The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-06-10
NORTH AND SOUTH RAILROAD.

We are all agreed on the desirability
Of having railroad directly connect
ing north and south Idaho but we are
not agreed in the matter of approving
Governor Alexander's visionary scheme
to have the state build it. In fact, SC
far as The Miner is informed there Is
no sentiment in this section of the
state in favor of tho proposition to call
q special session Of the legislature for
the purpose of submitting an amend
ment to the constitution which would
empower the state to enter into the
field of railroad construction and OPP
GRAFTON. 1t is not believed that two
thirds Of the legislature would comply
with the governors wishes even If CALI
ed together, and 1t Is a foregone con-
cluslon that the amendment would be
overwhelmingly defeated If submitted.
The day may come when the states
may enter the field of railroad con-
struction and operation, but the people
of Idaho are not likely to become pio-
neers in this field of activity, Tney
would leave nothing undone to induce
private capital to build the road, but
they win draw the line at authorizing
the state to issue bonds for the pur-
pose.
II is well to recall the experience OF
other states in the matter of railroad
building, and in this connection the
Caldwell Tribune says;
Captain E. G. Davis expresses him
self as Of the opinion that the people
of Idaho viii not amend the constitu-
ton as to enable the state to build a
north and south railroad We believe
that Captain Davis has rightly gagged
public sentiment, The people of Idaho
are fearful of the state engaging In the
railroad business, A north and south
railroad is highly desirable. 1t would
open up for proper exploration grea,
land and timber resources. It would
bring the two sections of Idaho closer
together The great objection to the
is that 1t would not pay
Taxes are already high They would
be higher Not only would the state
have 20 build the railroad, but it would
have to meet deficit every year. The
people Of Idaho are not ready to create
more taxes nor more avenues for
spending the public moneys,
There are people living in Idaho
who lived in Missouri, Nebraska ano
,ther central states when the era or
'ailroad building was on in those
states. In Missouri the state, the coun-
Y and even the city. issued bonds for |
he purpose of building railroads. Some |
# these bonds have not been paid to |
his day, In other instances bonds |
we're authorized and sold but never a
nile Of railroad built. In one Instance
n Nebraska a railroad built into a
own and ran a train in for the purpose
t tearing up the track. The whole
istery of railroad building in those
tates is one of fraud, graft and need
ass expense.
suppose that in Idaho the state is i
to build a north and south Il
lilroad. The first thing that win oc-
ur win be fight over the location of {
he railroad Every town will expect a
he railroad to come its way. Each T
,wn would offer inducements even TO 4
utting up the entire cost of the extra y
iileage. The railroad win zigzag all n
YER creation or else disappoint dozen,. II
towns. Favoritism, and graft will a
: charged and very likely praetised. h
oney win be squandered right and n
#. An era of wild speculation will ;,
How in the wake of the enterprise. "a
This state already has on hand a n
" irrigation projects that It tried to a
lpervise 1t had better show that 1t "
n successfully finance and supervise
two hundred thousand irrigation pro- =
ct before 1t undertakes the construc- Sc
on q ten million dollar railroad" "