The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-12-23
Upon Whom VIII the Benefits or

Injury of the Railroad Tax Fall?
In the world we live in no man can be
independent of his fellows, and no man
li7eth unto himself
Whatever one man does, or fails to do,
be its results good Or i'll, it affects for
good or i'll the community of which he
is a member, no matter what his motives
may be in the doing or in the default
thereof.
60 the interests of all ages and condi-
tions, of ali trades and professions, 90
hand in hand, and benefits or misfor
tunes that befall the one in greater or
less degree affect the other Ifoue mem
Der suffer, all the other members suffer
with it.
So it is true, however the temporary
seeming yet the permanent results of
anything done, or not done, affects we'll
or Ill all conditions and avocatiOns.
Rich and poor have common interest
as we'll as a common heritage, though
their responsibilities may vary according
to their capacity and their means where
withal they may work; for of their stew
ardship each must give his account.
The man, or men, if any such there
be, who would endeavor to array ore
condition or avocation against another,
is bad citizen and an enemy to each
and al. His conduct or advice is injuri-
Gus to his neighbors and discreditable to
himself.
1t is commended by the opponents of
the tax mot of the raiIroad) that the
assumption of this heavy debt would be
fatally injurious to the town; that the
burden would hang like a milestone
around its neck, and render us tributary
for twenty years or more to the holders
of the bonds; our tribute money being
collected from each in proportion to his
means, drawing annually some of the
surplus from the richest among US and
abstracting from the poorest portion Of
their bed-clothee or house or kitchen
furniture for, from the iron grasp of
the tax-gatherer nothing is exempt.
SO taking as examples the richest and
the poorest, it will readily be seen it
comes with the most crushing weight
Gas taxes always do) upon the latter.
Ifthen this tax should fail to bring US
the shower of blessings so lavishlv prom
ised, and result in harm, the injury
would certainly fall upon all.
But let ne "hear another part" 1t is
cOntended by the friends of the tax that
the results thereof will be the completion
of railroad by which our property will
be very much enhanced in value, popu-
lGtion be increased, and general initiation
in prices ensue. IF so, who would reap
therefrom the benefits 2 Most certainly
all rich as we'll as poor, and poor as
well as rich. No hnman court of chan
Gerry, or legislative act, or railroad enter
prise, can divorce the interests of enc
portion of the community from the inter
ests of the other.
Then, let us state the matter in con-
troversy fairly. The proposition present
ed to the people of Bolivar is an import
ant one, affecting closely the interests of
all and all alike. 1t is entitled to, and
should have, fair and full considera ton
of each and every member of the com
munity, and the vote of his earnest con
viction thereon, for the rich man and
the poor man. the old man whose three
score and ten years passed among US
entitle his counsels to be heard; and the
young may with his life before him, and
his future bound up with our future as
a conmunity-alI alike have a common
interest.
With this understanding, let US all
shoulder our responsibilities, for mistak es
(Which, when honestly made, are excus-
able), and not com plain of each other.
But let us all re member that this day
we, as a community, are rendered con-
tract to sign. Shall We sign it?
The contract is, on our part that we
pay into the hands of an insolvent cor
poration, without any security, thirty
thousand dollars in bOnds, with coupons
attached binding us FOR twenty-four hun
bred dollars more each year for twenty
years. And what is the contract on the
other side q? Only fair promises and soft
words, upon which notody is bound
So our guarantees for the promised
work, much less the promised blessings,
are mere empty words. The interest of
the town is not protected at all By The
decree. The railroad holds both ends
of rope, and asks this community, with
refreshing GOODNESS, to slip it around its
own neck. The brass 10 the proposition
sounds like BELL METAL.