Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-03-31
STATE COVER IN lent.

On Tuesday next The question Of FORM
ing State Government will be determined;
the people Of the territory will then decide
whether they are prepared TO govern them
selves and 10 n1hase their own affairs in
dependent Of supervisory power, or
whether they prefer TO remain in cond
ton Of colonial dependency. We know
not what objections may be entertained
against the formation Of state governmen
but one thing is certain, we have not seen
during the past year single objection ur-
ged in any Of the territorial papers, ner
have we from any source heard a reason
rendered for delaying the time, which
would bear investigation. AS it regards
the question of pecupiary loss and gain; Of
public utility. or Of political expedency,
ihcre seems 10 be bu; one side 10 The argu-
ment Let us briefly glance a, some Of the
considerations which bear upon the question
OF forming state government
4 HE PECUNIARY LOSS.
All that we shall lose in the matter of
dollars and cents, by a change from terri
torial to state government, is what we now
annually receive from the general govern
nent for our territorial expenses. The nv
crage amount per annum during the past
four years, which the territory has rece.
we'd for defraying legislative expenses, is a
little less than 81, 900; the annual amount
for salaries Of the executive and judicial
departments, about $2l, OO0-makng in
all $4,000. This embraces all that we
receive from the general government. And
it should be borne in mind that since 1912
the annual appropriations made by Con.
gress for the payment Of the legislative de-
partment have been every year diminish
ing, and we have every reason to believe
that Congress will continue to curlail our
appropriations in future, if we resolve to re-
main territory.
HE PECUNIARY GAIN.
Having enumerated all the benefits of
pecunlary character which we get as a ter
rltory, we will next consider the pecuniary
gain. Upon coming into the Union, we
shall be entitled agreeably to the compact
ofCongress with the new states, to fire per
cent of the nett proceeds Of the public lands
sold within the limits Of Wisconsin. Du
ring the year ending January 1916, the
sales OF the public lands in this territory
amounted 10 $55O,0O0; allowing the nett
proceeds TO have amounted TO $500, 900.
the amount to which Wisconsin would have
been entitled for the year lS45, had she been
a state, was S25, 900. Whether the sales
OF lands in the territory will continue TO be
as large hereafter our readers can Judge as
we'll welt is certain however, that not
many years can elapse before the sales
will be greatly diminished, and in proper
ton as they are diminished, will be the fall
ing oil OF the revenue 10 which we shall be
entitled from this source.
We are also entitled agreeable TO act of
Congress, TO 100000 acres of land upon
our admission into the Union-eotlal 10
$685. 900 in cash, reconing the land at ten
shllings per acre. This land will not be
subject TO taxation while it remains the prop.
erty OF the state; its annual increase in
value may therefore safely be estimated a,
five per cent-many think it might lie safely
put at ten pr ct. But assuming the lowest
estimate which we have ever heard made
by any one, Give per cent? the annual in.
crease value would be s b, $50. Now eve.
ny one knows that the opportunities for ma.
king good selections for the territory are
fast passing away-hence every years delay
will obligc the territory to take up with
lands of less value. Here then, fiom the
aforementioned two considerations, we have
$57,250, being an amount more than 500
600 greater than all that we now get from
the general government We do not pre-
tend TO strc, accuracy in our calculations.
but it there be any important error, we
should be lad TO have any one point i, out
10 us.
But there are other conside ra,ions of
pecunlary character, which cannot easily
be made subject of estimate. The lands
which have been granted to us by Congress
:" S"''ciS'g 'ui poses, cannot be CONTROL
ed for our benefit until we becoma state
a portion Of these lands which were selec-
ted number OF years ago, have already be-
come valuable, but the territory has no
power To make any permanent DISPOSAL of
ihe right ct sol-hence they are useless
property until we become a state. The s;v.
teenth section also of every surveyed town.
shlp,which Congress has granted for the sun
port Common Schools, is a matter of ur.,,
importance to the people. The territory has
no right TO dispose OF these lands until we
become state, aid any law of our legi.la.
iure can give but limited CONTROL over
them. Mlnv of the Scb,,I G..
lions arc now valuable, and if there was any
power IN The territory 10 make pc -manen,
disposition OF them, they might be rendered
OF great service for the purposes to which
they arc Intended.
WHAT WILL A STATS GOVERNMENT cosr,
The expense disappearing a state oov
ent cannot be definitely stated: The d;scr
ence is more than hundred Der cen, no
tween some of the states in the Union b,v.
ing The same numbers in population. Bu,
there is one important fact, worthy the at.
'eh"on OF every lax payer; in those states
where the expenses of government are Tho
least, The laws are more wholesome ,bo;r