Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1869-11-05
90 m m u MIC ations
FOR THE KEOwEE COURIER.
AIR Line Railroad.

Nj Editor: We adult the Importance Of
the Air Line Railroad, aud sre fally alive to
our interest in the same The load within
itself, bearing to the bosom of our beautiful
County, the fair prospect of*wealth and pros.
perity, throwing US upon the great thorough.
fare between the commercial marts of the
North and South, and affordng us Ca, ccesa
and transportation to all parts Of our country,
we do not oppose. For railroads have now
become an element Of civilization that canno,
be dispensed with. They not only affect tho
interest of a people conditionally, but mate
rally. BY their vital moving power laud
able and successful competition is aroused,
which changes sloth and inactivity into nc.
tion, misery and degradation into happiness
and honor, nnd poverty into wealth. thus
developing the many various resources viii, h
we by nature possess.
But though the Air Line Rairond offers
u an opulent prospective vet VIC hope that
our people will not act hastily and unadvised
ly in grasping for the contested prize They
have been offered resolutions proposing to
subscribe stock by taxation. BY these meas
ures we subject ourselves tn II tax Of 5000,
900 IL the said road is located within two
miles of the Court House. 800 600 if with
in FIVE miles aud 50. 900 If within ten miles.
Tho expediency and pracficability Of this
order we doubt The impoverished condi
tion Of our county, md u State almost bank.
rupt and cr"ditl"ss fnrhids further tax.tirn
The history Of taxatinn within the past four
months demonstrates forcibly aud clearly to
every mind the inability of our people tn
meeS the present demands. We know, and
also some of us by bitter experience, the cf
forts and struggles we have nude to rise md
live under the Calling taxes already i'm
poscd: Have wo not pctitioned, have we not
demonstrated with our tyrants, praying for a
reduction Of our taxes, feeling unable t6 con-
mand money sufficient to pay them HIVE
we not, in mnny instances after the reduction
been oppressed with the remainder drnning
our purses Of all ready money? IIsve o.
mnny, after repeated trns, failed to pay their
tnxcs ut all? According to report of tho
G. unity Auditor and Treasurer, published
in your paper Of September 24th, there are
404 delinqucnts. with b lance due by he
County of 81 661; aud also the confession :
"tl,nt the cirizers h .vc dunc their utmost to
meet the heavy demands upon them" Yet,
with these facts staring us in the face We ure
called upon E" tax ourselves again t" an
amount nearly half that which, under many
difficulties we have NIT been able TO pay
Yes, indeed, 10 our utter asfOniShment, the
advocatrs Of the resolution as published would
have us add to the $780, 900 already imposed.
$4,000, the interest of 100000, ut 7 por
cent, which is $4,000. besides the increase
which our State government will require
until it is redeemed from bankruptcy and it's
credit restored. But granting TINT we tax
ourselves. would it then be wise and puitio
in us to enter into a bond whose obligations,
In case OF necessity, We cannot sutsfy7
What would be thought Of the farmer, who
is braukrupt, whose debts sre larger than
his worth, ifwith certain knowledge of these
facts he had himself to support TINT which he
is unable to sustain? Would he not be de.
noun;ed ns tile uDwise man that seeks his
own destruction Our cnse is similar ore,
and if We enter into bond by voting the
present tax upon ourselves we are ten fold
"i"re uIwise. But it has been very plausi
bly said, that wo subscribe to the capital
stock Of the Air Line Railroad 5000, 900, the
interest Of which at Z per cent. we pay an.
nually, retaining the principal to be paid ut
the expiration Of twenty years, after the date
# the bond. At the expiration of which time
perhaps tie p i'cila' will MT be demanded
ut sll.. This tiisy argue from the idea, that
tho road will pay dividends, which will in
short time absorb both interest ond principal,
thus A,nuljpg BY it's own resources the obi
g.tions given ~ tho bond Of surety. This i
really @ plausible selle,ne. but Only founded
on probabilities which tho history Of South
srn railroads will render worthless. 1t cnnnot
bn asserted on the part Of the advocates uf
this measure, that this road will eertuinly
pay to tho different stoskhdlders dividends.
within eighteen n.unths after its completion,
sufficient to abolish their several bonds.
They can Cuiy say, that probably this unay be
tie case. o. Bu,, upon what ia0 NtheJ found
their probAbiliticsY Have they my pfeos
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