The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-02-16

ed, and ON the other, is calculated to stimu
late our people TO new efforts and highe
achievements. For the most part, | ma
say that in its important and we'll digeste,
statistics, in its judicions recommendation
and in its tone and character, your Messag
is worth of the Chief Magistrate Of Iowa.
1t is in no fault-6nding spirit, then, that
venture to criticise portion Of your Mes
sage, which, for more reasons than one, de
mands a frank but respectful expression o
dissent from those who think a. do on tn,
subject. Having no other personal interes
in the matter than such rs all good citizens
ought to have in the welfare OF our state ant
the polity by which her interests will be sue.
cessfully promoted, feel fully justified il
calling your attention and that Of others te
one of the topics on which you have treatsd
The following passages have been the sub.
ject of much comment in private circles and
among intelligent man, but not, so far as
have noticed, Of newspaper animadversion
COUNTY INDEBTEDNESS.
''The constitution wisely provides that the
state shall not in any manner create o debt
exceeding 100000. The trainers Of that
instrument did not imagine that there was
as great necessity to prohibit the counties
from creating large public debts, for the
reason that the history of the country did
not then present the case of county be.
coming large stakeholder in private corpo-
rations.
Within the past few years, however, so
great has been the anxiety to procure the
construction Of works Of internal improve
ments, that many counties and cities in this
state have adopted the very doubtful policy
OF creating large municipal debts for the pur-
pose OF becoming stockholders in railroads,
and other private corporations. The amount
of municipal indebtedness already voted by
millions Of dollars.
Without stopping to inquire into the
authority under which the loans have here
tofore been voted, it seems to me that
prudence and sound policy require that
some check be imposed upon the future ex
ercise Of this power to create public indebt-
edness.
1t is true that many investments made BY
counties and cities may result probably to
the stockholders but il is equally true, that
many will prove disastrous, ~ some have al
ready done.
Municipal corporations are designed for
local and limited purposes, and il is per-
version Of their organization when they are
embarked in internal Improvement beyond
their jurisdiction. Nor 10 that an equitable
principle which allows the people of one por-
ti0n Of Q county to fasten an indebtedness
upon a remote portion Of the county, for
other than legitimate county purposes
Equally unjust is it TO allow the property Of
one man to be heavily burdened by taxation,
imposed by the vote Of another man, who il
without property, without household, and
who sustains none of the burdens Of goverp-
men,. There 10 manifest proprety in al
lowing every man the right of suffrage, IN
der ordinary circumstances. 1t is proper
that every man should have the privilege to
join in the selection OF his own Law makers,
and his own executioners, but there 10 not
the same propriety in allowing to every man
the privilege Of creating an indebtedness for
others to pay.
II occurs to me that too many checks and
safeguards cannot be thrown around this
power, If such power exists at all, Of Great
ing municipal Indebtedness for purposes of
improvements. 1t is a dangerous
power and liable to the grossest abuse.
II is quite true that there has been, within
the past few years, = great anxiety to pro-
cure the construction Of works Of internal
improvement, and that many counties and
cities in the state have, in their corporate
subscribed to the stock of such
works. This course on their part you con-
denim, and invoke legislative interference to
prohibit it; for although you speak Of
'cheeks and safeguards" your argument is
directed against any aud every municipal
! description to works Of internal improve
nent You condemn them all, ia oil circum-
stances. This is the import and the fair
Interpretation OF your argument, and this,
everybody else understands, as do, to be
FOUR moaning, though timidly expressed.
This anxiety for the construction Of i'm.
proyemsnts is by no means surprising. II
prevails throughout the country, and in the
countries Of Europe i'm many
sections where such works are more costly
and less necessary than here. The great in
lux OF population the rapid opening Of new
snd fertile lands to tillage; the vast increase
OF the industrial products Of the State, set
forth in your message: these serve to ex-
plain the demand FOR facilities OF transit and
travel which are now sought to be construct
ed by the people VI Iowa. The effect Of emi-
grafton and internal improvement is recipro-
cal - each promote the other. 1t has been
the prospect Of the completion Of such works
ia different parts Of the state which has
stimulated no small portion OF the emgra-
ton that has swelled our present number to
GOO 900, and that promises to give US one
million Of people in 1860. Aud every bush
ell OF grain and every head Of stock BY which
our annual production is augmented, every
woodmsn's axe brought into tho state, makes
more urgent the necessity for completing, -
soon as possible, the avenue BY which the
produce may reach his market.
This is no, all. The ekigraton to Iowa
is largely from the older states Of the north.
west--Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. Railroads in
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