The Van Buren press., 1870-04-19
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
A Word for County Aid.
OZARK, April 18th, 1870.

thanks of every friend of improvement
and public enterprise, for the generous
support they recently voted to the Little
Rock andFort Smith Railroad enterprise
1t shows a spirit Of progressive and en-
lightcncd liberalty, of which the people
in after days may well feel proud
Viewing their action in u pecnniary
light. they have made the best possible
investment, as the prediction may be safe
iy vcnturcd that, in less than two years
the stock subscribed will command hi9l
premium. II cannot be otherwise. An
investment in railroad stock, even with
out any aid from the General Govern
ment, cannot fail being highly renuncra-
tive as the road will run through rs fine
n country as can be found in the West,
and is destined 20 be the main trunk of
the Both parallel route to the Pacific
coast. But when We take into considera-
ton the munficent grant oflaud donated
to the company, it is evident that no in
vestment seems 50 likely to yield half so
large dividends rs this does. Even il
there was not one cent dividend, and the
whole stock had to be paid, still the in
creased value of real estate along and
near the line of railroad would more than
pay the amount of one hundred thousand
dollars to each county on the railroad
line. But there is no probability of ever
. per cent. being paid in money by the
counties subscribing. Let them issue
bonds bearing interest, paying yearly in
stalments and pledge them for Railroad
Stock. If necessary after the completion
of the road. the bonds could be redeem
ed by transfer of stock, besides com
mandng a high premium. 1t is to be
hoped that the people of this Franklin
county will no longer stand in their own
light, but will catch the progressive and
enlightened spirit Of the age, and direct
their County Court to subscribe stock,
literally, to the great work.
Shall Arkansas continue to pursue her
apathetic and blind course in regard to
Improvements, and lay half century be
hind her sister States in the great march
of Improvement, knowledge and wealth i?
Will she still be guided by suicidal com-
sells Of antiquatcd old fogies-the fossil
remains Of q past age--or will she arouse
all her dormant energies and sit ont anew
in career OF advancement, wealth and
honor? VIII she labor to devclope her
great mineral and agricultural wealth, or
will she quietly sit in supine inactivity
and see herself placed in the lowest ranks
Of social, moral, intellectual and CONNER,
cial advancement If not she must wake
up to the necessity of building railroads
State aid is not enough. Let each
! county, through which n proposed road
is to pass, take stock and encourage the
enterprise, and at the same time advance
its own interest. Franklin county though
largely interested in the early completion
of the road, has not yet done anything.
We had no press to urge the matter be
fore the people. Delays are dangerous
and as the County Court is now in ses
sion, the question of County Aid shall
be brought before them. do not doubt
the power Of the court to vote the requir-
cd aid, but it would be better to have n
vote of the people. Let the court order
an election for that purpose and believe
it will be carried by n large majority
Our county cannot afford to lose 50 fine
an opportunity Of showing her public
spirit and adding to her honor and pros.
perity hope Franklin county will come
forward with the same enlightened spirit
that characterized the action of Crawford
county, and lend her aid to the good
work The early completion of the road
is n fixed fact Each county, through
which it runs or is to run, is deeply in
tcrcsted in the affair. Surely the people
are intelligent enough to see the necessi
ty Of active cooperation with the com
pany
find the subject too prolific for one
article, and must defer further remarks
till another time. PoRCUPINE.