Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-01-22
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.
M. III. e." Again in the Lists Reply
10 w. M. T.


7 Mr.. Editor.-Will you pardon me
one more trespass upon your space.
The man who talks of ARamemnon
with the familiarity OF personal &C.
quairitance, but who evidently knows
little of the Roanoke and Southern
railroad, calls ME prehistoric" | do
not object. However, do not believe
w. NJ. Il. is as old, and if he will par
don me, as wise, Us he thinks.
we have, heard mach in this con-
troversy ABOUT the honesty" char
acter, reputation, &C., &C., of the
men who intimate that they will build
the Southern railroad, but not once
have we heard of the honest voter,
the honest taxpayer What is this
thing of modern honesty" Mr. Edi-
tor? Is it u thing of degrees? Such
a thing that he who has money is
entitled to the first degree, he who has
more money is entitled to the second,
and he who has as much money as
any OF, his Deighbors is entitled to the
third degree? II this be true, and |
am convinced there are those who
think it true, then the devil is not
far from being a christian gentleman.
The man OF Calvary taught that
comparative honesty, was thing OF
hell and not of heaven. But He did
not live in Roanoke and the nine-
teenth century. Let us hear no more
about the honesty" ''ch"racter, u
reputation" &C., of thisman or that.
The man who has the genuine article
does not want it heralded to the
world. He does not hold it for CON-
M rcial purposes. =.
Ii may be soothing to few small
souls who have been OF but little SER
vice to themselves and less TO the COM
munity to attribute the actions OF
those who take issue with them to
selfish motives, but this sort of logic"
has been used SO long by demagosues
in politics and dead beats in business
that u resort TO it is considered as an
evidence of weak cause. l honor
the man who opposes me in an honor
able way; but he who champions my
cause that he may enter my purse Is
twin brother to the fellow who bends
the pregnant hinges of the knee that
thrift may follow fawning."
| have heard that the soldier who Is
boIdest in camp is generally small
potato on tile battle field. How many
OF those who are loud in the pubic
prints in behalf OF appropriation No:
2 will have the courage, or the -al
right, to slip q ballot in the slot on
election day? With the exception of
the president of the Southern railroad,
l know of not one.
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, desire
to ask: Why does Mr.. Trout, who has
shown deposition TO talk, object TO
saying what his company will do
when it shall have built twenty miles
of road and used 5000, 1000 of Roanoke
tvs money! Will it continue
construction to qr connection
with the southern wing or will it
cease work until Roanoke subscribes
to another $500, 900 of its stock? This
| is IL pertinent question and the tax
payer is entitled to frank answer.
One who speaks after being loaded
saws: How can Roanoke do this; the
charter margin of ten per cent in
debteuness on assessment OF property
will be entirely consumed This an
ever will not do There is now before
the Virginia legislature bill allowing
| Roanoke to increase this margin TO
fif cen per cent
Another who seems to speak by the
card says the Southern railroad com
pany will be "out" considerable
money, and cannot afford to stop
work at the twentieth mile. But
when asked the Innocent question,
How long will it take the completed
Southern railroad to earn $1,000 net
profu?' lie figures and answers,
three years" reply then, the com
pany can affor. to wait two years at
the twentieth mile in order TO >queeze
another $1,000 out of Roanoke.
The enthusiast was sorry espoke. >
He struck for headquarters 10 get
reloaded. NJ II. q.