The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-09-19
Ripley, Ship Island and Kentucky
Railroad.

). interest is being manifested upol
, the subject of building great cen
| trail railroad through this State
. which will have for its southern
1 terminus either Mississippi City oi
some other coast town in this State
. Nothing but short-sighted policJ
has prevented this work thus far
, and we do hope that the next leg
, islature will have tho stateSmau
ship aud the courage to no justice
. to Mississippi and her people by
building this road. We care moth
ing for indiyidnaa enterprise we
count not upon the gam 10 ATTY man
or corporation; but we favorit now,
and have favored it since our ad
vent into public life because we
recognize it as THE GRAND WORK
in the interest OF Que of the proud
est States in the Unions that, by
the contracted policy of her own
people, has always paid heavy tri-
butte to other States. 1t has been
the pet idea, so to speak, of our
political life to see this railroad
builtI not because Te had dollar
invested in it, hut because we felt,
and feel now, that Mississippi has
millions i'll 1t. We thought when
tile last legislature passed the bill
to aid in its construction that
great work had been accomplished
and we felt proud of the part we
bore in it, but were deeply morti-
fed when we found that not rail
was laid, not a shovel full of dirt
was thrown, as u result of the de
termined effort of those menbers
of the legislature of '7S who were
anxious to see this work accom-.
plished. Where the tenlt was it is
not, now, necessary to discuss we
know it was % complete failure.
We are glad that Col. Singleton,
one of the purest of Mississippi
statesmen, has taken strong ground
in favor of this grand State enter,
prise; we know how Maj. Barks.
dale stands, and we trust that both
of these distinguished gentlemen,
during their canvass Of the State,
will not lose an opportunity to put
in II word tor the encOuragement of
this grand work of internal i'm
provement; and if either of them
should find seat in the United
States senate, we expect to find him
labOring earnestly to aid us in this
good work.
The question is, not so much
where shall its termini be, but shall
it be built. Let its southern termi-
nus be where it may; we know it |
will bca blessing to the State. We |
must say, however, that we can
not endorse the idea of certain in
tcrestcd parties and papers that
the northern terminus, already es-
tablished, ought to be changed.
We have twenty-five miles already
built and in fine condition, and
terminating Just Whero 1t ought to
and if the road is built S0Wthpdrd
from Ripley through the State, it
will also be built nOrthaodrd to
Cairo, thus connecting us, immedi-
atelY, with all the great northern
and western markets. We have no
fears that the route will ever be
DETECTED from this line, because
nature and interest have united
npon it, and here it must be built.
That which we commenced to talk
about is not upon what line it shall
be built, but when shall it be done.
The present lease of the penitentia-
ry will expire In Dune 1881, and the t
next legislature at its session next
ear will be called upon to make
some disposition Of the convicts. t
Now the question is shall they be
hired to cotton planters, wood cut :
ters, etc, aid then he brought into +
lirect competition with honest, free :
abor, or shall they be utilized on !
public works. Our opinion upon
his snbiect has always been very
decided in favor of the latter, for
,wo reasons: first, because we
hink it unfair to allow convict la
,or to compete with our agricultur:
Il and mechanical laborers; sec I
md, because we are forced to the
that it would be infinite j
V better for the State to giUe some
man, or company, the y
qb0r of these cOnvicts in building
his road, thai to receive reasOna-
lie hire from lessees who work |
hem hi making cotton, etc. The
mere pittancs that is received from
he hiring of cOuvicts under the
resent system amounts to nothing
then compared with the many :
wills attending it, and we do hope
hat the next legislature will have
he good sense aud the courage to 7
10 what some of MS urged several
ears ago: place these State prison 1
RS Upon this great State enterprise
nd reap harvest of good in "a b
ew years, that cannot be reached; Ia
nder the present system, IN q
entury, We look upon this as
he ultima thule of the next legisla- s.
nre, and if they fail to- take an ri
4 dyanccd step in this direction, we al
hall set 1t down as n failure. Men b,
small caliber, and smaller com
of public interest, have
,sailed the democratic legislature
rs for having made PROPOSE - ~
on to sell, at a nominal price, al ~
rnate sections of State lands, 20
~ company that will build tins
,sd. They are either blinded hr ct