Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-03-03
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ILLINois--Corre,poaden ofthe Boston Courier.
Atros Feb tth 1870


ALros, Feb. slh. 1870.
Our extra session" Of the Legislature, con-
yencd by Gov Carlin, TO adopt measures in
relation 10 our system Of internal improve
menis, has just closed. Long as the people
OF Illinois have been accustomed TO rash and
injudioioss legislation, most Of our citizens
were unpreparcd ior some OF the acts passed
at the late session. You are aware that sew
cral millions have been loaned, principally in
Europe, and expended upon our public works,
embracing more than thirteen hundred miles
OF railroad. BY law of the State, every one
of the numerous roads authorised to be con-
structed, was commenced at each end and at
the same time. The consequence is, that al
though an immense sum has been expended
upon these works, and considerable progress
has been made from each extremity of all the
different, roads, but one. and of tina, a short
distance has been completed. Several, how
ever, are so far advanced that a comparatively
small sum would complete them. Yet, in the
face of all this the legislature has repealed the
entire Act authorising the construction Of
these works, and thus thrown away the mill
ions already expended upon them.
Much as we have boosted, within the last
few years of the enterprise of our young and
flourlshing State, we have now very little
cause for self-gratulaton. All that remains
OF our splendid scheme of internal improve
menis. is the host of unfinished roads. Should
these works ever he resumed. long before that
/ period the labor already bestowed upon them
will besrendercd useless. But this is not all
| We nave State debt left upon our shoulders
| of more than eleven millions of dollars prn-
cipally TO English capitalists. Do YOU inquire
what are the means of this State for the pay
ment OF the interest on these loans, ! will
| tell you. Tdrdiion, and the dividends of the
stock owned by the State in our State Bank.
! The avails from the latter source can do but
little towards meeting this heavy demand mp
on our Treasury, and as it regards the reven
nc derived from taxes, it is sufficient to remark
that they have every ysar fallen short OF meet
ing the ordinary expenses of the state. For a
long series OF years, even when no public
works were in progress, the expenditure OF
the state annually fell short of the revenue
Our Legislators, unwilling to risk their popular
| ity 10y laying tax coequal with the demands
upon the Treasury, year after year resorted to
a loan. In this way, our school fund amount
ing 10 nearly $S0O,OOO has all been "Jorro,c.
ed" and may safely add, lost, irrecoverably
lost. Ii is quite true that it is regarded as a
loan to the State, but every cent of it has been
expended, and there are no means of obtain
up the interest on tins fund but by taxing the
people to that amount.
The citizens of Illinois are placed on pre-
cisely the same condition in relation to the
support ofpubic schools, as they would have
been, had the United States never granted
them fund for that hallowed object Though
we have the name of fund, yet we have nc
means of obtaining the interest or principal o
it except by paying it out of our own pockets.
i hope and trust that the finances of no 9th
or state in the Union have been so wretchedl,
managed as ours.
Illinois, with natural resources of almos
unlimited extent, is yet too young and too
sparcely populated, not to feel most sensibl,
the weight of our public debt. The very mel
who were loudest in favor of our loans il
England, were clamarous against the old u
S. bank, because few millions of stock wa!
owned in Europe.
Such is the consistency Of a certain clas
OF politicians. ARlSTlDES.