The Van Buren press., 1874-11-17
taxes were levied and were enforced by

/ cent on every species Oh property, DOlu
animate and inanimate, on high assess
ments, soon bore their legitimate fruits.
From 1865 until 1874 it is supposed fully
one half Of the lands belonging to private
owners passed under the tax gatherer' S
hammer. At the close Of the rebellion
the fine cotton and grain lands of the
state attracted attention, and they sold at
prices not inferior to any which they had
at any time borne but these prices were
soon eGaced by the application of a
| theory that it was a burthen to own them.
Farmers preferred to rent rather than to
own lands, and this situation brought
about all the evils Of absentceism. The
tenant regarding only the interests of an
annual holding. suffered the improve
ments to 90 to decay, and hence the an
nual profits of the land continually de.
creased In bad year the tenant could
not pay his rents, and the landlord could
not meet his taxes. While a good many
abandoned the state in order to avoid
these growing evils, a still greater loss
was sustained by sudden check to i'm
migration. Blessed with q mild and gen
ial climate, and great diversity of un-
occupied lands, it might have been eX-
pec,ed that the wealth and prosperity of
the state would be increased by an in
crease of inhabitatons Between 1850
and 1861, the fatal dawn of civil war the
population of the state notwithstanding
the depressing influence of slavery, had
been doubled in number. Since 1868 the
population has not increased, and 1t is
probable the wealth OF the people has dl
rninished The pioneer looked aghast at
the advantages of country which snem
ed to be only susceptible of conversion
into public spoil,
The actual resources of the state were mad
cquatc to meet the demands which were made
upon them High taxes failed to keep pace
with eXhorbtant expenditures. Oillce-hold-
ers, beginning with no estates of their own,
and disclaiming any enduring connection
with the soil. intoxicated with opportunities
for making money suddenly opened to them
indulging the moet excessive visions OF
wealth aggregated themselves into railroad
companies representing lines marked in haste
on the surface of n map, the endowment OF
which became the chief occupation OF gov
ernment. SO great was their precipitation
in opening up this new Eldorado, that law,
hastily drawn was submitted to the people
at what purported to be popular election, at
a time when the law had not gone into effect
forFthe purpose of the submission. Bonds
were issued, pledging the state credit, with
lavish prodigality not unworthy the airy
schemes they pretended to promote. Ihey
formed basis for the beginning of opera
tions on several roads. which led in their turn
to still wider prodigality. until the projects
succumbed beneath the weight Of unbound-
ed dishonesty and peculation; but not until
the original recipients of these bonds had
"placed" them wherever, in the civilized
world, dupe could be found. In the mean
time, the Cairo and Fulton railroad, travers-
inc the entre state, was successfully Dulit
without the aid of any gratuity on the part
of the state, and there is every reason To be-
lieve that the issuing of millions of dollars IN
railroad bonds has been only an obstruction
in the construction of railroads within our
borders. While the state was being thus de-
spoiled, the annual revenues were continual-
lv falling farther and farther behind the an
nual expenditures. and the county any munl-
cipal Governments, to which every facility
was afforded for issuing bonds and getting in
debt, were following rapidly in the same
downward road salaries and perqulsltes
were increased until short term Of ollice I'M
piled for the possessor the retiring with for
tune or the enjoyment OF Il season OF great
and supcrfuous resources. Bonds and scrip,
state, county and municipal. supplied the
olace of money. and the first success in real
izing something near par value ON these is
sues opened new prospects OF i"eXhauslloiS
wealth; but when prices presently declined,
enormous taxation only brought back enor-
nous quantities of paper. until the govern
mcnt seemed destined to perish of want in
the midst of this false abundance. The inta-
. Of issups had mitipltpU the Dlru.
ems OF taxation; but, in the meantime, evil
principles of government had struck fatal
| blow at all values and the new impulse need
ed to revive them were not at hand The very
mention of the rates of taxation were sutli-
| cient to prevent capital from flowing into the
state. Those who held office were desireouS
of keeping up such state OF affairs at nome
and such impressions abroad as would enable
them, in case of any failure of their plans
! for perpetuating their power by pretended
| elections in which electors might be pro-
scribcd without responsibility, or counties oi
| townships thrown out and not counted, as oc-
| casion might require, to make an appeal te
| the federal government for the retention OF
some kind of protectorate over the peopl'
OF the state, on the assumed ground that they
J were not fit for self government. hoping to bt
favored in result which they had success
| ul produced. by still being continued in of
| flee, both state and federal. which they mo-
| nopoli2ed and. therefore, they kept up sys'
| TEN of detraction of the people OF the state
masking their work oil public plumber oy pre-
tensions that there was a hostility among th'
people toward the federal governments TO-
ward northern immigrants ana toward TN,
lately liberated slaves. unfounded libels whici
| have damaged the state To the extent OF NIL
| lions of dollars; particularly by keeping
| from the state the honest and industrious clas
ses of the north, who were desireous OF set
tling in the state, who by reason OF strength
and a fair representation OF matters abroau
would have secured to us an earlier return t
the principles of government,
Representations thus made OF supposed
hostility of the whites toward the blacks were
! intended also for home use, and Tor poiitica
effect among the colorcd people. But one
the most favorable indications of the future
lies in the fact that years of malignant eilor'
have failed to produced any real alienation
between them. The proportion OF Whius U
blacks Is about three to one. No white league
or similar associations, based on hostile teei
ing growing out of color, eNlsling IN lhi
state. Our statute book already contains
law conceding to the eolored race all the pr'i
ljpes which have ever been claimed for then
i'm congress or elsewhere. The different race
| do not occupy hostile camps, regarding eaci
with mutual fear and jealousy, as Is sometme
supposed by those who know nothing OF th'
country. They live under the same roof
they cultivate the same fields; by the pre-
| vailing system Of agriculture they geheruiI.
have a common interest in the crops, and dis
putes between them very rare, mutual oe
pcndence naturally producing mutual conces
sion. The new constitution does not coutem
plate that whites and blacks shall be appeal
ed to a different sense. but that both shall b
recognized as equal citizens, pursuing incl
happiness with equal protection ana eq"'