Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-02-02

Legislation, which serves to take up not far from
that OF purely local character, and which, if
necessary TO be done at all, should be left to the
regulation of the localities interested and not made
a source of expense TO the people at large
We are fully convinced that if every member of
our Legislature were to act upon the principle, IN
regard to the public expenditures, that every honest
and prudent man adopts in the transaction of his
own affairs, ard were the Legislature, as body to
confhe itself strictly to discharge Gifts legitimate
duties, that there would not be dollar of expen-
dure where there is three now; and that their
ions instead of being from three to four months
long, need not be over that many weeks in dura
ton. The expenses OF legislation should be rihing,
while in fact they are the heaviest state burden
imposed upon our tax payers. The people
have these things right if they will
In the matter of county expenditures, there is
also great occasion for the introduction of economy
and reform We will not pretend to say in what
particulars. But the most important matter that
suggests itself to mind is reform In our legal
system, such will materially lessen the amount
oflitigation-lor probably considerably one
half if not two thirds of our county expenses are
/ for Judicial proceedings and courts. We don't
mean to say that Judicial proceedings and courts
not nee assary, but we do mean 10 say that,
der proper system oflaws, such we have fire.
qucn.y advocated the adoption of the legal business
in our several judicial districts might be de.
/ 81 Spdi in raft of at lpast cpnt with
corresponding decrease in expense, to say nothing
of the moral benefits that would accrue from the
reform. We think it is safe to say, in regard to
county matters, as we remarked in reference to
legislative, that under proper system of law, and
with the exercise of strict fidelity and economy,
on the part of county officers, one dollar of ex>
pendiure would answer where three are now re-
quired.
As to the tax for town and village purposes, we
have but single remark to make and that is, we
think it would be exceedingly hard to point out
public benefits deri, cd to an extent any thing like
correspondent with the amount of money levied
and collected. We may be mistaken, but our pri-
vate opinion is that by far too g.eat proportion
ofthe money is used for purposes which might
very advantageously be dispensed WITH so far as
the public interest is concerned.
1t is not only in state, county, and town affairs,
alone, that ieform is needed More than all. it is
wanted in our national affairs. The direct taxes
| paid for the support of local governments,
heavy as they may be, are light in comparison
with those paid indirectly for the support Of the
general government; and the wastefrlness and
want of fidelity on the part of local agents is
small in comparison with what the history of Con-
gressional legislation exhibits and what is exhib-
tied in various other departments of the national
government.
Why the sum that members of Congress have
absolutely fichcd from the public treasury in the
shape of extra mileage, and in appropriations to
themselves OF whole Libraries of books at the pub
lie expense, during the past ten fifteen years, has
unquestionably been sufficient in amount TO have
/ improved and kept in repair every harbor, worth
improving, on whole unprotected Lake Mich-
gan coast. And here the people of Southport
have been delrauded to the exact amount of all
they have paid Tor their harbor improvement,
to say nothing of the injury which has resulted to
them ana the country from the want ofsuch an i'm
proyement. And the Congressional stcalings are
small in comparison with the sums annually wast>
ed on political partizans in sinecure official sta
tions, and for the support of worse than useless
Gin the main) army and navy Could the people
be made to these things as they really are, we
apprehend it would not be long before TIE hand of
I
thorough and sweeping work--a work which ere
this would have been done but for the subtle devi
ces which are resorted to to take money from the
pockets of the people without their feeling it.
Let the people go to work and rid themselves OF
toafer laws and oaler lar makers, and sinecure Of
hcers, and useless expenditures Of all kinds in every
department of the government, and let them nsti>
tute system of equal and just direct taxation. so
that every man will know what he pays into the
national treasury, and thereby be induced to watch
closely the representative, and hold him to strict
account for his conducts and it would be found that
the amount required for the support of govern.
ment is very triling, and the amount of tax neces
sary but nominal. And in such state of affairs
such things as heavy national debts useless national
wars ,and national disgrace would never occur while
the general public prosperity would be enhanced
beyond computation.
There is no State of the Union so favorably sit
uated as Wisconsin. Her constitution provides for
an economical government-her resources are
great, and her wealth is growing with every year
She has the means OF raising an immense school
fund, and of establishing thorough and general
system of education, without burdenirg her peo
pie. She has no State debt and the amount of leo
slation that will be required. after her code of laws
whith should be simple and briefs once established.
will be quite small So tat the expense of her State
and local governments, in respect to all legitimate
purposes and objects, need bear but a small pro-
portion TO wha. they do, and her citizens en-
Joy state of almost entire freedom from taxation.
SoLDTERs IN TUE MEXICAN WAR-The editor
of the n. \. Tribune has complied from oficia!
sources, statement fthe number of Soldiers who
entered the I. ). Army from January 1st 1916, TO
InIV ,1Dth 1913 and ,Db;cb ~ moro