River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-01-23

his condition Of things there seems TO be
neither justification nor excuse. The contin-
rance Of an enlightened policy toward the
prisoners. looking to the protection Of society
.ather than 10 a malicious punishment Of the
guilty, will not tend TO retard that reform in
his direction which 10 now SO lmperatiyely
demanded
TEMPERANCE LAW.
Our government was wisely instituted for
the protection Of society, and ls not an apprO-
pirate instTumentaliiy for the dissemination
OF religious doctrine or for the definition and
enforcement Of private morality. Our state
constitution clearly recognizes personal lib
etty az amoncthe inherent rights Of man, and
the obligations imposed upon us in this re.
pard characterize all free government
wherever instituted. Tho precise line OF d.
vision between the freedom Of the individual
and the rights 81 society may sometimes DO
difficult Of definition. But the general &C.
striclions upon the exercise OK legislative
power in thus direction. are not tho less posi-.
tive and obligatory The natural inclination
Of an classes Of people Is 20 invoke the power
Of the Government rs romCdy for all evils,
real Or imaginary, and the greatest danger
lies in the dire elton ot too liberal concessions
to these demands There Is, IN fact, no ag-
crccation Of popular evils more TO be Gppre-
hended than a government loaded with a
superabundancc Of arbitrary powers, and bur
doned with the self.lmposed responsibility Of
rirhtIug all the wrongs Of which society cCm-
plains. Inordmate expenditure and taxation,
popular discomfort aud dlTespect Of all the
Obligations oi law, are the natural and direct
fruits Of these arbitrary interirences with
the social habits, private enterprises cr relig'
ious beliefs OF the people.
some Of the provisions OF the existing tenn.
oerance law manliestly conflict with these
views, and are believed So be inefficient for
the accomplishment OF the laudable purposes
contemplated. Think as We may and say what
we viii upou the abstract question Of temper
anca Legislation, there * little doubt that a
OF the people of the State are opposed
to The present form OF the sO.called " Graham
Law |, therefore, recommend such a modl-
tcation OF existing legislation on this subject
as shall dispense with these obnoxious pro-
visions, without m any degree impalrng the
appropriate power OF the State 10 regulate
aud restrain the tratho IN Intoxicating liquors,
or to punish otenses against society origlnat-
ing in this cause.
BANKS AND BANKING.
Some legislation is desirable tor the better
protection for deposits IN banks both corpo.
rate and private. The general banking law
Of this state was framed mainly with refer
ence 10 securing notes of circulation which
have been taxed out OF existence by federal
legislation. While these moneyed institutions
are now organized for an entirely different
purpose, the statutes relating 10 them have
undergone no thorough revision. The depos.
tor IN state bank has no adequate security
against loss his faith IN the integrity and ca.
paclty o. MS officers is really nIs only guaran.
lee.
The capital stock OF such CORPORATION ma,
be swallowed up in reckless speculation. is
Iunds may b. stolen aud squandered by those
who are placed to guard them. and its credit
1rs have no sure means Of learning its true
condition until 1t has failed aud its books are
10 the hands OF an assignee. The regular re.
ports Of interested officials Il not sufficient
Of the soundness of a banking ia.
sttutioD, nor Is fictitious stock Il III oper
foundation for public credit. The people
should be protected from all such lrresponsi.
BILE institutions by the positive and whole
some rostraints Of statutory enactments.
| would therefore recommend that the Gen.
eral Banking laws he so amended as to in
crease the liability OF stock holders and that
all persons doing banking business in the
State, whether corporate or private, except
organized under acts of Con
gress. be placed uudei the supervision Of
State authority, aud some system OF inspec-
ton adopted by which the public may be
accurately informed as TO the amount of cash
the character of the securities.
Such a statement of the affairs of a bank,
by competent ard Trustworthy officer OF the
State, supplementing the regular semi -annual
report no required, would afford all the pro-
lection against fraud aud mismanagement
hat the people can reasonably ask at your
hands
CHEAP TRANSFORMATION BY WATER.
The relation of our State to national CON-
merce is peculiar. More than three-hfths of
the Wisconsin boundary is washed by navi.
gable wat rs, conceded to be under the special
care OF the federal government. Our princi.
pal interior streams aIe also navigabe, divid.
ing their bounty between the Gulf Of Mexico
aud the Atlantic Ocean, on a line nearly equl-
distant between Lake Michigan and the Mis-.
sissippi river.
eoncede that the moneys paid into the
Federal Treasury belong 30 the people of the
whole Union, aud We cannot Tightfullv claim
the Intervention Of the Federal Government
for any strictly local objects. But ss TO the
duty OF the general government 10 improve
natural channels OF commerce. clearly per-
tanning 20 the general welfare and necessary
10 Interstate com nCrcc there can be no rea.
sonabla ground for doubt. More than fifty
wears ago, President Monroe commended 10
Congress ;he prupriety q. Improving the navl-
cation az western rivers between their higl-
st na' gable puints, iol the purpose OF facll.
atlng intercourse between the Atlantic and
he Western puutry.' The government has
hitherto me7t Signally failed 20 fulfil the
measure Of lts obligations ~ this particular.
congress has made large aud uniform COnces-
l0ns Do special Industries tO-tcrCd hv Eastern
'apltaI. lud those ludp-tflCa have boon largely
sustained hy indirect taxation upon Western
1u.r AND tine products OF oar fertile soil
quJty, as well rs the discharge Of q clear
9n tliutionol dntN requires a different
''matt and appuriionmgnt of federal obllga.
lions ~ future. ip tho end that the blus inrs
y government % oar agricultural and COM
nurulal population NAV tier accord Wits iis
'o.t II IS lmpaetlCabie m this place totx-
'loro or ,pluin all tue mystcries of taxation
lpon western labor ana prole-uors put the
irtctoud indirect contributions Wisconsin
% the federal treasury are believed to tqui
'lx on eight millions Of dollars per auuum, in
idui,Ion Co taxes indirectly imposed tor the
81 special Industries. constituting
~ part of the national revenue. II is obvious
hat for the most ot THIS taxation we are
unlikely To derive any adequate return, eX
: enlarged hy an increase OF those facilities
4 transportation unw demanded by the gtu-
raj interests ut hu,h eastern and western
radt and commerce
! congratulate Won upuu what has been M.
eady achieved m these particulars, having Is
iircet relation 20 the prosperity of our own
people. punng the wear ending Cn tho 3oth
II juno last. the total sum ot sl42Isl.56 waa
Xpcudtd nv the federal government for the
ut harbor- 10 Nyuomuca, Green
Bay, Shchoygau, Por, Warrington. Mlwau.
Zee. Racine. and kgnushl A considerable
nm has also becu expended 3u these harbots