New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-19

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the people of the South desire a speedy
influx of hardy, honest, industrious peo-
pie to settle on their waste lands they
must act in the same liberal spirit which
characterized the Mississippi Legislature,
and extend every aid in their power to-
ward constructing railroads for their con-
venience and accommodation.
And what we have said in regard to the
Mobile and Northwestern railroad applies
with equal force to the roads which have
been projected in this State, as we'll as
other portions of the South.
ET1:y and every acre OF
land given to these great enterprises
add twenty-fold to the wealth of the State,
and besides secure for the country through
which they pass rapid and reliable outlet
for the productions of its soil
We have simply referred in this connec-
ton to the Mobile and Northwestern
railroad, and the material encouragement
and support given to it by the State Of
Mississippi, in order to call the attention
OF our people to the vast Importance Of
these great enterprises to the development
Of a State, and also because we regard
that road as one of the most important
of any which has recently been projected,
not only to the people of our sister State
through whose territory it passes, but also
to the people of Louisiana. Commenc-
ing at Mobile, it will be run in a north
west direction to Helena, Arkansas, and
thence through the States of Arkansas and
Missouri to st. Louis, thus saving several
hundred miles in distance to the North
and East
In addition to this great advantage of
distance and time, it will open up the
great cotton region of the Yazoo, ITALIA
hatchie and Sunfower valley, besides a
large portion of Arkansas, which hereto
fore, from the want of proper travelling
facilities, has been to the most of people
outside of that State terra hacognita.
The Jackson Pilot says on the same
subject:
The Legislature signalized its very last
day by doing one of the very best things
for this State which was ever done for any
State In the Union. 1t passed the bill-and
the Governor has approved it-allowing
every railroad hereafter built $1,000 per
mile subsidy, after the completion of
twenty -tive miles, in lS72-in cash, or what
will be the same thing-when the eyes of
the capitalists are once more favOrably di-
rected toward Mississippi-in State war
rants calling for the money This is really
something toward returning TO this people
that which the Democracy robbed the pub
lie of years in the past, and it insures the
early commencement and finishing of q
network of railways which will connect
this State with the Atlantic, as well as with
the Pacific cities and finally result in add
ing more ready money to the wealth of
Mississippi, and that in ten years from this
time, than could otherwise have been Sc
cured. 1t casts ordinary legislation, ordi-
nary foresight, ordinary prccaution fairly
III the shade. And all honor. we say, to the
Senators and Representatives who aided III
the legislation. They will look back upon
1t in the future, and bless their lucky stars
that they participated in the passage of
that law.
We expect to see and hear the entire
btIHoCldtlC press OF MISSISSIPPI Senu up |
loud, long and repeated bowls of execration |
upon this action becoming fully known. |
Indeed, the bowling has already COM
menced, and it will be kept up for a short |
time, when the very identical papers which !
Will have inaugurated the shrek and cry |
against what they will call another Re /
publican steal" will turn their tune and |
pipe most sweetly and sercnely in quite the |
opposite direction. We will allow them .
Just SIX months to repent of their errors.
No longer. And we are content to rest the |
cause here and adopt this action of the last
Republican Legislature. in this railroad and
pubHc improvements matter, as one of our
chief campaign documents for the coming
canvass. We will stick by it. I'VE will
fight 1t ont on this line if it takes all
winter.
As the bill calls upon the railroad interest
to have of each contemplated road at least
twenty-five miles completed and in running
order by the first of September, 1872 to be
enabled to receive the $4,000 per mile sub
sldy from the State, we expect railroad men
and the people in the different counties
through which the several lines are to pass,
% arise in their might, call meetings, vote
county. city, corporation and individual aid
n bonds, money and lands and thus make
he early finishing of the roads matter of
absolute certainty. The railroads first in
he tield-irst completed-will be the roads
o carry off the business and obtain the
confidence Of the public. Let Mississippi
nee obtain such railroads as she needs,
md the rest-lmmlg grafton, mechanics, COM
nerce, trade, success and progress will be
ure to follow.