The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-22
LETTER IRON MR.. MITCHELL.
The Principle, Not the Amount of the Tax,
0htoofiOnnhIa

Wf1glHk HSalIlsl the imposition OF TAX
on the depleted property Of the city of
New Orleans to aid in the construction
OF railroad / expected that writer's
would appear In the public journals in
opposition to my views. But from the
general reputation OF the directory,
did not anticipate that my reasoning
whether sound or unsound -would be
met with nothing but reiterated
assertions OF the wonderful advantages
that would be certain to result from the
completion Of this road, by slang, ridi-
Guile and Misrepresentation. The pub
lie at large, Of course, comprehend that
when my arguments are unanswered,
but misrepresentation and ridicule sub
stituted, it is simply because they are
unanswerable.
On the 18th inst. there appeared in the
columns of the Bulletin an editorial,
whether written by the editor OF that
journal, or more likely by some scribe
who for pitiful consideration would
write upon either or both sides of any
question at the same time for his dole,
Is of no consequence. The article Is
crowded with lnisstatements, misrepre-
sensations and false reasoning drawn
from premises that are assumed
and evidently known To be false
This writer asserts that / am
anti-railroad, and one would In
fer from my present utterances al
WAYS was so, aud that | have pro-
claimed my belief that all railroads are
ruinous to cities. Now, it is utterly un-
true that | am opposed to railroads
or have proclaimed my belief
cities. la the second of my
letters to you, and the same language
was reiterated in my last letter. written
but few days since: / said: II do not
DENY that railroads contribute, with
other means OF facilitating communica-
ton between different localities, to in
crease the public wealth. This is not
only fundamental axiom of political
economy. but is too evident to admit of
n doubt in The understanding of any
one Of tho most ordinary intelligence.
But ] maintain that, like every other
productive enterprise, when roads are
likely to be remunerative, capitalists
will embark their means in them as an
investment; in which case they will be
remunerative TO their owners and con
tribute to the public prosperity; other
wise they will not. Therefore, / deduce
that when efforts have beon made to OBJ
tain stock subscriptions to build u rail
road, which have failed, and taxation is
rcsorted to, it Is prjnia fdcic evidence
that this road will not be of public adj
vantage
have never. on any occasion, denied
that q railroad could or might be an ad-
vantage. On the contrary, in the course
OF the discussion. ! pointed out cities
whose existence and growth were en-
tirely due to railroads running into and
through them-notably Atlanta.
But / have shown that Tdih'Odds do
not necessarily promote the prosperity Of
The cities into trhich they rttu; but that
| they are mere instruments for the pur-
pose of producing wealth, and, like
every other investment, if they do not
yield Il revenue equivalent to the or
binary interest Of money in the com
munity which built them, they would
be, to the extent Of the difference, loss
to that community instead of a gain.
Now it is indisputable that long con
tinued and vigorous efforts have been
made in this city to raise funds to com
plete this road, and it is equally noto-
rious that these efforts have proved
abortive. Hence, in the opinion Of cap
italists-the only competent Judges,
who, it is true, might individually err.
but the accuracy Of whose Judgment,
taken collectively, is rs reliable as life
insurance tables that this enterprise
y. i
say that it will not be an advantage to
New Orleans, or, in other words, what
ever advantages it will confer on the
city will not be equivalent to the inter
est on the Investment, and to the extent
Of the difference u loss.
These are the views | have advocated.
which this writer has 50 perverted and
misrepresented.
This shallow pated scribe-alike re-
markable for the facility Of his pen and
the weakness of his understanding
seems to imply that l have changed my
mind since Jan. in regard to the utiIi-
ty Of railroads, because / offered the
following resolution in tho Central
Council Of the Property Holders Union,
on the above date
"ResOired, That this Council. having
watched with friendly solicitude the
efforts being made, for some time past
and now energetically pressed, to con
struct the New Orleans Pacific Railway
WithOW legislature aid; and seeing with
unfeigned satisfaction that considerable
progress has been made in grading said
road from Alexandria northward, we do
with one voice commend this great
home enterprise to the united and cor
dial support of all our fellow members
and to the citizens at large, as an effort
TO construct q railrOdd lCiUtOm the iRpO-
sition Of an additional tar upon the PEG
GLE"
Now, I appeal to any man with intel
lect above idiocy to say whether there
is anything inconsistent in this resolu-
ton with my views on railroads. !
favor railroads as / do all
other productive enterprises In which
men engage Voluntarily to promote
their own interests, and by that means
the interests of the community; but the
feature that commended this enterprise
to me and to the Union, was that it was
to be completed without n tax being inn
posed on the people. This, as begin
ming OF new era, and in the direction
or the object of the association, com
mended itself to me, and, ] believe, to
many others. We thought that the
time had come when the people would
no longer be robbed to aid any private |
enterprise whatever; but we were
wofully deceived.
/ would here remark that the writer,
in referring to this resolution, has been |
peculiarly unkind co his employer-as
may be seen when the history of this
resolution is known. 1t was put into |
my hands by Mr. Wheelock, with an
urgent request that ! would present it |
to the Council; l accordingly did so. as
viewed it as an implied pledge, a writ
ten promise, or contract between US
in conformity with promises made to