Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-02-22


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AUSTIN. H1NN.-
THURSDAY MoRx1Na, FEN. y, 1872.
.Oenssis1eae1al Amendments.
There are three bills before the Sem
ste, proposing as many amendments to
the Constitution, all Of which We think
should pass and become parts Of the 81.
preme law Of the land.
One proposes to 90 amend a. tn al.
low the State to increase it's indcbt.
edness to the extent of $3.50, 900,
for the purpose Of suitably completing
" charging its charitable and cor
receive institutions. The ms no
Asylum must 10 gre"tly enlarged
II not entirely finished in a very
short time; the demands uron it.,
being SO great as to render this unavoid
stle. Something more is needed to
put the institution ut Faribault in such
condition rs its present wants demand,
while ut least 100000 must be used
in the enlargement Of the State Prison.
The interests cannot be neglected. The
State must take care Of them but it
cannot do SO. with the treasury in its
present condition, for it carries but lit
tie more Money than is required to keep
the machinery Of government in motion.
Our sources Of revenue at present are
but few and are yielding only little.
They will soon increase both in mum.
Der aud capacity sufficient to justify
any necessary present increase Of the
public debt. Should the people vote
loan for the purposes named, enough
will be derived from available resources
to meet all the other wants of the
State until we shall have fully develop
ed our revenue producing capacity !;
and when that time comes, we shall be
abundantly able to discharge all indebt-
cdness incurred when we were young
and comparatively feeble. No doubt
is entertained Of the passage Of this
bill, nor Of its meeting the approval Of
a fair majority, at least, Of the people
Of the State.
The second proposition is that BY
which the Internal Improvement Lands,
nor their proceeds, can be disposed Of
with out first submitting the question Of
their disposal to popular vote. This
measure commends itself to the good
sense Of the people, and accords with the
we'll established conditions Of successful
business enterprise. No doubt is enter
tanned upon the question Of its ratiaca'
tions, should it ever be submitted.
The third amendment offered limits
the amount Of local aid or bonuses
which may be voted by municipalities
or other corporations in favor Of rail-
road construction. The experience OF
this and other States sufficiently estab'
fishes the necessity Of constitutional
prohibition. A few years ago it was
the practice Of railroad companies to
obtain farm mortgages upon land ada
cent to their lines Of road as a means
Of extending their credit. These mort.
cages we're Immediately hypothecated
iu eastern markets, and the cash thus
obtained was pocketed BY stockholders,
i,some cases without completing the
roads. to aid in building which the
mortgages were given. Hundreds Of
farmers in Wisconsin have had their
farms sold from under them to satisfy
these membranes secured only
through fraud and misrepresentation.
This business thus became too widely
advertised to be successfully pursued
in the same manner in an adjoining
State The bond system was early
adopted here, and although a greater
and more reprehensible swindlc than
that before alluded to, it is more sue.
cessful because it includes whole town.
ships aud cities, where before it involv.
ed but occasional citizens. Entire cum.
munities are quite as likely to become
insane upon financial specu'ations as
individuals are, and need quite as much
as they, the restraining influences Of
wholesome legislation. We shall be
glad to see each Of the proposed meus
ures submitted to. the voters OF thu
State for an expression, of the opinion:
Of eact. With the State institutions
complete-or nearly so-the improve
ment lands made the source Of reve
nue. that can be disposed Of only by tn
voice Of the people aud corporation
restricted in their aid to RAILROAD
schemes to five per cent. Ct their assess
cd valuation, We shall expect to witnes
the approach Of degree Of genera
prosperity heretofore unequalled, an
in our present circumstances, altogethe
unattainable.
Late News.
JAMES REMINGTON, conductor o
the Lake Shore Railroad, is missing.
AT Newark, n. j., on Sunday, q
unmarried mother cut the throat of be
new born babe.