Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-25


All admit that we must have a
railroad, and concede the truth and
weight of the arguments so often pre-
sented to the people of this communi-
ty through the press and public
speeches, as to the advantages certain
to accrue to every person in the COM
munity from the building of road
Farmers and all other classes say !:
,"Oh, yes! we must have the railroad !;
we cannot afford to do without it an
other year; we pay for it every year
whether it is built or not" etc. Now,
as said one of the speakers at the
meeting last Saturday evening,
What is the measure of your desire
for road? Does your desire measure
$25, or $50, or Sl00?" Your desire is
of no consequence if you do not sub
scribe. A poor man has lost his COW
one-half the dependence of his chill
dren for food. He is not able to buy
another and his family are suffering
You hear his story, you hear the cries
of his starving children-your sympa-
thy is aroused, and you exclaim, "Too
bad! they ought to have help-they
must have food" But If you do no.
thing more you have done nothing
What is the measure of your sympa-
thy? Is 1t as large as loaf or 8 S.
bill? Help, and not sympathy is
their need. They will starve to death
on sympathy without action.
For years this community has been
desiring a railroad. Twenty years ago
the writer of this article followed a
corps of engineers under General
Curtis, and drove stakes TO mark the
line or survey for that famous failure
the Great Air Line {" air tightly rail
road. From that day to this we have
lived-barely lived-on desire for rail
road-frequently cheered with hope.
and as often disappointed. Other
counties and towns all about us have
acted; and when company gave
them the terms upon which they
might secure road they subscribed ;
and to-day they have their roads and
are fiourishing, while we are still
thirsting, painting, dying with des,s
for road. Not all have stopped with
desire. We are glad to say that some
have measured their desire and sub
scribed with lavish generosity. And
these men are those whose desire is OF
the true measure and quality. Others
have done nothing, and some have
given In sums altogether too small for
their ability and the advantages they
will reap if the road is built. To these
latter classes few plain words:
You admit that you will be person
ally benefited financially by the road
if it is built. Now Is 1t fair--is it hon
est to refuse to do your part? Is it
honest to ask, or wish that others
should pay your share of the expense
of securing the road and you compla-
Gently pocket the doubled value OF
your property or the increased price OF
your labor or products? Will the in
crease in value be your own, or will 1t
In Justice belong to those who have
bought and paid for 1t for you? Can
you from your family altar send to
heaven thanks every morning for your
abundant prosperity, and ask every
morning for fresh blessings in basket
and store, and not blush at your own
seIfishness and dishonesty? Can you
hope to receive the blessing you ask OF
Providence while you enjoy the profits
of money invested by your neighbor
profits not your own?
Or will you stand back and refuse
to do your duty, and thus take upon
yourself the responsibility of assisting
10 make this whole effort failure. and
booming yourself and this whole COM
munity to isolation for the next three
or five years?
Men and brethren, the time for
action-earnest, united, generous ac-
tion-has arrived. The issue is life or
death to us as town; and to the iar-
mers, no less than to the people OF the
town is this the day to secure temporal
salvation. We have now less than
two weeks Of grace. Before the lapse
of two weeks the die will be cast ana
the question settled. You cannot over
estimate the Importance of this matter.
Knoxville is doing its part noDiy J
and from the city the cry goes out IN
tones of earnest pleading, az il diu
mon time from Macedonia: COME