The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-08-13

| Hif:tea Dy ine State COnSu u.ution.
The advocates of the tax try to tell MS
how much we will save on a bale of cot
ton and 4 barrel If Hour BY having a R
r., aei treat rs TO long arrays of figures
To show how much We will save on SlQ0..
$1,000. $4,000. etc. Now am pretty
well acquainted with figures, and have
been disposed TO think that figures were
about the only things in which l could
place implicit confidence, but now !
| must confess that the advocates of the
mill tax have shaken my faith aud
caused me to become skeptical in regard
| to figures, they can be made TO lie
egregiously.
such calculations are only random
shots. There is but one basis upon which
ne can safely calculate the savings in
freightsa aud that is, Their. X. will. do a
competitive business and viii charge a,
all points along their line just as much
Us the people will pay before shipping by
some other line. Where they have steam
boat competition, they will carry freights
at the same rates as the boats, but ut IN
terror points. they viii charge high rafes
to make up wat they lose cn the rivers.
When the n. & s. II. Il. is burlt, it can
bring corn, oats. flour. bacon. Irish pota-
toes and onions from Kansas, Missouri,
Arkansas and tile Indian Territory much
cheaper than it can be brought around To
us by water, but the II. Il. Co. may be
expected to profit by that saving, and to
put the greater part of it into their own
Golfers 10 pay intctest and dividends on
their capital with.
recognize the Rail Road as the high
est achievement of science aud art, and
am not opposed to the building of them
as ! simple proposition, but am oppos-
ed to the system of muniiicent grants Of
land and money by the government, and
people 10 build Bail Isuads for private
corporations. Those who furnish the
money to build Bail Roads ought to own
and control ihem. and receive the diyi-
dends Of profits. The Bail Roads ought
TO be public property. The government
ought to own aud control them. As pri-
vate property il is q concentration of too
much power in the hands of Il few indi-
yiduais. In my opinion it is high time
for us 10 call hale and consider whi.her
We are drifting, to cast the horoscope
upon the future and see what Sue hats In
store for US. We are building upa pow
er amongst us which. l think, l. destined
To sap the very foundations of our liber-
Ties and destroy our republican form Of
government.
The government must own and control
the Bait Roads. OF the Rail Road corpo-
ration viii OWN and control the govern
meat. The Ral Road corporation will
soon have the power to dictate the form
OF government and to choose the instru-
ments of government. 1t is my honest
opinion that it would be bctter for Us not
to hare mile oi 4. r. track in the Uni
ted States, than to have them as the prop
erty of private corporations.
The system uEdcr which We have been
building Rail Roads makes hundreds oi
ini;lionurcs and millions of paupers.
The u. II. corporations in the United
States are already rich enough to corinpl
our Legislative. executive and Judicial
officers, and strong enough to defy the
.s....... g .,,- N..rinu.i srnvaru,ua,,f av..t
% lord it ever the people rs the fe;,dai
land LORDS did IN mediaev;u times,
| oppose the proposed . mill tax on
principle. The advocates of the tax f:s-
vor II Us a policy. Itisa proposition to
tax the public for the support of pri-
var enterprise and for the benefit Of 4
private corpnratiou.
The people should only pay taxes for
The support of government, To sustain
the public institutions, and for internal
improvements, which are pualic property.
The tax is 10 be u gift from the people
TO a IL. X. corporation do not believe
much in giving. ln mans dealings with
man believe in the mutual exchange oi
equivalent values. The tax will b.
measured to the corporation by a definite
rule. The beaefactions to be received in
return can not be so measured and We
might be badly cheated.
Let those who want tc give to the L.
X. Co., give their own money. then il
they get cheated no one else will have
any right TO qnarr,l except the wife Of
the man who gives ssay his money.
II We yote the tux. the majority will
give away the lponey Of the minority
without their consent.
The people will be equally taxed and
uncqaally benefited. Those living near
tIle X. X. track ard depots will receive
the greatest benefits. While those living
remote from the road and near The rivers
will receive from lit.le to nn benefits.
A majority Of the voters and tax pay