The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-01-27
Causing State gspnblifat1.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. JAN. "a. 1864


eented 70 the Legislature, q a. oPPN~'@ - -
the project OF making 5 general Ia" oy which
any town, county or city, may issue bonds for
the purpose of building a railroad. This was
introduced By a secondary message OF the Gov
ernor, bu. if the proposition be perfected into a
general law, according to his suggestion, it may
be Of more importance than any recommendations
Of the first message inasmuch as the bonds thus set
ahoat might be large in amount, be Issued ID all
parts of the State, and last through another
generation. A law Of this kind, very closely
guarded in our present circumstances, may be
productive of good yet, with the wisess restFic-
tions we fear that il may not DO without some
evils.
The proposition ia to let every town that
chooses TO issue bonds for this purpose, do 90.
There may be thousand towns in the State
and are there not, at least, a hundred OF these
who want railroad nor, and if one Can be built
Immediately, whose stock shall always be at
par, by merely issuing paper bonds, why should
| il not DO built? In the estimation Of the towns
people, their railroad will always be paying
one And if one town, which ia small, poor ana
out OF the way, is determined to have one, Why
should another town, larger, richer ard nearer
the centre of business, be behind in the enter
prssi We apprehend that this will be the
feeling every where (; and what is to be done:
The people want railroads, and will not wait
for capitalists to come to them, but will have
them noso {; and this seems the only possible way
Of building them Immediately.
The bill for this purpose, reported in the
House, was indefinitely postponed on Monday.
Il limi,s the amount of bonds to DO issued to
FIVE per cent. on the assessed valuation, except
in counties where there are not more than
ten miles of railroad, where il may be ten per
cent. The indebtedness nav be made By sub
seribing to the stock, leaning money to, or guar
anteeing the bonds of railroad company. The
rate of interest paid not to exceed seven per
cent, to be paid annually or semi annually. The
bonds are not to run longer than twenty years
and are not to be sold below a minimum price.
to be fixed by the party issuing them. The in
terest to be provided for by annual taxation in
each town, county or city; and no bonds shall
be delivered until, at least, $4,000 per mile shall
have been subscribed to the railroad stock
The stock TO be represented IL the railroad
company by the Supervisor, the Mayor of q
city, or the Chairman of the Board Of Supervis
ors, or by other persons appointed by the Town
Board, City Council, or Board of Supervisors
Other sections designate the manner in which
the people shall vote upon the making Of loans
and prescribe the mode OF keeping the assets
and monies.
These provisions appear to be judicious, and
yet We acknowledge we are somewhat fearful Of
the results Of this law, al a time when money Is
very plenty, and private extTavagance so large
ly prevails. The State once undertook to make
aud manage railroads, and what was the result /?
VIII towns be any wiser or more efficient than
the State? May not roads be commenced
which will remain forever unfinished? May not
others be built which will not pay the running
] expensess We concur with the Governor, that
Diiy~dge often IN these AFFAIRS, and the most Of
the people in great danger Of being deceirea "
The subject next in importance Is the pay
ment of bounty funds. They are scattered all
over the country, and have been used and raised
in varous ways. The proper way to adjust
them seemed to be that recommended by the
Governor-to place them all under the provis-
ons Of a general law, through which they could
be assessed upon the property Of the several To-
calities at once. In this way, the whole amount
however large or small, could be wiped ont in
year But we observe that several members
have been introducing bills to cover the case o.
their own localities only To meet in this way.
all the eases which would require legislation,
would be endless hence some general law will
still be indispensable.
As to the payment of the amounts out OF the
State Treasury, when adjusted the proposition
has some friends, but they are not d majority
oueh a course would increase our three million
payment to the next age; and annual tax
would be required TO pay the interest on the
bonds We are not yet Of the number. which
seems to be increasing Of late, who believe that
State debt is a State blessing, nor are we will
ling tie see il enlarged except in cases of sbso-
lutte necessity.
The question Of soldiers voting will, doubtless,
in the end, be decided in the affirmative. There
will be much talk about constitutional objections,
part of which Will come from men who are re-
ally scrupulous in the matter, and whose cOnsci-
entious action, whatever it be, Will entitle them
to the highest respect but others, We appre-
bend, will use the Constitution as a cloak TO
cover up their meanness, in trying for party and
selfish purposes, to strip their neighb0rs OF the
right of voting. Is it not surprising that any
man should have even the wish to deprive the
soldier of his vote Here is your next neigh
Dor who, at home, is every way as good man
as you. De goes to war, to fight for you and
your family, as well as his own and because he
thus goes, you are doing all you can to hinder
him from voting along with you, at the ne1s
election, for President or Governor Can any
thing more unneighborly, Or more contemplate
be imagineds 1t seems to Us il we we're sol
der, we would make our vote, as long as We
lived, as formidable as possible, to such speci-
men of human mesnness.
1t seems that the Special Joint Committee
propose that soldiers shall vote by proxy. The
soldier is to put his ballot into an envelope, and
send it by mail or otherwise, TO somebody At
home who shall deliver il, on election day, TO
the Inspector of Election. Such a mode Of vot-
ing strikes US as bungling, uncertain, liable to
various frauds, and giving rise TO another con-
stitutional question, in addition 10 the one al