The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-06-04
special Legislaiion.

Whether the complexion Of the com.
ing Constitutional Convention be Repub
lican or Democratic, it is important that
the people know the position Of the can.
ddates. on other subjects than slavery
II is not enough to rescue Kansas from
the grasp of the slave-p power she must
be freed from the clutches Of greedy CAPT
talists and unscrnpulous politicians,
whose trade is intrigue and corruption for
the furtherance Of their avarice or amLi-
ton. The National Government lives,
moves, and has its being in CORFU tioQ:
and the State Governments are not far
behind it in this respect. Government
officials, and those with whom they divide
their spoils, fatten on the hard earnings
Of the people. Under the plea os the
Advancement of the public good. they
advocate measures which look plausible,
but in reality ara concoctcd solely for
Sinister purposes.
It may be benefit, in the end, for the
State to build canals, but the history of
other States proves them to have been
sources of profit to contractors and mana
gers, and an engine of political intrigue,
entailiug on the State pecuniaFy loss, in
addition to the cost of construction. The
Ohio and Indiana canals illustrate this
point.
Bat the favorite form which capital
takes for lis own advancement, is special
legislation, the gran; Of monopolies and
charters. Ofcourse, the project is heralded
as matter of great public-bencfit, abso-
lntely necessary to tho development of
the country, bu; its designers weave in
such provisions as enable them to crush
enterprise in the same direction by Others,
and to coin wealth rapidly. t. secure
tho passage o. such acts, they buy votes
in the Legislature, corrupting members
by giving them direct interest in the
scheme, or by resortius to the consequent
of special legislltion-the Infamous sys-
tenn of log-roiiing. 5. comes to the
Legislature with no motive but to serve
the State, and bring forward measure Of
public interest. But he finds the min
ions Of this embryo monopoly have con-
gY,irel IN Iafa,t H., ,,nl.,, L.. Ill -.
for their measure lie is driven to sell
himself, aud finds that the charter for
which his vote has been Cast, is a cut
throat scheme, forced through the forms
of legislation in such haste that none
but those fully in the secret could gain
an intelligent idea of its provisions. As
Cause of gross frauds on the people,
special legislation should be prohibited
by constitutional enactment. Ifmeu wish
to associate together for banking, rail.
roads, manufacturing, educational OF
other purposes, let them organize under
general laws, which will bear equally
upon all who wish to compete witt
them. Where special Hesitation is per.
mitted, large share of the session %
the Legislature is taken up by it, increas-
ing tho expenses of government, and Great
ing largo additional cost in the publ.
cation Of the laws.
In regard to private enterprise, the rule
holds good, that the supply will cqua
the demand. Ii any section Of country
furnishes a finc opening for milling, o.
manufacturing, capital will Tow to thai
point and be invested for such purposes
Ii there are not sufficient inducemen..
Tor the influx of capital, it is useless for
the people to tax themselves by til,
grant of peculiar privileges TO few per
sons for tho benefit of those only. TIL,
construction of canals and railroad
should be governed by the same princi
pies. It is useless to have q mushroom
growth of railroads, under the preteuc,
of developing the resources of the coun
try, which, in few years, rate ia the stoci
marketat from to 20 10 40 cents on the dol
lar, and are forced to make loans to nee
their running expenses. The capitals
will pocket the bonus given him by tn,
United States in lands, which nearly O.
qnite covers the cost Of construction, vii
swallow up the stock Of the small stock
holders, impose high freight and passen
ger tariffs, and then suffer the road to g
under as soon as it ceases TO be profitable
1t is better AMI safer to delay such pnbli,
Improvements till the business OF tn,
country will justify their construction.
Tho candidates who are 10 be votet
for in June, should DO questioned as t,
their position on special legislation.
they have been known as the agents o
monopolies heretofore, engaged in log
rolling legislation, give them wild
berth. They may pirate eloquently 0
the principles of the Declaration Of In
dependence, Of. their eternal hostility t
slavery, Of their sacrifices for the free
dom of Kansas or. on the, other hard
stand forth as the champions of the ere
served rights OF the people," and sim
peans of praise in honor of popular sove
reisnty-ihey are not to be lrusted. Tn
real contest is between graspipg capits
on one hand, and hard handed labor o.
the other--a contest which involves tn
future prosperity Of the industrial classe
Of this embryo State, and Of the Stat
itself.
or The Consultation gives the cost {
tho Utah Expedition, 10 Tho end of tn
e.c,v,d <,..,-..- al tFosc =. - 100 ZOO a.