Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-11-13
WATERFOWL City Bonds - Hints a
Anti-Rent Times.

The following article, with the above cap
ton, which we copy from the Milwaukee,
| Nescs of the 9th inst, contains very fair an
| candid review OF the difficulties we are
laboring under through our bonded indebted
| ness, and gives trae statement of the status
of the two contend;ng parties at the re cent
election in this Assembly district
We copy into another column. the pro
ceedings Of meeting of the WATERFOWL
| Union League-an organization OF certain
property holders in that city to resist the
enforcement of the bond judgments As we
understand it, certain bond holders have
procured judgments against the city for
the amount due on their bonds, and have
exhausted their remedies by law against
The city government. The law officers
can find no city government when they
appear which they can force to make an
assessment to pay the judgments. Failing
to collect their judgments by legal process,
suits have been. instituted against private
property holders, and if judgment is rem
dered in their favor, execution will issue
against the private property of the people
of the city. This principle is yet to be
tried in this State. If private property can
be seized and sold to satisfy judgments
against a city government, the people Of
that city will be stripped oftheir possessions
and made homeless. This is not an ex-
aggeration. The present assessed value of
the taxable property in the city of Water
town is $l,25O,O 900. The total amount of
the Judgment and bonded debt against the
city, with interests and costs, is $3.50 900.
Sold by the Sheriff, and knocked down on
The courthouse steps, the total property of
the city would not pay the debt.
The city has, for several years, while fight
ing lawsuits, and while eluding inj unctions
and mandamus writs by the resignation of
quorums in the city council, attempted to
compromise the debt by an agreement to
pay so cents on the dollar of the face Of the
bonds. Laws have been enacted by the
legislature to facilitate this settlement and
isolated bondholders have accepted small
sums in that way. But the main body
the bondhoders still stand for their money
or for the pound of flesh, as nominated in
the bond. They say
81 have sworn
Te have the due and forfeit Of my bond
Ifyou deny it. let the danger light
Upon your charter, and your city's freedom"
Watertown city is very largely democrat
ic in politics. But for three years past the
people have elected the leading Republican
lawyer and politician in the city-the Hon.
Daniel Hall, to represent them in the legis-
lature. He has procured the passage Of some
laws to protect property holders under the
settlement proposed by the city but these
laws are liable to be swept away by the
ind oft he Init cd
year, Mr. D. w. Ballou was the democratic
candidate for the Assembly, and understood
to be friend of the proposed settlement.
This brings US to the report of the proceed
ings of a meeting of the League which we
publish. Mr.. Devy, the author of the ad-
dress contained in the proceedings, was
made the cand idate of the League for mem
Der of Assembly, against Mr.. Ballou, and
was elected. He was undoubtedly elected
by the vote of the small property holders
and the people whose homes are imperiled
by the pending litigation against the city.
The animated sentiments of his address
doubtless reflect the state of the popular
feeling in that city. Ex-Speaker Hall, a
man who measures his words, said on the
floor of the Assembly, at the last session,
that, unless a settlement WAS reached, and
ludI IL al dItcLu pI us " pay
ment of these bonds by Wrestling their hom es
and property from the people of Watertown
bloodshed would be the result. Mr.. Devy,
recently elected as their represe nta tives in
the legislature, does not indicate that t here
will be violent resistance to the law officers
but that the people will leave pile of ashes
where the city STOOD to be sold on execu-
ton.
This is extreme language. But we assure
our readers and the people that it is no more
violent than the measures which the emer-
gency has suggested. We regard the prob
lem as one of the most difficult that has
been presented for the solution of our peo-
pie. These people must not be, cannot be,
stripped of their property and their homes.
Nor do 1e know how compromise can be
enforced. The election of Mr.. Devy we re-
gard as very significant event, involving
an attempt at new and more radical legisla-
ton on this subject We shall watch the
progress of events with close attention, re-
garding the settlement of the question in
which interests so vast and so dear to q
large body of the people are concerned,
as the most important issue that is likely to
confront the courts. the legislature, and the
public at large in this state, for some time
to come.