River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-10-03

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Wisconsin Railroad
Land.
1t was with great diligence and un-
yielding perseverance that the lands in
Pierce County, belonging to the West
Wisconsin Railway Company, were e.
empted from the operations Of the bill
extending the exemption Of all their
lands ID this state from taxation, till
1884. The injustice Of that act was
plain upon its face, but the avarice of
the company, and its overpowering infu.
ence with our Legislature at that time
covered nearly all opposition. Oliver
S. Powell was the only man in the As
sembly who dared to defend the rights
Of his constituents, and Pierce is the on
ly county in the state that enjoys that
exemption. lie alone arose in his place
and ventured to beard the lion in his
den. Hence the inveterats hostility of
Mr.. Baldwin and his friends to Mr..
Powell which han existed from that day.
Hence the personal as well as political
animosity between individuals in Pierce
county and the managers, as well as
magnates of the West Wisconsin Rail
road Company. !.
AS rule, the most bitter feeling pre-
walls when there is the least occasion
for it, aud where justice absolutely de
mands that q man should show himsel
worthy the position he occupies. Th'
hostility Of Mr.. Baldwin to Mr.. Powell
and his defenders, lies entirely in the
fact that Mr.. Powell refused to do his
bidding, though he well knew the fla
grant injustice Of the act he demanded
of him to perform. And Mr.. Baldwin
is not man who carries his ends by
persuasion, but by oaths, threats, and
commands. Aud, he usually succeeds
In this county he met his first rebuff
and on this county he would, doubtless,
be glad Of an opportunity to wreak his
revenge. Of him, then, his abettors,
his sympathizers, the people of this coun
ty will do well to beware. That he
would perpetrate the great injustice
upon US that he persists in continuing
to inAict upon the people of other coun-
ties, no sane man doubts, since there is
no good reason why Pierce count J
should be exempt from any general
rule.
For self protection, then, as well as
to perform an act of justice to our neigh
bors, we should unite with them In theil
efforts to rid themselves Of this evil; VIC
should lose no opportunity TO show our
disapprobation of the law which impos
es upon them an onerous, an unjust
burden, and unite with them in every
effort 20 repeal the law exempting the
lands Of that Railroad Company from
taxation.
AS We have before intimated, some
men dislike To have privileges taken
away from them, aud the moro unjust
the privileges, the more bitter their
denunciations Of the act which, or in
dividual who operates 10 curtail them;
and the managers Of the West WiscOn-
sin are'n exception 70 this rule.
To illustra 10 this matter, we will pre-
sent case in point. There are rail
road lands in the northeastern and
eastern portions Of this county, now
held at eight dollars an acre, while
lands OF the same quality In Dunn coun'
ty, are held at twelve dollars. That is,
the lands exempt by law from taxation
for ten years 10 come, are valued by the
Company just one third higher thar
those legally taxed. Now what makes
this difFereuceg The simple fact tina
the settlers around these lands must pay
for all the improvements in that locality
for the coming ten yeas, thus throwing