Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-11-24


Illinois State Deb.-The state de5, OF
Illinois assumes truly q formidable altitude,
and if the State succeeds in maintaining lis
credit in its present condition, it will de-
serve much praise for able fnanciering in
extrica,ing itself from its presen, pecunia-
rv embarrassment. The Governor has is
sued proclamation, converting the legsla-
lure fer the purpose Of devis;ng means, TO
meet the half yearly instalment OF interest
which falls due on the first day Of January
next The whole amount OF state liabii-
ties is $9,106, 2S2, the interest of which
becomes due semi-annually. The sum re-
quired % meet the instalmcnt on the first
January, will be about $3.50, 600; this sum
is wholly unpropiIed for, and unless the
legislature act promptly and efficiently, the
securities Of The State will be dshonoFed.
1t has been minated that the legislature.
may decline making any provisions 10 meet
the current demand, owing to the public
apathy and Indifference, which is felt 10
wards further prosecution Of The public
works, and growing hostility 10 Incur
further expenditures These limitations
we trust are wholly unfounJed, or al least
VIC cannot believe that the grea, body Of
the people, would for a moment consent 10
such an alternative. The honor and credit
Of the State should BE maintained Iet i, ccs
wha, it may.
Illinois DOUBTLESS Ike many other Of tie
States, has deeply involved its finances by
engaging in iaicraal improvements on too
extTa.agant scale. lis canal however,
seems to he better provided for, than any
other Of the projected internal improve
monts. The work will be one Of grc1t va
luc when completed, and will unquest.ona-
BIZ pay the interest on the ccst Of ccnstruc-
ton. Over 30. 600 acres Of land appro-
prated to the construction OF ihe Illinois
and Michigan canal, remain as yet unsold
these lands We are informed, include
some Of the most valuable in the State; and
by proper and judic.ous m nagcment, they
may be made TO contribute essentially TO
relieving the burdens Of the canal debt
The other public works Of tae State which
have been projected, and some Of them
commenced are bu. poorly provided for,
and if they are continued, will have to be
supplied with means vet unprovided by the
government.
A judicious system Of internal improve
menis-a system which does not transcend
the pecuniary ability Of the state, is IN
doubleday wise policy. We have no feel
ings in common with that class of indivi-
duals who repudiate all internal improve
ments which are created althe expense Of
government. If there has been leaning
towards extravaganza in many Of the
states, it does not disprove public works
judiciously provided for by the government.
Many Of the states owe their present OK
allied rank in the Union, to their well devil
sed internal improvements; patronized and
completed by the lberality Of government
The Erie canal OF New York, as a state
WI IN, uOL OlifJ LCllC(tS IIOAOI OH Tue
state, but has proved Il source Of incalcu-
liable prosperity to the people, and large
revenue to the government
Wisconsin will come into Tic Union en-
joying the benefits derived from the histo-
ry Of other states. With SO many exper-
iments Of state policy before US, both sue
ceSsful and unsuccessful, it were strange
indeed, if We did not profit by the lessons
Of the past We have no apprchensions |
that Wisconsin will ever devise public i'm |
provemen:s, calculated TO embarrass the e. |
nances Of the government, as states else
where have done. On the other hand we
should regard it equally an error, if the fu-
turo Legislators of Wisconsin in their fear
Of incurring expenditures, should aItogeth-
err refuse TO foster internal improvements
endleave these important matters TO ndivi- |
daal enterprise.