North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-05-04


EDS. OF NORTH Iowa TINES The fol.
lowing clip is from your paper, of the
9th ult:
ave are of the opinion that the towns
above Dubuque are already carrying a
load of taxes that are felt to be sufficiently
interesting to attract their attention with
out further effort at present in the direc.
ton of liberal'ty. When the road is gra.
ded to McGregor it will be time to urge
the collection Of presents. Railroads are
of great interest to country; we cannot
dispense with them but they often ge,
their start by begging and then kick those
who gave them the start. The time for a
furious assistance of newly. formed rail
road companies, either by National, State
County, municipal or individual effort, has
pretty much passed away. The extreme
tightness of the money market, combined
with a distrust of those who are engineer.
ing public enterprises, induces great eau.
ton"
You are laboring under objectionable
ignorance of the position of the Dubuque
and Mimi. II. II. Company. That Com.
pany asks for no dollar Of presents or the
exercise of one cent of liberality toward
them, and you must distinctly understand
that they are not going to; and further,
that Road is not going to be graded to
McGregor without some McGregor money,
and that not as gratuity d charity, but
in consideration Of value received tenfold,
a plain business transaction. 1t is true
the people above Dubuque have taxes
enough to pay and are suffering under the
pressure of hard times, and that is the
very reason for them to increase their fa-
cilities.
II a prudent business man is in debt
laying supinely on his back and whining
he redoubles his energies and by every
means in his power increases his business
facilities. If he is farmer, with untitled
lands, they are brought under the plow
that they may aid him in removing his
burdens if his lands are exhausted they
are MANFRED and better titled, with i'm.
proved implements, that they may yield
crops more prolific and thus pay him bet
ter profits.
You have, during the terrible pressure
of which you complain, invested in new
and expensive power press. Was that
charity or liberality, or was it not wise.
prudent business transaction to increase
your ability to pay your debts and taxes !?
So it is with the Clayton City mill own
ers they propose to aid in building the
contemplated road not as charity but to
add to the money making capacity of
their property, the farmer in the same
way to add to the value of their products.
They may be mistaken in their estimate,
but such, and such only, should be their
motive, and not one cent should be furn-
ished in spirit of benevolence.
We understand that the bridge at Elka-
der has failed. What folly it would be for
the people of Clayton County, especially
those west of Turkey river, to higgle
about building another one because they
have other taxes to pay. How unwise it
would be for McGregor to object to the
building of the bridge between them an d
the depot because they have other taxes to
pay, nor does it alter the case with regard
% the proposed R. r. that we who are in
crested furnish only a small part Of the
necessary means, and that parties furnish
ing the remainder and operating the road
are to have compensation, or that they may
extort from the people? 1t all comes to
The simple question, will it pay :? if not,
don't furnish a single dollar.
One thing more, there is no proposition
from any r. r. Company to the people to
or tax themselves for the bene-
it of any road. The project under con-
sideration originates in Clayton County,
among Citizens disconnected with any Rail
Road Company, and the proposition now
IS that We join with others and build
Road or do what we can toward it and
lold it out as an inducement for those
Who have means to take hold.
Dubuque will vote tax Of 5 per cent.
or the purpose, "Will we?n Assurance
S given that with such offers capital can
be induced to invest The initiatory offer
will he from us to capitalists, not from cap
l!alists to US. Yours,
q. DOUGLASS.