Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-01-01
Voting Railroad Aid--The Principle
Examined and Condemned.

In an eultOflal III the HERALD
lately, also in lengthy article from
Hon. w. w Field, see the princi-
Pile of taxation to aid in the construc-
ton of Railroads in Grant Co. ad-
vocated with some earnestness.-
You invited discussion. accept it
but ask your attention to my logic
rather than my sincerity, hoping
thereby to escape your peculiar
views in regard 70 common justice "
and the :" common welfare" Allow
me not to reveal myself to your read
ers Us in discussion | detest alike the
prestige of a name and the chronic
preiudices its announcement might
awaken. Ny interests at issue in the
matter are those Of the citizen rath-
er than the proprietor, but the true
bearings Of the subject lead in both
these ~,Tections. In our system of
jurisprudence these two interests are
intended to be kept as distinct and
seperate as possible. Indeed, it is
the great distinguishing feature be-
tween free and despotio government.
In the former proprietorship or the
range of individual rights is liberal
giving the widest scope 10 individual
purpose consistent with the rights of
the citizen. In despotic governments
the individual is swallowed up in the
public and in the name Of the public
welfare, indy ldual welfare is neglect
ed if not oppressed. Now it matters
not what form public authority may
assume the best government is that
which secures the welfare OF the citi-
zen with the least possible constraint
to the individual. Our form Of pub
lie authority has been thought best
calculated to do this because the m
dividual is made an clement in the
sovereignty Of the government. But
this may be so or may not: it de-
ponds upon the people. Ifthey allow
the public authority to take an unwar-
ranted sweep Of control If they allow
the adjustments Of the public vel
fare to trench upon the privilege Of
securing individual welfare our form
of government becomes as emphati-
cally oppressive as if it bore the form
Of the most odious despotism. The
individual in such case is swallowed
mp in the grasp Of public power and
is as essentially u slave as if held q
chattel under bill Of sale. Such an
abuse Of public authority or such
perversion Of our form Of govern
ment may | suppose be reached in
different ways, but the most danger
Gus because the most enduring and
the one to which this subject leads
is the growing tendency to enlarge
the scope Of the elective franchise.
Now is not an enabling act author
ling the people to vote a tax in aid
of Railroads an unwarranted en-
largement Of the elective Franchise =?
Does it not violate the most cardinal
principles Of our Jurisprudence AL
government springs from necessity
and the range Of control in govern
ment should be only commensurate
with that necessity. Is Railroading
q necessity =? common roads and
bridges are actual necessities Court
Houses and JaiIs are actual necessi-
ties school houses and public schools
are actual necessities, because
our sovereigns must be intelligent
and virtuous in order to exercise,
without abusing the rights Of sover-
eignity. Now extend the elective
franchise one step beyond the actu-
al necessities of government-8uti'e
the consideration Of speculative ne
cessity or policy to be the subject Of
popular ballot and you suppress all
rights Of proprietorship and engulf
the individual in the majesty Of the
citizen. II my neighbor have The
right to vote me into Railroading
why not vote me into sugar or soap
making In fact why not vote me
into any Investment of means. If
the elective franchise be extended to
subjects of speculative enterprise
would it not really invade every
mans private purse and throw every
dollar and every element Of value
into common treasury. The words
mine and my 0lUa would become obso-
lete and tho citizen would have to
scramble and intrigue for 4 pittance
OF the public spoils wrung from him
as an individual. SO much Cor the
reasoning on the right thus 20 tax
under our present form Of govern
ment. You tell me probably that
the right the constitutional = att thus
to tax has been sustained By the high
est authority known to the state. In
answer | say that decision was made
under duress. The state was saddled
all over with obligations growing
out Of such enabling acts and to de-
eide such obligations void would
have been to plunge the people Of
state into reputation but some Of
the best lawyers Of the state held and
still hold that such acts are not only
unconstitutional but subversive Of
the best forms of public authority.
| will not touch upon the policy of
the matter until / find that / can
stools on it ina manly rag and acjh
greatness Of heart"
w. X. z.
Grant &C., Dec. %, 1866.