The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-15
THE NEW ORLEANS PACIFIC.
Taxation for Railroads Causes Of Busi'
ness Prostitution.

WI
Z ing Importance Of the subject could induce =,
, to trespass further on your columns IN III
elaboration OF my views upon the lnoNpnulent
} Of levying tax upon the city Of New orlenhs y
. aid In the construction Of the above road. II
my opinion. the Importance Of the subject ca,
; tax will not only create dasonsions and perhaps
permanent divisions among those whose ever
interest 1t is to be united, but II the rights o
property are to be subjected to the popular vote
and held by no tenure but tho will or caprice o
the people at large capital will not only seek IN
vestmonts elsewhere but will be efoctnally re
PEELED for MI time to como. But infinitely tht
tion q this lax viii bc that tho ESonlo; wh. q,
Of the p p9 "s iner re Of state and city
will quietly repoao upon the theory that the
completion Of this. and perhaps 2thar roads
can alone restore prosperity. AMI VIII; 81 'nnse-
quance make no united effort to ri tho state
Of a government whose exa"tiops are. beyond
bio condition a government seemingly organ
lied and certainly administered. FOR no purpose
but robbery, disguised under the name e taxa
tion. Az long az tha people are deceived in this
matter 80 long will they continue in bondage
| and misery.
Believing that a good dea Of misapprehen-
| sion exists in rcgardto my views upon railroads.
and hence n misoonccption Of my argtin. hts
| would beg leave to quote from my second
ne T. r wn' !" fFEr"g"1 y ISn
| do not deny that railroads contribute with othor
| means Of facilitating communication between
different localities to increase tho public wealth.
| This Ia not only u fundamental principle OF 20
| itical economy but IL too evident IT, admit Of u
doubt in the mind 81 any one of the most ordi-
nary intelligence. But | maintain that liko
every other productive enterprise. when rohis
are likely to be remunera'ive. capitalists will
| in which case they will he reinuneraiivo to their
| owners and contribute 10 the public prosperity
otherwise they will not" lp other words. Il =
| will he of no advantage 10 that community
Whit furnished tho funds 70 build i, Al my
arguments were directed against this particular
road which | RhpWpI from the highest owl
dence that can be adduced on this subject. viz;
the opinion Of capitalists. who although taken
specific Investment would hc rrmunrrativo or
not. yet in the aggregate II was In the highest
degree mprobahle that hey would bo mistaken.
Thor opinion is exhibited in thnir failure to
embark their means in this road. Thus fur
nishing the highest moral evidence that stock
in this road will not yiold an interest equal to
other Investments In this community, or equal
to tho ordinary interest Of capital. But. be-
lieve that II IS not generally claimed for this
road that It will be paying investment, but that
II will indirectly promote Tho public welfare hV
he stimulus which il will give t? business and
sating t. the holders 81 ita stock. Now proved
by deductions from tho elementary prin ipicS
Of political economy-that ecieuco which ON
braces tho consideration of all questions having
reference to the increase decrease Of the pub
lie wealth that this reasoning il fallaey, aud
in h's case ery danTer9gs s%%%y Tor i is
prise can he profitable or Of advantage to tho
community nj largo that is not romuncrative to
tHeDNH'ls Wuhse fHpiliil - HlhWH llhm Salh
community.
Although all my arguments had exclusive
References to. this road, and wore ~ rroyn
that II would in no degree contribute tothe |
prosperity Of this city. If capital were tp b. OK
torted from II for the purpose of building the |
road, yet have referred To other roads and |
cities that prospered with ont roads. for the pur
pose Of strengthening my argument, not for the |
purpose OF showing. "a many suppose. Yourself
among the number, that railroads will. under no
circumstances render u city ptqsperous But
have referred to other roads which in no degree
contributed to render The cities ,ntn which they
and continue Ia prosper without the aid of rail |
roads not TO show that railroads arc never of
any utility. but for tho purpose Of combining the |
yliugism-freuuenUy unexpresscd. but which
every DISTINGUISHED man relics on consciously |
or unconsciousiy to prove that this road will
render this city prosperous. 1t is this. all rail
roads running to cities contribute 10 their proc
peritv-and as u eorrollary cities cannot prosper
mcnt because in the consideration of the effect
of railroads. and Of this railroad in particular
its advocates earnestly deny. or at least entirely
Ignore that any other cause can destroy or
even neutrazo tho advantages ella med for this
road Bad government in every shape taxation
exceeding the net revenues of property justice
perverted in its source the security of property
destroyed. and the incentive to labor
tho real cause Of all wealth removed
all these which in the opinion Of sane men.
would bo Thought to have some Influence in di-
mnishing the great advantages claimed for this
road, 60 for naught with its advocates. Indeed.
the ylo Of argument taken by those gentlemen
would indicate that they believe that if this road
from Alexandria towards st Louis, by the way
of Marshall was completed, New Orleans might
be destroyed by conhagratiou. swept away by
a food. or sunk by an earthquake. ~ soon ~
the noise of the cars were hoard on this distant
road the corpse OF poor New Orleans would be |
into a renewed and prosperous life.
No air, there are causes political causes too |
that render all the efforts ot men nugatory to
better his o,rn condition. which liz the only means
in human power TO contribute to tho public
That this has been the condition Of
New Orleans Tor several years past is beyond
| 'instnnced sovo II cities that had proapered
without the aid of railroads. not to show that
these were Of no utility, but to awaken inquiry
as to the cause OF the rOwth and prosperity OF
cities :by9whirh it would he seen that u city. in
the midst Of a fertile territory. with climate
favorable to production with means Of commu-
nication TO the adjacent country and accessible
TO the sea. II not prevented by somc oXtranooua
cause. absorbing its capital, would necessarily
become prosperous.
Applying these observations to New Orleans
and comparing its situation with London. Paris
or Glasgow. cities remarkable for their rapid
growth II win be seen that il the whole Of Texas
and many other parts of the country. wore per
possesses facilities OF communication that can
not be taken away, reaching into fertile
country. and. indeed every element that makes
cities prosperous in much greater degree than
those named Therefore. il can be Justly in
ferred that tho want Of means Of communica
ton is not the cause OF our decay.
I~roinhntthe argument that the mere coinci-
1ence OF two events. or one event occurring i'm
medately after the other. would not prove one
10 ne inc cause anu 'Uf plnnE the FtlGt1. Hence.
would not admit in all cases. that tho pros
pority Of city was due to a railroad. because il
had rail running into it. Unsupported it il
he weakest of all arguments. its falaty has
become provorhial. rs eXemplitied in the theory
" the old gentleman who attributed the on
,roachment of the sea sands upon the town of
renterdon 10 the erection Of spire on the old
church. because the sands began 10 move imme-
lately after the erection Of the stcepe.
| did not offer II rs an argument against rail
roads. as you suppose; that citi' $ had grown to
greatness without them because | am not op-
posed to the construction Of railroads and have
never offered any arguments against their con
but to show that railroads are not the
'ole G use of the growth Of cities. as is assumed
openly or covertly by their advocates.
| adfnit-indced. have never denied, although
have demanded proof-that many cities owe
heir growth altogether to railroads. and no
ioubt the towns and cities you mention are no
able instances of the fact. will mention n still
more striking instance-the city of Atlanta
VII ose existence ana rapid growth are no doubt
,wing to the several railroads running into and
through it.
But this does not touch the case In point
which was that no city would be benefited by a
.aiiroad. built by contributions, voluntary or
raised in that city. if the railroad did
lot yield an interest on the investment with q
und set aside TO meet dotorioraioul, equal to |
he ordinary interest Of money in that city or if
he road did not yield return on the money
in it equivalent to that it would yield
n other productive enterprises Hence, this
Dad. instead Of being an advantage. would to :
he extent Of the difference, be loss to the com
nunty. and no remove. indirect collateral
advantages produced by it. would compensate
or the difference. have stated, and | now re-
terate that il an at empt to build road by vol