Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-10-08
Municipal Debt.
Address by speaker Blaine Mt Oshkosh.
Wisconsin.

A"dress Uy speaker Blaine ut Oshkosh,
Wisconsin.
OSHKOSH. Oct speaker Blaine deliy-
cred an address before the Northern Wis
consin Agricultural Association. His
opening proposition was that public debts
was the outgrowth Of modern celebration.
and he proceeded 10 support it by histo-
ry of the rise and progress of the practice
OF national borrowing. After brief re-
view he passed to the particular theme of
this address which was "Municipal Debt
of the United States.'
In the outset the speaker said that our
form and framework of government gave
| extraordinary opportunities for the use of
the public credit. We have first the gen
erai government. which borrows on the
ialth OF the nation; next the state govern
ment. which borrows on the faith OF the
state, next the county, which borrows on
the faith of the county next the city or
town. which borrows on the faith of the
municipal credit. The four taxes. which
the system creates. operate at last on the
same man and each piece of property IN
some way contributes its share towards
satisfying the demand. Each operating
IN an independent sphere the tendency is
TO ehlarge each debt regardless of the d.
uSions aud demands Of the others So
when the city, county. state and nation
have heaped up their burdens the citizen
hnds that while this tax is increased four
fold the property To meet it has not expe-
rienced a similar development and growth
Our power in this country to cumulate
our burdens may be regarded a. peculiar
TO ourselves, and oar marvellous capacity
In this regard is the one achievement of
our republican civilization OF which We
have the least reason TO be proud.
There are Ia the United States sixteen
cities having each population exceeding
one hundred thousand, aud an aggregate
population of foar and a half millions
Each Is a city with special advantage,
which cannot be taken from Il: each has
abundant wealth and still larger prospec-
tive resources. They embrace. when TAX
en- collectively. the trade If the Atlantic
and Pacific. OF Gulf and Lake coasts be-
sides all the great interior rIvers OF the
continent. and the converging traffic of
thousands of miles OF railways And vet
these sixteen cities. which anyone would
think could patiently await their assured
prosperity. are burdeued with muncipal
debts 10 the amount OF $3.50, OoO. 900. pein.
SO per capital for their entire population
II would be gross injustice. however. to
leave the inference that the average debt
OF these cities is over s30.00O. 900 for in
deed. single one of them, the metropolis
oi the nation presents a debt embracing
nearly oue-third ofthc amount.
The class of cities next in size TO those
/ Just referred 10, those having each pop
/ ulaiion over iifty thousand and less Than
/ one hundred thousand are twelve in Num-
/ ber-having au aggregate population of
about seven hundred and iiny thousand.
/ Their total debt does not exceed $50. Onn.
/ CO.. gwen asout $40 per capita for the
I whole list.
! a., paxf r1a-. ta,.;,.., 81, q. .
| exceeding twenty thousand and less than
! my thousand. numbers iii,y-thrce with
/ total population Of ~1m-thiu. over q mill
] ion and a half Their total debt cannot be
/ les than $1,000 90, or $50 per capita.
| Include one NOR lass within the
scope OF my inquir nose cities and
! towns hayin. popula, ctween ten and
twenty thousand. one ed AVID five In
number. and having AZ aggregate popula.
! ton OF fourteen thousand. and an agsr..
! gate debt, OF 100000 or 81 per capita
4 for the whole.
Adding these four classes together IL
/ presents table Of one thousand and ci.h
I iy->iN cities and towns with 4 total pnpula-
J ti"n oi over seven million. and an ayyrc
/ gate debt OF $40 co.. go.
The towns having less than 4 pnpulation
/ Of ten thousand, feel well assured hayiue,
| debt OF a much a. s>n 600 Up1. MAXIM
E . E..ss sfvfaf F.ar 4 .A.H..
! 60 n,o n,n '''''''a
/ Added TO these municipal debts proper.
We Iind the county drb,. of ~. .r,t-'
! county amounting to about srso o,1 49,,
/ aud the state debt. To about $500 on nl,-
/ making a grand aggregate OF sIlio nen
I o'p OF public debt OF state,. couu,i,. 80.
F ir. and towns
The state debts In many instances. both
Boz, the former aud the latter time have
been contracted without due cau,inn ami
a. A natural CONSEQUENCE tho tr,,ay y.,l
izel from borrowing Ia. been oeeU,Ir,..
expended with an ex.rayaqaprc which
would hardly be tolerated IN the dishur.r.
mrnt OF money. raised by curr.r, ,,x,.
tion. 10 not desire 70 maks any rem,rl
30 sweeping a. to include ,hos. stat
wh.r. loan. have al,vav. h,,., ,,.,a,t-..,
with care. and the r,c.ints ,xnen,Ia,i ,,,,,,
economy. But I yen,,ir. ~. a...,,ia,'
ha..d ON som. scrutiny into ~ g.. -,
/ taking the a,,regate OF sat. J,hrs =. r.
| stand to-day and there h,. 30, -, -
/ lied on the Ayer,,y. aftv cents ., rstra
HE permapeni value reach ALA r,;t"t
ami rxn.ndeJ In som. go. - 80.
| idence ha. led To even wore yn.,,l,., ,,.,,
| this and think ,aLiny Tho cr,,,r,.
| whole ,h,re l. no form a, ,utli, ~, -
which sn much ha. h,., -, -.
| H.. r,.c.ivad A. la M. IT,, -, II..-,i. -,
states
a.. - -, ~, =, Al. nnun''ipAi
" ~ ~ ~, - hot o' e"ur'e 10
oe ''i'o, e. ma II 0ou,i nave peeh wisely
1.i eu I p,uue"l'. u>eu anu sale
:. = Vie " ''l1 H,e"t engines OF
A'iu au NaceIheh'' ahi
80 W" '"u' '' "a. ,,i"'ii1s us use at
NJ - - utniaiueu bu'
~, Wv -. ~ .n.'A 90 @ nave oe.h
~ IL o' ,''I s 700 ready
80, - III -, aa,' ~. oi pos
son.,a,; ~. IN - ueot "hct me
charga rhe oid - ,ha, -. u
~ oit "uA6e Iii, M"a' j. e'-
j. no., bor., 80 ,1,,;aoS," oHslhe.s
,ener.i ,I,,pr;s,,,fp 80 ..ian u. t'le
- 1.,,r i,r.ar ci,ias =, - - 'nu,c' ph' ahAir
Ias,i.Iativ.. ,n,hori,v - oo,',-,, ~ oo''i !.
- 80 as ~ ssII a 80 oi,'. - .eD''
cani,aiis; vho h;.hiv go, ~ DJn1 ~ ',lS
sernr;,v. !, II 50 80 ,o Ill ~, 'ni ~ VI
he ,aten cs =, oS,, r. ~ iu'a up sie't 10