroads in competition
with each others as well as competition
with the river, viii 50 reduce the
price Of freights on what the farmer
exports and imports indirectly, from
say eighty acres Of cultivated land,
as to save him about fifty dollars
yearly.
Sd. The farmer is now idle with his
team during the winter, because the
river is closed and he cannot ship his
corn until the roads become settled in
thespring, when he is rushed with his
spring work Of fencing, pIOughing,
&C., at q time when he can i'll afford
to spare his team to haul his corn to
market. If we get the railroads he
can haul his corn during the dull sea-
son to the Railroad, and haze it at
once I'm the Eastern and Southern
markets. This would save at least
fifty dollars more.
4th. The farmer can ship his grain
direct to the Commission Merchant in
in Sc. Louis to be sold on his own ac-
count, whereby he win save on eigh-
ty acres Of crop, in the heavy in
suranee on the river, and the commits
sion Of the Nebraska grain dealer, at
least another fifty dollars.
5th. These railroads will increase
the value of our lands, induce a large
emigration Of a more wealthy class of
farmers, who viii rapidly improve and
develop the country, increase its
wealth in the agriculture, mechanical
and manufacturing interests, whereby
a much less rate of taxation viii meet
our school, county and State burdens;
it viii also cause our towns and cities
to rapidly increase In proportion and
wealth, which will give the Easnaer a
good market for his fruit, butter, pouI-
try and garden products, which is
more profitable according to the capt.
tai and labor invested than wheat and
corn. This will increase his income
several hundred dollars yearly if he
chooses to put forth some effort in that
direction.
Now, with all these advantages, and
other incidental advantages too nu-
merous to mention in detail in a short
Communication, / ask my brother
farmers are you willing to throw away
so brilliant a prospect for Nemaha
County by your own indifference to
your own interests, and let Nebraska
City and other points get what is now
within pun own grasp, for fear you
may have to pay five to ten dollars
per quarter section additional tax, for
one or two years, until the roads are
built and taxed?
Some say, what do care whether
my laid is worth ten or fifty dollars
per acre? You may not now wish TO
sell, but may at some future time.
But suppose you eve sell Yet at
your death your children will do so,
If you have but one piece of land.
And think you it will make no differ
ence In their peeuniary welfare,
whether the land is worth ten or sew
enty-five dollars per acre, when they
come to divide the money and start in
business for themselves?
Again. Look at the results Of the
enterprise Of people in other States,
in building railroads. What has de-
veloped Illinois, and made her one Of
the most wealthy and prosperous
States Of the Union ? and still pushing
her onward and upward in the mag
nifieeBt and proud career Of wealth,
learning and refuement2 Her pub
lie spirit in railroads and other kindred
enterprises. Nebraska hiss an equal
chance with soil, climate and health,
for glorious and magnificent career.
II we viii shake or our s~tinginess and
old fogyism, and be up and doing, and
show some public spirit, instead of
holding on to every dollar that gets in
cur clutches as though il was the last
we ever expected t.. get. You may
call it economy; but the man who
viii bold on, miser-like, to a few dol
lars, and thereby miss making hum
dreds, is not a wise man, to say the
least
Again / ask, are you not willing to
contribute something, Of your own
free will and accord, to the general
prosperity Of your county and State;
especially when your children are to
be benefciaries and participants in
the general good Of society? Let us
as farmers, then, no longer lie supine-
" 0nOur hacks, and hug the delusive
phantom Of hope that Railroad pros
perity and wealth win come to US
without our raising a finger. The exc
peFience Of other communities, in
other States, prove to the contrary.
w. ~ . FL