The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-06-01
For tie Clarion.
Generosity Of Mississippi.
BY GOODWILL.

Who will dare to say that Mississippi is
not a generous State? A tree is known by
its fruit. The good book requires us to
love our neighbors as ourselves, but Missis-
sippi is willing to do even more than that:
She loves her neighbors better than herself.
She has already helped to build over her
soil railroads terminating just over her bor-
der at Mobile, New Orleans, and Memphis,
that her commerce may be housed into the
laps OF other States, and she is now willing
to build one more to each of those cities
from Helena to Mobile, from Meridian to
New Orleans, and from Selma to Memphis.
We do not want to show Partially; each
of those cities must have two great thor
oughfares through our State, so that it Will
be convenient for them to draw all our
trade Memphis will have three, but the
lines on our soil being short, it will not more
than give her equal advantages with the
other cities. Thus we do our duty towards
building up large commercial cities in 9TH
er States, bV which assist them greatly
in the payment of their State expenses.
Those States are burdened with taxation.
and who in Mississippi could be so unkind
as to be unwilling to help them out? Some
of our people-only a few. TO our honor be
iJ said-have been SO selfish as to think of
building a road the full length of the State,
through the center, to terminate at Ship ISL
and, with a view to building up a CONNER
cial city on our own Gulf coast. But most
them are too generous to sympathise with
such IA selfish movement, and those who ia
vored it We're easily induced to hold still I'M
til their plans could be checkmated by Mo-
bile and New Orleans. The Mobile and
North western Dad will run $50 miles on
Mississippi SOIL and at least three quarters
OF a mile on Alabama soil. Over this road
we will send millions of cotton to augment
the Mobile trade, and will buy as many
wards of calico and as many gallons of
whisky from her opulent merchants. By
our assistance the commerce of Mobile nay
be so increased that she will pay very
large proportion of the taxes OF her State.
A railroad the same length terminating ut
Ship Island, would build up a large city
there; but then, Z" tell it not in Gath" that
there are men in Mississippi whose hearts
are so narrowly contracted that they would
withhold from a sister State that wealth
which she so ingeniOusly seeks, and for
which she will be so thankful.
Two things remain to be done: Mobile.
/ New Orleans, and Memphis ought each to
hold a meeting for the special purpose of
| rendering a vote of thanks to Mississippi
| for her generosity. We don't want their
| money: il is more blessed to give than to
receive; thanks will do us.
Then let Mississippi and Tennessee each
| give up part of her territory-North Mis-
sissippi and West Tennessee-and let new
| State. be formed. with her capital at Men,
/ phis North Mississippi would like il, but
probably Tennessee would object. Surely
/ Central and South Mississippi are too gen.
erous to refuse to oblige their neighbOrs.-
/ How the thing can be accomplished the wri-
ter does not know; but when people under
take to do a good thing for those who seek
favor at their hands, they can generally
/ devise some plan.