The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-03-08

The complaints which are daily made by
the people of Illinois, and especially by the
people of this county and city, of a taxation
SO heavy that 1t threatens ruin to their bust
ness, is a sufficient argument against appro-
priations not Immediately necessary, altho'
the objects for which they may be made may
become of utility and importance some years
hence. However prosperous may be the fin
ancial condition of any state at this time, it
is to be remembered that the Indebtedness of
the general government is the indebtedness
of the several states composing the Union.
1t is mortgage npons the property of allthe
citizens of all the states, and its conditions
are such that there can be no failure in the
payment of the interest Or principal without
a sale and forfeiture of so much of the pro-
perry as may be necessary to make up the
sum due from the delinquent. citizen. The
state of Illinois is now owing as her proper
ton of the national debt about s a sc, 600, 0O0.
Estimating that our existing tariff and tax
laws will yield an annual revenue of $780,
100000, and that Illinois pays one-eighteenth
part of this amount, she is taxed yearly for
federal purposes $27,777,000. When we
come to add to this sum the various state,
county and town taxes, and the taxes impos-
ed for city purposes, we have grand aggre-
gate which will make those who are the most
sanguine and doing the most prosperous bus.
| mess. conclude, if they will fairly look at the
figures, that they have load to carry which
will make them tired before they will be per.
mitted to lay it down.
Any calculation of the resources of the
| state and its capacity to appropriate moneys
| which does not include the obligations of the
state for its proportion of the federal indebt.
l<.lv Al e
legations cannot be evaded, or our people re-
lieved from paying yearly in cash-directly
| through the internal tax laws, and indirectly
through a ariff-which robs them ofstviee
the amount ainuring 70 the treasury from its
exactions-the heavy drafts made upon them
by the general government worthless and
an insult to the intelligence of the people to
whom it is presented.
When, therefore, it is urged in extenuation
OF lavish and unnecessary expenditures by
the state government that the state is not
heavily in debt, and is rich and prosperous,
and can afford to be liberal in its appropria-
tons, the plea is plainly and unqualifedly
false. If It were true in every particular, It
would not in any degree Justify such wilful
waste of the peoples money as characterized
the action of the legislature on the state
house bill but as it is false in every parti.
cnlar, this fact takes from the apologists and
advocates of the bill the rotten and only
plank upon which they stood in presenting
the schemeto the people. A state with no
greater resources than Illinois, and subject
to the liabilities we have here Get forth, and
compelled also to meet the expenses of her
own local government, is in no condition to
commence OUTLAWS to be continued until they
reach millions of dollars fora work which Is
now unnecessary, and win be for years to
II new state-house were now aetuallv
neeoeo, the open dishonesty manifest in the
bill would not be covered up by that fact ~
The legislature sold the state-hou.a -,
grounds on which it stands for $500. ooo ano
They are worth $500, 900. Decatur :
more desirable locality for the capital tban
Springfield, because of its beauty Of Locations.
its central position, and the ease by which L