The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-10-12
A Lamentable Blunder.

Inc ponce jury OF drant parish,
which has been in session this
week, made a great mistake in
blindly giving heed to the request
of the union farmers, and repeal
ing the ordinance granting freedom
from taxation for ten years to rail-
roads that may be constructed
through this parish. The material
interests of the community at large,
and the progress, improvement and
convenience of the entire people of
the parish certainly deserved more
consideration at their hands. If a
valuable franchise and right of
way, or the levying of tax in aid
of the road (which many enlight-
ened and progressive communities
have seen fit to give) had been
asked at their hands, then they
might have hesitated to consider
and discuss the matter; but, when
nothing of the sort is asked, only
the privilege of bringing a great
public benefit without being imme-
distely taxed before any realization
is had upon the thousands of dol
lars invested, then their action is
inconsiderate and highly injurious.
The resolution presented to the
farmers union by Bro. Bruce, ask
ing the repeal of the ordinance,
was not considered in the light of
reason and common business sense;
nor do We believe the union would
have made any such request if the
subject had been presented to them
In its proper light, shorn of soph-
istry and unreasoning prejudice.
In hastily and incautiously carry
ing out the request to repeal, the
police jury subverted their better
Judgment to the clamor of frac-
ton of the people, and that, too,
before those making the clamor
had considered the matter in all
its bearings upon their own indi-
vidual interests. Had the police
jury ordered an election to take the
sense of the people upon the SUBJ
ject, and given them a chance to
pass on It after a thorough and
impartial discussion, their course
would have been unbiased and pa
triotic; but, because they happened
to have bare majority of one, to
deliberately throw a stumbling
block under the wheels of progress
and prosperity, y unworthy action
of men entrusted with the public
welfare.
We have not the time and space
to fully discuss the matter this
week, but trust that our remarks
will provoke arguments pro and
con, and that our people will yet
have the opportunity to pass upon
it intelligently. To listen to the
arguments of opposition, advanced
by some of the small men occupy
ing large places, would he amusing
if it were not SO injurious to the
general good In their Importance
and conceited wisdom they solemn
ly assert that railroads bring dis
ease, tramps, thieves and general
calamity into community! Bless
the innocent imbeciles who know
so little rs to make such an asser-
ton. Undisputed Statistics prove
that larger per cent of the people
of communities that have railroads
enjoy more morality, religion, in
telligence, health, comfort, pros
perity and happiness, have more
schools, churches and charitable
institutions, and have more pro-
lection to life and property, than
do these gentlemen in their back
woods regions with their imagined
seclusion and freedom from the
sinful hoodlum. In the language
of our eminent visiting union
brother from Tennessee, we would
again caution the brethren that the
union is not organized on a fight
ing basis; it is not antagonistic to
progress, nor opposed to the rights
and privileges of other callings,
but is dependent and interdepend-