The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-06-19
tICESSE AMI LlRERTY.

Racer.t events foreshadow a decline in the
bond voting business. The people OF Kan
sa-, or a. any rate the male adults Of Kansas,
are the greatest bond voters and the poor
eat bond holders in the world.
During the past ten years 1t has
been the custom of cities, townships and
counties TO subscribe to the capital stock oil
every corporation, company, or enterprise, "
asking for subsidies. Bonds to aid railroads,
bonds 10 establish manufactures,
bonds to build bridges and court houses,
bonds 10 start saw mills and Touring mills,
have been dealt ont with a recklessness I'M
uaralleled in the settlement Of the older
States. In sorle instances where the bonds
have ma.ured, the tax leyies to pay the
principal, and thus discharge the obligations,
have raised an outcry against eHtravagant
appropriation OF public money, and sug-
ges,ed, in very forcib!e manner, the ne
cessity of economy.
We all recognize now that we have been
too free with our bonds. In fact there IL
little too much freedom or license in this
country for the benefit OF the
honest, toiIing masses. his fact
has been wildly verified in the bond cleo
tons. Ii seems to us that the creation OF
public Indebtedness to aid in the construction
of railroads, bridges, etc, mans voice In
h, rat
his payment in taxation. We know that
scores of votes in favor OF bond propositions
have been purchased for dollar apiece. In
every instance, We presume the man who
sold his vote owned no property, ard conse'
quently had 10 interes; in the result Of III,
election. He was simply attracted TO the
polls by the music, or persuaded thither by
the "middie man." and was offered lltllt
spending money to vote for the bonds, and
accented it because he didn't care an lots
whether the election went one way or th'
other. To check this evil the voter owning
property, and being therefore an interested
party, should have some advantage over ths
disin,eres.ed individual. While it would be
contrary TO OH, convictions of liberty, end II
defiance of the first principles Of free govern
ment, to a,,emp; denial OF the right Of sui
frage to any man howsoever poor, hum
| bic or ob-cure he may be, We still think
would be no more than simple Justice t.
| give the permanent resident laborer, or th'
| man owning farm or hous'
| and lot two votes, IN al
| elections involving the direct taxation of hi
homestead, or his farm. This Safeguard
could be thrown around the Immediately in
terested parties without interfering with III
privileges of the non-property owner.
It's the worst form Of oppression tina
permits one man to vote burdens upon an
other, and the oppression is violation o
liberty and Justice when the one voting tn
burdens escapes all responsibility, and throw
the whole weight of it upon his neighbor
The suresi, the quickest and altogether tn
mos. sensible way to correct the evils result
ing from bond subscriptions, Is to adopt Tn
| cumulative system VI No'i"S q"
which have direct bearing upon the IN
crease of taxation. In the improvement an'
development of new counties, the ard O
public funds is often required, and ought t
he granted. A constitutional rror'-'' .-
venting the voting of COMFY =" .1onc
wonld retard prosperity and ~o.k hardship
to young communities. \ law that woui'
give the people who have 10 pay for Putli
improvements an opportunity to buy wha
they want, would a; once check the rockies
appropriation of funds. and insure health
full prosperity. The difference between Ii
cense and liberty is presented in the fore