The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-24

property of natural persons We have pro
v'ded against the release of the obligation OF
the Illinois Central railroad to the State,
thereby securing to the State nearly halt
million dollars annually.
STATE, COUNTY ANDMUNIcIPAL INDEBTEDNESS.
We have prohibited the State from con
tracing Indebtedness beyond $2oo,oVVo'
without submitting the law to the peopie
We have forbidden the General Assent Oily
from loaniug the credit of the State ana
making appropriations from tn treasury III /
aid OF Internal improvements; anu rom
paving or assuming the debts or lisoiii'ies
of auy public or other eorporatoo, associa
non or Individual. We have prohibited
countv authorities from ever assessing taxes,
the aggregate of which shall exceed - cents
Der 500 valuation, except for the payment
OF Indebtedness existing at the adoption OF
this Constitution, unless authorized by
vote of the people of the county. We nav
forbidden cities, counties, Ana az -;
corporations from creating or
creasing their Indebtedness *,
cent. on the value of taxable properly "'hin
I'd reouired that at the time OF
:;r,, s,cb indie b,edness an annual tax
Ill ha Ievied sufficient to pay the interest
:. !, falls due and 10 discharge the princi
psI within twenty years. For want OF such
= provision in our State Counstiiution, our
counties, towns and cities have contracted
liabilities of over $50, 600 900. We have
submitted separate Article prohibiting oil
municipal subscription to rsilroad stock.
FEES AND SALARIES
Under the present Constitution 1t was
/ md fpnn 10 IN
the three departments of government with
out evadIng It's provisions. The compensa-
IIon allowed the Governor, State officers,
Judges and members of the General
Assem- bly,, was wholly insufficient IN times
when the prices of all the necessaries of life
were increased, and the currency inflated
| BY general and special laws the fees OF
clerks aud inferior officers afforded them
much greater income than the salaries OF
Governor and Judges, aud IN the popuious
counties, and In Chicago, those fees afforded
compensation beyond ali reasonable bounds.
We have inaugurated a system By which ali
perqulsites of Judges and State officers vii!
be prohibited. We have limited mem bera
Of The General Assembly to $50 each per
session, In addition to their per diem aud
mileage, in full for postage, stationery
STAMPS. newspapers, sud all other incidental
perquIsites. hese perquisites amounted,
AT Inc last session of the General Assem- bly,
To over SOL 900, which WAS about S5u0 70
each memb Der.
We have provided that the fees and sal
aries Of all officers under the Constitution
shall not be increased or diminished during
their terms and that, with few exceptions
such fees and salaries shall De fixed before
lhcir terms commence. We have abolished
al! special laSs in reistlon to tees, and put
IL force the general law IN such cases; quo
we have required the next General Assem-
biz, bv general uniform Law, TO provide and
regulate fees OF al persons holding county
F.; Offices and their successors, so to reduce
the same TO a reasonable compensation, IL
not exceeding three grades IL the dlteren
counties: and al laws fixing the fees o
State, county and township officers. shal
terminate with the terms Of those In oihc,
. at the meeting of the Erst General As
= sembiy.
We have provided that STATE and count,
: officers shall be paid reasonable salaries GU
OF the fees collected by them and that III,
surplus be paid INTO the State CT Count,
: Treasury Thus fees and salaries ia,
: hereafter be regulated by the condition o
country; aad we have allowed all oiiicer
= now IL Office 10 serve ont their terms.
AMENpNENrs TO THE CONSTITUTION.
: To save all controversy In a future Con
vention. to amend the Constitution. Vi
F. have liked the qualification of its mer bers
D., tn oath of office they shall take: the man
F ter OF filling vacancies, and provided
! that amendment proposed by such Conven
? ton. before they tese effect, shall be rati-
r fed by the electors of the State. As
= means OF avoiding the necessity and ex
peLse OF such a Convention. We have provi-
ded that two thirds of each ho.se of TIT
General Assembly may submit, amendment,
to any one Article of the Constitution /; anC
If ratified By the people al the preceding
general election. such amendments shal
, constitute part Of the Constitution
Such are some of the prominent amend
neu,s We propose. They are the result O
/ mach labor. reelection and discussion, ans
W. are confident that interest and i0clina
alton viii induce you 70 give them that earn
ct, careful! and candid consideration the
deserve, and that Eou viii render such De
cision as will promote your own well bein!
= and the future prosperity Of the powerful
uatriotic and progressive State Of Illinois
x Ana it viii afford us sincere pleasure in al
:, ter years 20 find that our efforts have, i
: some measure, contributed to such desii
= able contamination.
: WI UNDERWOOD. Chairman
"a .. Fl. BROWNING. L. 5. CHURCH,
=, l. W Ross. j. ". ENGLISH,
=, JosEPB MEpILL. wv. J ALLEN,
:. WM. C. GoopHUE, S. 5. HAYS.
y WILLIAM CARY, Csc. Z. WAIT,
j G. ALLEN, II. Hay.
. Il. P. Ii. BRoMwEII., JESSIE :. HILpRUF
i EDWARD Y. RICE.