The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-09-29

laborer customer next him, and then gaze
into his own empty basket he will under
stand that some one besides the merchants
Is benefited by the trade of the town? For
IL IS not hard to trace the - 90 bill thi
more reasonable customer has lust handed
the grocer to the hands of his EMPLOYER
contractor. Through his hands, to hi-
principal prosperous doctor erecting
a house. Through his, to a sick lawyer who
got II from some merchant for services and
I the merchant made that 50 out of trade
his 50 of trade has already paid lawyers
a doctors, contractors BILL and bought a
weeks provision for a laborer's family. And
yet II ~ conteHded that the merchant should
pay all the cost Of securing trade. because
he IS the one benefited. He Is benefited
but does not every man, woman, and child,
white and colOred, in this town, with the
exception Of officials above, eat and wear
dollars brought here in this way
Why has Jackson a population of over
1000, while Byram hasn't as many hundred?
Simply because her trade IS larger and
Nicksburg's population is larger than Jack
sons, for the same reason. Then does it
not follow that if more trade Is brought
here, and it is possible for more people TO
get living here, that more people will come,
and our town increase in size Every trad
ing man knows that the more population
place has the greater Is his chance To make
much mOney-or a fortune. And similarly,
every mechanic knows that the larger the
town the better IS skilled labor paid, and
the higher his field Of labor becomes, conse-
quently the greater is his chance for accu-
mulating money.
There seems to be one impression here
that a merchant" is a kind of inexhausti
bic gold mine, and very vague ideas are held
Of their financial capacity. Any one IN
formed as to Jackson's wealth, Is aware that
the merchants" are in number about one
half of the monied men of town, and that
they haven't the money to build the road,
if they wished to do so.
One speaker, Wednesday night, expressed
popular wish that We could make some OF
the wealth in town which does not pay
taxes, share the burden of this road with
US. But the practical question arises as to
how we can do it. The only property that
does not pay taxes is United States bonds.
Persons owning United States bonds in this
high interest country, do 1t for perfect Sc
curity, and also avoid taxation thereby. If
they voluntarily sacrifice some D per cent.
per annum income possible, to the attain
ment of security, is it probable they could
be induced to subscribe TO railroad stock,
which Is VIGOROUSLY insecure2 And II the
law gives them freedom from taxation, Is |
it rObable public spirit would induce them |
t. donate to the city what would be the tax
on their bonds if taxable? Put yourself IN
his place. Would you pay taxes on your
if the law didn't require it, and the |
taxes were not used for your benefit? Then |
these men eaa't be reached. None but |
very rich men buy United States bonds, and |
the value of the bonds wouldn't be increased |
by all the railroads in the State. Therefore |
that property has no interest in the road |
and will not be likely to aid US much.
Poor men, so to speak-those who can't |
invest their smaller monies in New York or |
w Washington, are the ones interested in this |
road, and they must bear its burdens. These !
non commercial capitalists represent at least !
half of the big money in town, but are not |
available for railroad purposes. 1t can be |
discovered in Il few hours if they are Let |
Inc Railroad Committee make test sub
,criptiDn tour Of Jackson, and kno1c what |
AN i'm that way be done.
OF course we would all like some one to
give railroad, horse and buggy, diamond
)in, or any other such superfuity he may
ave about him. But if we need any of
hese things, the vital question Is will he
10 it, We all want the road. If nobody
will give it to us-we can afford it-so let
Is buy it for ourselves. 1t will cost each
; 200 of our property So 90 year for ten
Years, suppOsng the towns assessment does
not increase within that time. If it does,
hen the pro rata cost is proportionately |
eSs, and If the road does not benefit us all
more than that amount, it is certainly not
he road we think it.
Nicksburg is agitatng the subject OF
building it to herself. The Yazoo people
want to get out to a railroad somewhere,
md if We do not now help them come here,
hey will take their road elsewhere. Then
Jackson will deserve to remain a railroad |
station only, for the rest of her days.