Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-01-20

This county-,oan business is a new system, and
when carried out, il dangerous one, 10 fraughi
with many owls and liable to abuses, inducements t,
fraud, corruption and deception.
A proposition was submitted to the voters If Mus
catine county last SPRING to issue bonds to the
oil $50 900 to certain company, to aid in the
struction of certain road This was thought to be
large amount, and lest some might think this poor
investment, your lending went to work, aided by
your journals, to eectioneer for tire lean-and how
did you do 1t! By every iRger that could be in
vented to secure votes for the Assurances
given that the read ud pay from 80 to 90 per cent
on the captat-that property In this county would be
eth noed in value from so to 100 per cent-and that
there would be difficulty in eashng the bonds. 1t
was proclaimed in your papers that you had found
sale for thirty or forty thousand dollars worth OF
bonds before the question was voted upon. These
bonds were to be taken by who were foremost in
the interest Of the road-caPtasts of your town
who were to bs benefited than any others in the
county, and who had taken little stock in the
road individually. Thos. gentlemen had money to
invest ny prva.c subscription in an enterprise that
would yield such enorm us dividends and enhance the
value Of their prop rty essentially, yet they had
funds enough buy the bonds of the county, drawing
only ten per cent. interest Had ysu been honest
and believed what you and your missionaries told the
godo people in order their votes for the loan
your capitalists would have invested their means at
once in the stock of the company. But they thought
1t safer and better inducement to induce the people
Of the county to take the stock and you buy their
bonds!
Again, in October last, similar proposition was
submitted, but for larger amount. WHAT was the
course then taken7 Why, knowing that a majority
of the votes of the county in and about Musca-
tine city, you appealed ~ the voters in honest
terms than you were wont to do the first occasion,
to-wit: "To save the town of Muscatine." Your
declaration was "vote for the loan, and make great
commercial city or against the loan and have
bus one-hsrse town.
Aad now you express 50 mu,h horror and aston
lehman that there 1uei in fho
get railroad facilities must build them themselves
look to some source other than Mus,atine) are uaw-
ling thus to be taxed merely to save the city.
Talk about opposition to railroads Are you in
favor Tor ever have becn of any road 10 the State
cept such as run to or from Muscatne city? You
look to no interests beyond tae limits Of your own
tswnyou not for the prosperity of tae people as
State-you care nothing for the interests Of your
your opposition to every thing else, beso fervent
and relentless. YOU have sent your ctiz to the
city OF Washington to defeat the passage of bill ap
propriatipg land to the State Of Iowa to aid in
structng railroads, lest son oth'r pertiers Of the
State might be benefited besides yourself, AID yet
with all your zeal for self, you cannot agree among
yourselves upon any system or plan of Improvement
or anything connected with it, except, to endeavor
build up your own fortunes at the expense Of the
people of the county-and your hearty abuse and de-
nun ,iAtion of those who think they have right to
speak Of these things.
Is it true, that the "M. jority make the laws7''
Who denies 1t But does it follow, that law is always
executed in accordance with the design Of the power
that frames and it? Is it true that your pee
pie are strict observers Of law and order? If you
suppose you have law auhorz, the issuing of bonds
and the collection of taxes for the payment of the
same with interest thereon it is reasonable suppose
there should be regular system for the transaction
and execution of sucd Is it true, that tt
taxes have been levied and demanded previous to
issuing the bondsf Is it true, that mass meeting
of the citizens of your town was held and resolved
demand of the officials to make out this railroad tax
and proceed to the collection forthwith-at least
twelve months before such tax could be used in the
way in which it was designed-for the purpose of
giving credit or character to the bonds to make them
selil Ii 90, where is your capital that laid up
last sping and rustngto beinvest1d in those bonds2
that could not wait the tardy process Of taking vote
on the question, but was literally subscribed for
county bonds, long before tho vote was TAKEN Is it
true, that you have proceeded legally in all your
neIverings2 If so, well and good. If OF. shall
sse what We shall SEQ. WAPSIE.