The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-02-10
rHE RAILROAD QUESTION ALREADY DIS
81 POSEn OF.

tt seems to us that the persons who are
irving to get debt of $50, 900 saddled upon
this town might as we'll save their wind, on
that questson, and go to work for individual
subscriptions, for the question has already
been decided, as far as this town is concern
ed. We have procured, from Senator Web
ster, copy Of the railroad charter, and pub
lish, for the information of the people, the
section which authorizes towns to vote on the
question as follows:
10. ANY township under township organi-
2ation, on or near the line of the saio ran"ay,
NAV also subscribe to the cspitai s.ocs ot saia
company. in any sum not exceeding htty thou
I si,ors. bnt mn sueb subscription shall be
ae until the question has been submitted to the
isI oters Of the town in which the subscription
"a 9nronosed 10 he made and the clerk of each of
IA towns is hereby required, upon the presenta-
t;on of petition, signed by at least ten citizens,
who are legal voters and tax payers Of the town
shin for which he is clerk, in which petition the
amount proposed to be subscribed shall be stated,
to post notices in at least three ofthe most pub
lie places in said town, which notices shall be
posted not less than ten days before the day of
holding such election, notifying the legal voters OF
said township TO meet at the usual places of vo-
ting in said township. for the purpose Of voting
for or against such subscription which election
shall be held and conducted in the manner provi-
ded by law for the election of town officers.
Now, the question is this: The clerk
having complied with the law, and the
people having decided the matter, has the
minority the right to another trial? Is there
no limit to the affair? Ought minority to
be permitted to annoy and harrass the peo-
pie by continual trials !? Suppose the peo-
pie had voted for subscription, the minority
might then petition the clerk to call another
election to try and vote against subscription.
And if the majority should then be against
subscription, the minority might still petition
for another trial. And ifrepeated trials can
be had, there is nothing to hinder ten men
from petitioning to-day, and ten more to-mor-
row, and so on through every day in the
year, and having an election every day.
"But," says one of the poor heirs clique,
'they have had repeated trials in some towns
in Henry and Peoria" Well, what if they
have? That don't decide anything. Be.
cause some fool OF town clerk did not know
any better than to call second elections, that
does not settle the matter. There ought to be
an end to the question sometime, and we
claim that, the clerk having complied with
the law, is not required to call any more
| elections on the subject; and that he should
be enjoined from doing so, if he undertake.
it; and that a subscription would be Illegal
if voted under such circumstances and tina
no court, if appealed to on the subject
would either order the clerk to call anothel
election, or order the township officers to issn,
the bonds. If an election is regarded as
conclusive, when the people vote for sub,criI
ton. it certainly should also be regarded a
conclusive when they vote against subscriE
tion--and we believe the courts will so de
eide. At any rate, if we were town clerk
and had complied with the law, and the pee
pie had had an opportunity to vote on tn
question once, and had decided the matter
we should call no more elections on tn
question, unless required to do so by tn
| court