The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-07-30
TIE RAILROADS AND THE FAR1H- |
ERS.
NO. ".
NEWPORT, Tenn, July 4
To the Editor of The Morristown Gazette:


To the Editor of The Morristown Gazette
Popular opinion runs in devious
channels. 1t ebbs and flows by no
fixed laws. It is restrained and con-
trolIed by no positive landmarks.
Reason, like the voice of the master,
can alone curb and restrain the
tempests which error and folly too
often evoke-but the voice of reason
at times is UNDECIDED, and when
heard may be needed too late to
prevent disaster and ruin.
Every farmer and laboring man.
in the State should bear in mind
that the coming warfare upon the
roads is in fact warfare upon his
own interests. Blatant stump ora
tors may, and doubtless will en-
deavor to allure them into the be-
lief that the railroads are curse to
the State and an enemy to its a.l'i
cultural and mechanic classes, Tha
they prey upon the farmers as SO
MANY vultures, with a rapacity that
has no limits. 1t is well for men to
think for themselves-to contrast
the wealth and population of the
State before roads were built and
since Reflect upon the amount am
nually paid into the Golfers of the
State and counties by these corpor
ations in the shape of taxes, which
otherwise would be imposed upon
land and labor. Upon the cenve-
niences afforded. The enhance
ment in the value of real estate
since their construction. The en-
hanced value of marketable pro
ducts of the farm. The avenues of
fered for employment to labor. The
facilities fol. opening up and devei-
opment of the various resources of
the State. The exports from Cooke
county to-day are more than treble
what they were before the single
road which now traverses it was
It's real estate has more
than doubled. A few years ago we
collected from this railroad over
five thousand dollars in taxation.
This sum paid all the Indebtedness
Of the county and left a surplus in
it's treasury. To-day iron bridges
are being erected, spanning our riv
ers, and every dollar expended in
their construction is paid by taxes
accruing on the part of this road.
Bearing as these corporations do
their burden of taxation, subject to
all the liabilities imposed by law
held to the very strictest accounta
bility by common law and by harsh
statutes, it is contemplated to subs
ject them to unjust and illegal ex
actions, by depriving their owners
Of the right to operate, manage and
control their own property. Such
legislation will necessarily react
upon the State, now attempting to
initiate the folly of the boy in the
fable-"killing the goose that lays
the golden egg.
The recent reduction by the East
Virginia and Georgia
railroad in the wages of its opera !
tives has been aseriDed by the
Chronicle, and with great !
reason, to the hostile legislation
and political warfare against the /
roads. Why not ascribc this action
to these causes? Every man knows
that capital Is extremely sensitive. !
The least unwarrantable interfer-
ence with the objects in which it is
invested to certain degree paran
Iyzes Infringing about reduction
in wages, discharges of operatives,
in enterprise and reduc>
ton in profits.
Examine for a moment the fol-
lowing table showing the great re-
duction in. the construction of rail-
roads in the States of Illinois, Wis
consin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri,
Kansas, Nebraska and Dakota, con-
sequent upon the hostile legislation
enacted in those States after the
Grange craze" of 1874. There
we're constructed in those States as
follows:
7 ear. Miles of Road.
z...............,......' ........'.'-o oOoo
S73.................. .........."....-. Iloo
ESI4 ...........-.... ...s.t....sOUJ