Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1844-09-14

OUT OWN uoseIHol, &C. Dub nc grave queS'
lion is. whether those benefits will be just
and foil equivalent for tax Of one dollar on
every hundred dollars worth of property we
possess!
There is another point TO be considered.
The tax for State government must be levied
upon the assessments made in the several
counties, and il is we'll known that in most of
the western counties, including nearly half Of
the geographic limits Of the settled portion of
the Territory. and perhaps one third of the
wealth, persOnai property is not assessed. The
The personal property of farming COMMUNE
~ will probably average an amount equal to
their real estate. The consequence will be
then, that about two thirds Of the people must
pay thrice the amount of Taxes for State pur-
poses that The other third does. This might
be remedied by amending the law so as TO as.
sess personal property in all the Territory.
But thea i! becomes a grave question for the
people of Grant, Iowa. Dane, and other coun.
Ties, whether the advantages they will derive
from being in State, instead of Territory, will
repay them for having their assessment rolls
doubled in amount!
But if the people of these counties refuse to
have their assessments thus increased. with a
view to eqnalise the State tax. will the PEG.
pie in the other counties consent TO have double
their proportion of taxes, TO accommodate those
countesl The truth is, our Legislature but
half did its work in preparing TO become
State. The assessments of the Territory should
have been equalised. The true amount there
of should have been obtained. and the amount
requisite 10 be raised should have been ascer-
tanned as rear as practicable, SO that each man
might known what he would be compelled TO
pay for the privilege of becoming citizen Of
State.
l. is good policy for Legislators not to con-
tact debts. or adopt measures that necessarily
involve debt, till they know how that debt
is 10 he paid, and to devise means to do it.
4 Illinois, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and some
other States, found it an easy matter 10 pass
laws to make loans, but forgetting or neglect
ing to devise means to pay the interest. they
become bankrupt and disgraced; and shall we.
with these lights before US plunge into the same
vortex! Michigan went headlong into State
aud the consequence was that she was involved
in debt and disgrace. Shall we follow her
footsteps!
We have ther matters TO consider, That
Milwaukee and Rock River canal: extra Ses-
sions of the Legislature, and eXtravagant ap-
preparations of the Legislature have all invol-
we'd the Territory in debt. The exact SUN,
the Legislature itself could not ascertain, last
winter. and therefore passed law requiring
those who had claims to present them, SC.
But yet, enough was Dissolved to show that
The Territory is liable for sum not much, if
any, less than 100000, and what is START
ling truth in connection with this debt is, that
much off, is drawing ten per cent interest, and
of course WILL in ten years double Itself
This debt ough, TO be paid before we be-
come State. We can do it much better now,
while the General Government pays our Ter
ritoIial expenses, than when we have to pay
them ourselves.
Furthermore, there are other Incidental eX.
penses to be provided for. We need State
Prison; our county jails are filling up with
State prisoners, who are only bill of expense,
as they cannot be set TO work. If we had
State prison they could be made to pay their
own expenses. If we become State we must
build such prison ourselves. But as Ter
rtory the General Government is in honor and
duty bound to build one for us; and with proper
management on the part Of the Legislature, no
doubt Congress could be induced TO do so.
i All these things should be considered before
we vote 10 become State. And though the
expenses of State Government. may possibly
/ be reduced TO less sum than one per cent on
the assessment rolls, yet, 10 pay off the Terri
torial debt, pay the expenses of State prison.
ers now in the county jails and pay for build
ing State prison, &c. &C., will require more
than one per cent of a tax-probably two. And
I let every man consider, that when he votes to
become a State, he votes for this amount Of
taxes upon himself and neighbOrs. Let him
open his eyes and see what he is doing, and
no, take a leap in the dark. And let him for
Their consider thai all these taxes must be paid
in addition to our present county taxes: all
Of which put together will amount 10 tro and
a half or three per cent. lfthe people wish to