The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-05-31

Total for SIX years. ..,....,.....,.stt "t"o %
The instrument due in December last has
not yet been paid the company yet claim
ing. we believe, that the state, and not the
general government, is indebted to them TOR
military transportation Owing to this dis
pute their June instalmeut OF last year was
not paid till February last, when it was un.
dorstood that the company had paid up III
full but it appears that they still reserve
their December instalment AS offset for mill
tary service
However this point may be settled is not
important to the question which the people
have to decide i'll the acceptance or uon-sc
Ccptance uf the new constitution. BY the Of
fetal figures we quote above, it will be seen
that the public revenue derived from the Cen
trail road now reaches nearly $50, 900 per an
num-an amount sufficient to pay the whole
ordinary expenses Of the state government
economically administered. BY the new con
stitut.on tins large annual fund Is placed be.
yond the reach OF corrupt legislation. 1t is
made secure for the purpose, Of the original
agreement aud the proof that such constl-
tutional provision is necessary, is the fact that
at every session of the legislature the compa-
ny is at the capital by its agents, with insid
uous and skllful drawn amendments to their
charter, intended to vitiate their obligations
to the state. 1t is biennial crusade upon
the integrity of the peoples representatives,
and in more instances than one the company
hus well nigh succeeded in breaking over the
line marked out by their charter These fire.
quent attempts TO escape their obligations
aroused the people to the danger of leaving
the subject open to doubtful, venal lcgsla-
ton, aud they sent up their voice through
their representatives in the recent convention,
to place the lject beyond the reach Of leg
islative jugglery. 1t has been done by the
clause engratted in the new constitution.
Their attorneys, agents and strikers, are busy
all over the state. They are pouring out their
money by thousands that constitutional pro
vision may not be made to stand between
their bribery and corrupt and corruptible men
who may hereafter be sent to the legislature
under the present constitution. The Cen
tral' is the head and front of the corporate
influence which is now in the field agains, the
great and salutary reforms which the new
constitution proposes.
The annual revenue derived from the Cen.
trail road as we have shown, now amounts to
near SlSOOOU-eycn in the present disordercd
state Of the country, with the southern por.
ton of the road rendered almost non -paviny.
on the return OF peace, and the resumption
OF trade and business in It's natural channels.
that annual revenue will reach S25OOOO. and
will continue TO increase. Can the people of
Illinois be so as blind not to see the immense
Importance to themselves of securing this splen
did annual revenue, and consequent relief
from taxation. This one clause of itself, all
other points being equal should induce the
people to support the new constitution. This
large revenue can only be rendered entirely
safe by constitutional provision; and as GER
tain as man is coruptlble, if it is not adopted,
the immense money power of this great Cen
trail" corporation sooner or later, will succeed
in wrestling from the people their rights in
the revenue Of that road
The Central railroad, therefore, is in the
field against the new constitution. We have
shown why. Will the people arouse to the i'm.
portance OF the issue and save to themselves an
immense fund, which hereafter will 60 far to
relieve them Of all burden, in the shape of
taxation, for the ordinary expenses Of the
state government
Let then, bear in mind that the stake is re.
any quarter Of Il mt}it0H unauaiig-to be
retained by themselves protected by the con
sutuu"nal safe guards, or ultimately, through
bribery and corruption, to he wrested from
them ard annually but in the pockets Of the
great " Illinois Central " corporation,-Sats
Register.