The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-08
Progress of Illinois.

In 1913, Gov. Thomas Ford, in a message
to the Legislature, communicated the fact
that the credit of the State was in such an
unfortunate condition, that there was imini-
nent danger that the wheels of Government
would stop, for want Of money to pay ordi.
nary, everyday expenses. lie declared that
the Executive officers about the Capitol were
unable to sell Auditors warrants enough to
pay the charges incurred Ia the different de-
partmcnts, for postage
In 1917, as we are informed by Governor
Moore, the State Treasurer, there was not
received at the Treasurer 5 cllicc, nee dOiiars
IN m9ney, on account Of ordinary revenue.
The business Of the State, outside of certain
special taxes, payable alone in coin, was
wholly transacted by warrants, which were,
at that time, at a discount Of 40 to 30 per
cent These warrants, endorsed by the
Treasurer, supplied to certain extent the
place Of money, and in various localities,
passed from hand TO hand at their mark ct
value, with about the same readiness as a
deprecated but not wholly worthless bank
note. The bonds Of the Statc--about all
there was to show for her magnificent sys.
TEN Of internal Improvements though not
as low as in 1911, were but little better
than so much blank paper. At that time,
wheat, in the interior, was worth thirty
seven and-a-haf to fifty cents per bushcl :;
corn was dull at ten cents per bushcl; pork
I heavy at two dollars hundred; q good
horse could be had for forty to fifty dollars !;
and the COW that would sell for more than
ten dollars, was an animal to be Dragged on.
/ Public and private credit was at the lowest
/ cbb. load Of debt oppressed the mcr-
chants and a want Of the means Of getting
to a market, impoverished the farmers. Not
mile Of railroad was in running order, the
canal was unfinished, and the public high.
ways were almost as nature left them.
+ In 1850, when the two mills tax was first
collected, it was paid almost wholly in silver
coin. Bank paper was not taken, and Of
gold there was almost none. That tax, then
felt to be heavy aud hard to bear, amounted,
upon liberal assessment, only to SlG2, 900
"a drop in the bucket, compared to the
enormous debt to which IT was to be applied.
See what a change a few years have
wrought. There is now in the treasurer )
strong box at Springfield, between 800 900
and $500, 900 III gold. On the first Of Janu-
AIRY next, the proceeds OF the twomills tax,
imark how it has increased ) will wipe out
$3.50, 900 Of the State debt. TO the interest
Of that debt over 100000 will be applied on
that dhy, and there VIII yet remain enough
Of the 'yelow.boys' fer all the ordinary and
extraordinary expenses that the State will
be likely to incur The bonds Of Illinois
the accumulated bnck interest not being ad.
dcd-arc worth three per cent. premium.
Auditors warrants are worth their price in
coin. Public credit, lately so wholly pros
tratcd, is restored and the private credit OF
Illinois merchants and business men is Sc
cond to that of the citizens Of no Other
State. What, in the meantime, has been
done in internal improvements, carried on
by individual enterprise, until this is III,
rdtlrodh .State Of the Union how prices OF
agricultural produce have increased how
land has risen in value; how labor is re-
wardcd low wealth Is increasing in al
hands; how or cities have quadrupIcd their
population how villages are thriying-wc
need not tell. The story has been told be
forc-th 7rD.