Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-03-03
IPof the Mineral Point Tribune.1
More a,eut Railroad Taxation and Railroad
Bonds.

70 taxation in aid of railroads in my last
so largely into the legislation of the day;
burthens imposed by such legislation, as
concluded by local M jorities of the peo-
Pile, are so vast and far>reaching, that it
may nst be improbable for US TO pursue
our inquiries in this direction, somewhat
farther.
As to the principle--as to the right 20
resort TO public taxation, TO aid pirate
railroad corporations TO build their roads,
We are clearly of the opinion that the
whole practice is fundamentally wrong
unsound in principle, and unwise in prac-
tiee. They who think otherwise tand
they are !egion,) say: our theory OF gov
eminent. Is, that Inajorities rule. ami mi
norities must submit; and unless some-
thing is done by the majority in violation
Of some provisions OF the constitution or
of legislative authority, no matter how
announcement and oppressive such action
may be. there is no alternative but sub
mission. Such rs the popular theory, and
such, in the spirit of the wi dest adventure
is the practice, and the growing tendency
Of the time
Under this state of case, there IS not
wanting in every community, and IN ev-
cry legislative body, demagogues and ad-
venturers to play upon the public creduli
ty, and to mislead the public mind SO
that in the end, they shall gain political
adj ancement, or reap harvest OF plun-
der for themselves, out of the uproar
which they cause to be raised for the de-
velopment of resources and in the name
of public prosperity. 1t were profitable
study in the school of human nature, tn
look beyond the mere varnish OF orator.
zeal display or the gilded pageant OF pub
lie protestation got up for the amusement
of the gaping crowd, down, do'on, into
the motives Of the action in the drama,
but, that we should, after such study,
have any better opinion of human nature,
were a question we need not entertain.
We have not been an Indifferent observer
of men and things, in the limited sphere
in v hich it has been our destiny to move;
and we have never failed to observe, that
those who Ia led off in, or been most
clamorous for measures of wholesale tax
alton on behalf of that class Of eases
which we have herein reprobated have
been governed in such action h. some
sinister motive, very lily concealed. The
demagogue seeking distinction, or the ad-
yenturer on scent of plumber, were anpa-
rent at every step. They have had or
sought to have some commission connect
ed with the disbursements Of the funds
n ;. e raised, which promised them large
pecunl. r. gains or advantages of posi-
tion and over, growing out of a connec>
ton with a u, ~ erful corporation or jobs,
contracts or Pa, i estate, eligible for depot
grounds. one ar Al of these things in
view; and vet they have all professed'
aye, and made the PEG, 'le neiie'e' tnst
they were laboring wholly and We're IN
fact coaSecroted, to the fubli, go'u, ilao
they no interest in the case, not co Ninon
to the mass Of the people proposed to DC
benefited, surely they had not dishng
uished themselves on behalf of the en-
terprise above their fellows
Such, gentle reader, has been our OBJ
servations; and for this reason if there
were no other, we would oppose all ex-
traordinary legislation of the character
complained Of We would not like to
put our name on the muster roll of dem
agogues or adTenturers, haunt whatever
banner, or sound whatever bugie-call,
they please
In our last We spoke of the facility
with which this sort of legislation is en-
acted by the Legislature, and we now
enlarge upon tins, by saying, that bills
of this character, are more hastily con
sidered. and more rapidly put through
than any other a bill authorizing an
extraordinary tax evy upon any country,
city, town, or village, of many thousands
vi ucAiaio, do FtSSChtCN ~ q tiiCAHDCA,
without petition, and without being read
except by title, or considered in CONS
mittee, passed under the suspension of
the rules, and without an opposing. At
the same time, some miserable one horse
bill, OF little or no Importance, is hawked
and naggled, during all its stages, and
the member who introduced it, is made
happy or overwhelmed in sorrow in
watching it through It's trtuous and
doubtful course. according to its varying
fortunes.
Gent reader, again-how many are
consulted in the preparation of these fa>
yored, vampire bills ? \ ring-possibly,
but it takes at lenst three persons TO make
ring a railroad corporation having
a road on paper, and anxious to haze it
built with as little cost to the corporators
rs pOSSIoie; or, IL TaIIIUao UVt f,,'t ,stu'rt
having a road already built, ana anxious
to supply 1t with extensions, connections
and feeders, at the public expense. Quite
likely Beyond this, there may be this
politician, who, by the popularity which
shall possib Y accrue to him for his ge-
Mus and ability, in Developing the re-
sources of the country, is lookingfor polit
ical reward or, that disinterested patriot,