, 1869-03-03

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has during that twenty years all the
taxea collected In said counties for Sta'e
purposes, under assessment upon the
lards, shope, and other property Of rail-
reads, shall be held In &6e State Treasury
to pay The railroad debt OF said county.
The assumption Of shc exlsttng debu
Of the seyersl counties by the State, aud
of<ach debts Il they mAy hereafter Gre
sic for railroad purposes: is one of tha
most fAgrant abu.es Of power that ha,
ever been attempted. The ssste Of Illi.
noia Is prohibited by the constitution
from creating debt exceeding $4,000,
without submitting the law creating such
debt, and The act I'M poalng q tax
for the payment OF the same to
vote Of the people for ap-
proval or rejection. There ts-a large
number OF counties Of this State which
haro hastily or deliberately subscribed !
f1om $5o,ooo to 100000 % aid In The
construction Of railroads to, within,
through or near said counttes. The In
terest on these subscriptions has to be
paid semt'annually, and the principal
will Boon become due. Other counties |
want railroads, and to get them must
subscribe in the ssme way. The existing !
railroad debts are not less, perhaps, than
$4,000, 600, aid the passage Of this bill |
will swell them to $lo,0oo,oo0 In
less than one year. The Legislature,
which Is prohibited creating Stale
debt exceeding $4,000 without vote Of
the people, assumes the power 10 make !
| this debt of 410,000,090 charge upon
The annual revenues OF the S.ata for
twenty yesrs, and divern from their le-
CLIMATE eId all the taxes collected with.
! in certain counties from certain class
OF property. The constitution prohibits
! the creahon Of debt exceeding fifty
thousand dollars, without vote ot the
people, but the Legislature tacks ten
millions on the batk Of the S.ate without
sfking any persons leaTeI Subject this
bill 10 the constitutional test; make it
! read an act appropriating ten millions
OF dollars 10 pay the principal and Inter.
est of AL debts contlactedsby counties to
build railroads" and submit 1t To vote
ct the people, and how near would 1t
come 10 an approvMs
The Constitution of Illinois expressly
l declares that the State credit shall not be
given In aid Of any privste person OF
corporation. Yet this bill pledges large
portion Of the Slate revenue tor twenty
Yeara to pay the debu due to railroad
corporations, or By them due to their
creditors.
4 Would any Of the seventeen Senators
vote to appropriate $3.50, 1000 out OF The
! State Treasury TO enable Craw-
! tc1d County to pay her bonds is-
: sued to build railroad. Yet
these seycnteen Senators hare voted In
+; directly that that much, OF mare, mouey
: shall be paid out Of the Treasury for tha,
: purpose, though the constitution prohtb
d it's the withdrawal Of any money frou
# the State Treasury exceptin consequence
. Of appropriations made by law, Thl
4 ACT, then, Is an appropriation of the pub.
l. lie revenue, assessed and collected TO
# State purposes, to pay the present an
u future debts Of certain counties. Til
l. people Of Cook County, who pay one
q, tenth Of the tsxea Of the State, were No
II consulted, and hsd no voice In contrac:
Of ing any Of these debts and why shou!
y they be taxed to psY them3 Why shout
,e railroad property In Cook County
h taxed 10 pay the legislative, executiy
y and judicial expenses Of one-thlrd Of tt
i, counties Of the State, and those couutit
Is have their railroad property e1emI
Is from tAxation except for local pui
ID poses! .
=. |
Is This bill IL IN violation OF every priD
It ciple Of justiee and equity. 1t Is
er scheme Of plundeE. Is passage is
70 specimen Of ~eak.kneed dem'gogtsn
II ThoEc who voted fer It know lis lnjas
Or 1ice, yet they dared not vote against
be II the debt Of this State Is to be treble
J. by adding to 1t all the Internal improve
n. ment bonds and mortgages issued !
the counties, The prospect OF = redu'
n, ticn cf State taxes becomes neceasari
&C more distant There must be revenu
In. II one-halt Of the State taxes are tran
me ferred to pay the debts Of the counu
the she deficiency must be supplied By
1ue increased levy, End In time the peoI
re- will understand how they have be
aud plunged Into debt.
ach Our present State debt Is abt
ard es,oo9,oq0. 1n '1 Hl.,; "a anu
1nlho1 oen'ial Aaau WI supply
"eAns pas .aa' lo1k peoA0
~. aNe. DIV @As aes'eSa-a1e
.e1 aoosd 10 thas ceos eontr
us 81 tt.ouusooo .1of new e@te leu
f4'oou'Voo tof ne" ieullenusly,snuu
'lta comes ibis Iaalfoad deb', which will
pom be one penny less than 10,0o0,oo0.
me debt to which the Safe will be p1edf
D. II II the legislation dow pending becol
uGo lAW, Wall not be less than $4,000,
30 in addition TO the remainder ot