Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-06-28

organized in this Territory, will follow the exam
ole. The successful introduction of the manufac-
iurc OF sugar from this article, would be productive
of lncalcueble benefit to the Territory.
We noice an article in the last Chca 90 Ameri-
can complaining of injustice, which is said to have
been done to the State of Illinois, by representa-
tons made abroad by citizens of the Territory
"To our great astonishment' (says the Chicag 90
Amercan) "we learn that some of the Wisconsin
merchants, WHEN abroad, represent that the taxes
OF this State are higher than those of Wisconsin,
and speaA OF them being so much higher, that
thousands Of cmigrants from the east are deferred
from settling in this State, who otherwise would do
So Whether the charge that the merchants of
this Territory have acted unfairly in this thing, be
well founded or not, we are not prepared to say;
we have never before heard that any improper in
fuence has been used But the comparative DIFF
ference between taxes in Illinois and taxes in Wis
consin, is the question which the American avows
its intention to place at issue. On this point the
editor remarks, that "not the slightest doubt can
exist that the people of Wisconsin pay heavier tax
cs than the people Of illinois,
1t is possible that in some of the counties in this
territory, taxes may have been higher for few
years past than in the State of Illinois, but that en-
lgrants have any prospect of being subjected to less
taxation in Illinois than in Wisconsin, appears to
US absurd. We would only advise emgrants of
the actual condition of things in Illinois and Wis
consn, and leave them to Judge for themselves,
where taxation is likely to fall with the greatest
weight. In the first place if we mistake not the
State debt of Illinois is about sixteen millen of dol
lars. Ii is true the people of the State have not
yet been taxed, to pay the interest or any portion
of the principle of this debt; it is also true that the
State has property which may at some future time
be made available, to pay some part Of this debt
But nevertheless the whole debt stands charged
against the State and it must either be repudated
paid later; that reputation will be re-
sorted to- we do not believe-the State has too
high sense of honor to adopt such an alternative.
That there is any reasonable probability that the
State debt of Illinois will be paid during the lives
of the present generation, but few will be found 10
assert that the debt will eventually be paid we fully
believe, because the State will maintain its charac-
ter for honesty.
On the other hand, what is the condition of Wis
consin! il has Territorial debt; nor do we be-
cvc there is any disposition on the part o. the peo
pie, to assume any liabilities either in Territorial
or State capacity, for years to come, for objects of
internal Improvements, banking, &c. The expcn-
SEES of the Legislative department of the Territory.
are now borne by the general government, as are
also the expenses of the district courts The only
purposes for which the people of the Territory incur
taxation are for county and town expenses That
there have been improvident, and in some cases
eXtrava gent expenditures in some of the counties,
and consequently exhorbitant taxes levied, cannot
be denied. But that these instances of exhorbitant
taxation, originated from matter of necessity, in
the existing state of things is not true. The Chi
caGo American says that Land Agent who has
had experience in taxation, Is about to prepare a
comparative table, which will illustrate the differ
ence between Illinois and Wisconsin taxes. 1t l.
true that comparative table CHI be so arranged,
by selecting particular counties in the Territory,
would show much to their disadvantage, com =
pared with portions of Illinois. For instance the
taxes IN this county, compared with those of the
adjoining county of Lake, in Illinois, show taxa
ton to be much higher here than in that county
AT the same time 1t should be kept in view, that
taxes in Racine county the past year, We're two
hundred per cent higher than in of the other
tie uniformity in the rate per cent. OF taxation in
the different counties of the Territory-the bur-
den of taxation has depended altogether upon the
manner, in which the several counties have man.
aged their affairs.
We hope that when the Chica 90 American pub
fishes the comparative table alluded to, that the ed
itor will at the same time do the citizens of the
Territory the justice TO state, for what objects the
people of Wisconsin are taxed, and also for what
objects the people of the state are taxed that
qurers abroad may have correct premises to
Judge from, whether more taxes are absolutely re-
CURED to carry on the operations of government,
north of the state line than south of it.
We are by no means disposed to piedudice the
public mind abroad, or in any way deter emigration
to the state Of Illinois, all desire is that if the
comparative merits of Illinois and Wisconsin are TO
be publicly discussed, that it may be done with a
view o. enlightening rather than holding up the
one to the predjudibe of the other. We do not
mention the state debt of Illinois, as thing which
ought to be regarded by emigrants, insupera-
BILE objection towards settling in that state; but
there is SUI h an intimate connection between state
finances and taxation, that the matter under con-
sideration, cannot be unos rstood without refer
ence to it. Emigrants who deslgs TO come among
us, not much concerned to 1eaf.1 the past
history of our taxation to know of future p,oba-
bilties In the matter
In the mean time it may be we'll to remark on
this subject for the benefit of people abroad, that
the eastern counties of Wisconsin have now adop-
ted a system of town and county government, very
similar in almost every respect, to that which now
exists in the state of New-York. The counties
which have adopted this system are sanguine in
the belief, that taxes will be materially essened by