Blount County democrat. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 1879-1883, 1882-09-09
WISCONSIN,.
Interesting Letter.
LOUISVILLE, Tenn,
Aug. 2Sth, 1882.

| aug Solii, 1909.
HoN. w, NJ. BRIcKELL, |. w. GEORGE
WRIGHT KIRBY, AND OTHERS:
You ask my opinion as to the cause
of so much prosperity. My answer
is: clearly it is, in the main, theil
government, State and local, and thC
superior industry of the people and
reliability of labor. Notwithstand
ing in 1880 Wisconsin had 3l30 miles
ofrailroads and several hundred miles
built since 1880, and Tennessee had
but 1924 and whilst Tennessee as a
State and her counties owe in bonded
debt about thirty millions or more
mostly created for railroad purposes
Wisconsin don't owe single dollar
of bonded debt, but has surplus, and
..scently invested several hundred
thousand dollars in United States
Bonds. Their railroads, in the main,
are built by private capital, with oc-
casional land subsidies, but with no
direct tax on the people topay inter
est and bonded debts. Consequently,
the State tax is only fraction over one
mill to the dollar, and their county
taxes are comparatively light except
in new counties, where they have to
build Court Houses, Jails, bridges
and new roads. They PIKE all their
roads as they can; they build jails,
because there are some bad people
everywhere but many of their coun-
ty towns boasts that the only empty
house in their town is the Jail. Their
county officers arc elected from their
best and most intelligent citizens, and
the people have great confidence in
them, because they all encourage
peace and good order and make it a
part of their duty to advise and coun-
sci peace and settle all differences, if
possible, out of their courts. Hence,
they have comparatively little con-
tention or litigation, and very few APP
peals from the lower courts, because
of the confidence the people have in
officers of the lower courts. Their
courts are conducted with the utmost
decorum--no confusion, or abuse, or
villifying each other or clients, or wit
ncsses, is allowed.
Itis remarkable to find so little con-
tention, disputes, or evil speaking of
neighbors. In the main, they all
work regular and proftably, and
seem to rejoice imcach others welfare
and prosperity ; indeed, large and
ruling ma jority of the people who set
tie there buildthemselves up and i'm
prove the country, and they know
they can't prosper long unless their
neighbors. prosper. In truth, there is
III all countries build up class of peo-
pie and pull down class and, fortu-
nate!y for, Wisconsin, q large and
ruling majority of her people are a
go ahead, build up class of people.
The people of that country are of all
nationalities-the German, Norwe-
gians, Polanders and Swcdcs pre-
dominates , the German perhaps are
more numerous than any others.
They make number one citizens. The
most of the farmers are Germans ;
many of them, however, are in bust
ness and fill important Offices. They
are, as general thing, intelligent, in
dustrious, economical and peaceable.
There are also a goodly number from
Canada and the Eastern States, and
as a general thing they are a noble
people. The people Of that country,
with few exceptions, are remarkable
for honesty as well as enterprise. TO
Illustrate: Gentlemen of high stand
ing for truth and veracily, living in
WauSan me they had little farms
several miles in the country where
they raised all kinds of vegetables,
and often for weeks no one was on
the farm to watch or care for il: and
they said they never lost a watermel-
on, ear OF corn, potatoes or anything
clse--aMd neighbors all round their
farms. Another circumstance cauc
under my immediate observation:
and family have owned land there for
twenty-five years, and none of us ever
in the Site before last June. The
lands are all well timbefcd and seat
tered many miles apart, and our tax
paying AGENTS live from 70 10 10 miles
lrom tllem; aud Notwithstanding