The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-11-22
Objections Answered.

We propose to answer briefly all the
objections which we have heard urged
against the railroad subscription.
1t is said " the railroad will take busi>
ness away from the town" This is not
true; exactly opposite will lie the fact.
Ali towns that have railroads do more
business than those which have none,
and the more railroads a town has the
more business it does. MI. Pleasant,
Lewisburg, and Williamsport have no
railroad, and do very little business.
Memphis, Nashville, Jackson, knox
Vile and Chattanooga have many rail
roads, and do great dsal OF business.
Columbia may become the place o:
wholesale supply for all the adjoining
counties when this road is built. There
is no reason why our town will be an
exception 70 all other towns under SINH
lar circumstances, and they nave all
grown as they increased their railroads.
Ii is said ''the tax will he two high"
This is also great mistake. Eight Fer
cent interest upon $4,000 dollars is
a, 600 annually. The town will receive
while they are building IL, not less than
$50, 900. from the money used in its con-
struction. After the road is built aud
running even as far as Lewis0urg, the
increased trado OF the town Will amount
each year to not less than S300,Ooo, AMI
of this the profits will be at least ~, 600
pei annuni. These will be some OF the
Immediate benefits. The prospective
benefits in the growth OF tbs town anu
in the increase OF its population have
| not been considered. The capital which
will flow into Columbia from the build
Ing of this road will he four times as
much us the subscription. III men nave
| to nav any tax on account of the ROAD,
il will be paid out of what they have
made from the road. Roads OF this de-
scriptioa have always paid dividends ON
! account of their cheap cost and cheap
running expenses, and it is moro than
probable that the road itself will pay
! the interest upon The bonds, and there
by save the tom from paying anything;
go. i'm any event, lie benefits derived
-oue increased business ffT trace
iron. sc. will far more than eompen-
OF the TO" ".snsy expended. 1t Is
sometimes said ~. sSsipst their
compelled to take stcch n. made.
will" This objection might ~
to levying taxes for all corporation pa.
poses. II might be said let those want
ing streets make them; let those VINO
want pavements, lay them themselves
let those who want water, builu 'heir
own waterworks. The truth Is, uieh
who are TO be benefited by any I'M.
provenent should help to pay Tor that
Improvement. 1t is not right for some
men To make improvements to benefit
Others who will not aid in making these
improvements. All will be benehtted,
and all should assist in proportion To
their ability. This is just and rlgnt.
Another affection sometimes made Is,
that "the railroad will increase the val
ue of the property, and will increase
| the amount of taxation" This is not
true, because as property increases III
| town, the rate of taxation should de-
crease. Three millions of dollars worth
of property can more easily pay twenty
| thousand dollars per annunl, than one
million can pay ten thousand. III the
property of Tennessee were worth
thousand millions of dollars instead OF
S2s7 900, 900, our State debt would DC com
| naratiyely light. So it is with city
| Fl this objoction is worth anything, it
proyes that man ought not TO have
much property, because II he has, ne
will have to pay more taxes. by this
method of reasoning, the poorer a man
| is. tho better he is of in the world, De-
cause he has less tax to pay. This Is en-,
! tirelv fallacious. III the railroad shouio
f, increase mans wealth. and as conse-
ausnce, should increase the amount o.
his tax it would at the same time increase
his business and his revenue 70 Ioul
times the amount of his increased tax
The objection which we are now answer
ing would show, if it were worth any
thing, t;-at the smaller and less prosper
Gus town, the better would IL be iol
the citizens. Yet, there are men who
have the reputation of being men o
sense thas make this objection.
The railroad would increfse the wages
III the laborer, the business Of the me
csanie. the trade of the merchant, ant
the income e the property owner, ans
therefore, all are Interested 10 its imme
diate construction. As TO :ne Geiuslot
that Somebody else will build the roat
for us without oar doing anything, w
do not deem 1t worthy OF an answer
we will merely say that this VIII neve
be fhe case. ii we want the roai, W
must do our part in building it.