The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-19

veStment IN the road. therefore,, when
the road is built with on; money, We
will find thatit has been built for the
benefit Of these cities and Of tho com.
pany owning it.. It will be q convent
ence to US, if we are able to pay; for it's.
use and will save US some horse-aesh, but
it is not calculated to yield us material
benefit equal to the interest on our in
vestment.
We must remember that, after having
built this road, or at least, paid for its
building, zoe are not to be allo,oed to con-
tro1I! Wewill be unable to regulate the
prices it may charge for carrying freight,
and we can rely upon it that the capt.
alists who propose to own it will charge
all they can get, and will so manage it
as to make it profitable to themselves |!
This is human nature and railroad
men are human, though seldom humane.
As tor the benefit to villages along its
line which will result from its construc.
ton, cannot see them. True it may
make wheat depots at Zumbrota and
Kenyon, and may build up new stations
every six miles along its route, but it
will carry the principal trading now
done at these country villages to Waba-
sha and Faribault. If the road is
built and one of our farmer housewives
wants paper Of pins, or calico for an
apron, she may be willing to buy it at
Zumbrota or Kenyon, but if she wants
dress she will 90 to Wabasha or Fari-
bault to see the styles and select from
larger assortments. So, too, with us
men, we will all want to go to the *big
city, to do our shopping. -
If we have got to build a railroad, and
it would certainly be a great advantage
to US to have little one, I think the
wisest plan would be for us to build one
for ourselves to own and manage. And
I would have it stop right here in our
MIDST. Let it commence at Kenyon,
for instance, and run thence to Red
Wing, by way of Zumbrota, and be
owned and managed by citizens Of the
county. IN that case whatever profits
accrued from the enterprise would 60 IT.
to the pockets of our own citizens and en-
riching them, would increase the scea1th
Of the county and aid in making ta1es
lighter! If we build road for the
Ohio capitalists, who are the getters up
Of this Midland project, whatever profits
are derived from it will be taken a,cay
from. this locality. We shall be drained
of that much wealth and interest on our
bonds besides, for we will have it all to
pay. Il. iii 81;
I have no objection to Ohioans in.
vesting their own capital in this county,
not even if they use it in building this
Midland road, but don't intend that
they shall invest mine, and derive all
the profits from such Investment, and
if cannot successfully fight such in
justice at the polls, l mean to fight it in
the courts. If those here who are ad-
vocating this road will do a. much pro.
portionately as will, we can build a
railroad for ourselves and manage it
ourselves, and make it. truly a benefit
to our own community. re can necoti-
ate our bonds as aoeU as these Oh;oans
can.
You are right in denouncing this
bonus system, and although I am not
personally acquainted with you, I know
that you are consistent in doing so.
"Common Sense" insinuates that YOU
are not friendly to the farmers interests,
but those who have read the old Federal
Union of Rochester believe that you are,
for it was you who first started the
movement against railroad extortions,
wheat rings, &C., in this State, and had
your advice been followed, the farming
interests would to-day WELD controlling
influence in Minnesota and use it wisely
at that. More anon.
Yours respectfully,
AHT1-BoSus..
P. S.-1lost one farm by contributing
a bonus for ''capitalists' to build a rail.
road with, and if l have to lose another
I intend the lawyers shall have it sooner
than I'll give it to railroad men.
The Currency Question.
CANNON FALLS, April l6, rs