The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-02-23
OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY IS 1919

the bondhOlder> Tor whom they act, can i'm
pose hciS discretion a. law for the state uu
this subject, then they may Indulge an ex-
haVaganee of expenditure which will rem
der return OF the canal to the state forever
hopeless. IT FIVE thousand GullafS per an
mum, and expenses, is an understandable sa-
iary Tor trustee who devOtcs lat small
portion Of his time 10 the interest, Of the
work, and yet 1t may he charged TO the
STATE, she having 40 right to resist il, then.
on The same principle, one hundred thousand
dollars may be extTavagauily expended
each year, and the state must approve il in
silence; aud In this manner might be built
mp IN our midst monopoly, which, III few
years, would rival in power the state itself
ms Is doctrine which your committee
canuUtarprovc. Onthr contrary, they CON
tend that the state viii have the pow or to
COMB faithful account Of the manner in
with the trust spoken of has been execut.
ed. 1t will then be her province. sufficient
having brenrcceivcd from the canal and its
property, deducting reasonable srpcnSes, to
meet the objec of the grant, To ask return
OF the canal according 10 the spirit Of the
contract. When that time shall! arrive, the
voice ct Illinois will not 90 UNDECIDED. It's
true, the law gives a majority Of the board
power TO act aud decide in all cases; but
this can only apply to the proper business Of
the board, as controlled and limited Nv the
law and the objects Of the grant. II is also
true that this power reduces the office Of
state trustee TO mere nominal place, OK
crpt as the separate dniies Of that Office are
concerned, thus leaving the two trustees
who are chosen by the foreign bondholdcs
to exercise absolute control over all DEPART.
mcrts and branches Of the system This
control Is exercised by their own voices du.
ring the short periods Of their visits 10 the
state, and during the remainder ofthe time
through the well salaIied subOrdiuates who
swarm the line. Your committee do not de-
sire TO he understood as Cen>urng persons
whOrecelve salaries when rendered 10 them.
but as condemniuga system because il is
wearing upon the resources Of the stale.
They are rejecting ON no one individual,
but desire IL 10 be understood by those in
present power over the canal, that Illinois
claims voice in lis management, and that
when the proper time arrives. full ac-
Acknowledgement other rights will be demand
ed with the whole moral force Of the state.
And 1t may be proper here to say that. in
'he opinion ot your committee, il is but
justice TO ask for great rcueuchment in
nearly all branches Of the canal service.
both as TO number Of officers and amount Of
salaries; and ioaSSert that the state will feel
1t her duty to allow for expenses Oh the ca
nal SINCE the grant. whether for salaries.
contingencies or otherwise, no more than
shall be reasonable and Just. 1t is but rea
sonabie to presume snch will be the deter
minatlon Of the state; and if so, strict jus
tee being observed. that determination
viii in the end prevail
In view OF AL the facts, and ofthe impor-
tance OF an annual reduction oimany thou
sand dollars in The canal expenses. aud
believing that the state trustee is under the
control Of the state authority in all respects.
your committee would recommend q rcduc-
ton Of his pay 10 an annual salary Of not
exceeding fifteen hundred dollars. Thi, is
the pay of the governor Of the state. and i,
believed TO be ample compensation for the
services necessary TO be performed by the
trustee.
This expression Of opinion. in regard 10
the postum Of the state and the views en-
'crtaincd as TO her rights, is due to the peu-
pie Of the state, who are the one party in
interest; il Is due 10 the officers ON The canal,
and TO the bondholderS, whose interests ma,
hereafter be affected II understood tina,
the salaries Of the foreign trustees were fixed
10y the foreign bondhcllcrs. through THEN
Boston committee; and surely no blame eau
attach 10 them. as men, for accepting q
compensation offered them by their employ.
erS hn, when large and unnecessary cx.
pendiureS are taken from a fund III which
the state has direct interest. il becomes
her duty. in case sudrlicate as the present
one. to declare the principles by which she
will he governed. There can then be nc
complaint rreaiter in regard to herpo>ition
And though Yer voice NAV now be di>rc.
carded. the time will surely come when
respectful consideration will be given il.
The second branch of the subject referred
TO the committee, aIlude> to the expenses Of
the arpraiScmcut If the canal lands, under
the 18th section Of the act of December 81.
1912. From the reports cf the trustees fol
1871 and lSfS. tie amount Of this cxpcns,
is accurately asccr'ancd, and is as follows
viz: