The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-03
CAUGHT A TARTAR,
Nat. Belcher shove in a few
Remarks"

.- 49, - -"
Remarks"
Guyer's Letter, part Bluff and Part
Whine"
The Rural Population Should Hold the
Control,
The following letter from N. Belcher,
ESQ.,, explains itself. 1t is. in the main.
so good that we give our readers chance
to- see it. Mr.. Belcher hits his brother-in-
law (Guyer) some right smart raps over
the knuckIes, in relation to the letters he
has written, and he shows the same spirit
that Mr.. James Taylor showed when he
resented Guyer's SANDERS upon his town
and upon his official integrity. Mr.
Belcher says Guyer's last letter is ''part
bluff and part whine, and he shows how
Guyer exposed his whole game in his allu-
sions to population, etc.
| Of course, as Mr.. Belcher says, there
are advantages and disadvantages in both
systems, but the advantages are plainly on
the side of our present system. What we
want is better class of men to represent
Rock Island and Moline,-and these we
are not likely TO get as long as the people
persist in the folly of leaving ward
bummers to make our nominations.
But we will not longer keep our readers
from Mr.. Belcher's letter-it is, on the
whole, too good to be lost:
THE LETTER.
PORT BYRON, Sept, l, 1875.
To the Editor Of the Union,
| Your favor Of the 9th, asking me to
write letter for the Union on township
organization from a Port Byron stand
point, came duly to hand, and l hasten to
comply to the best of my ability. Having
since l have been in the county, served
some years as county commissioner and
as supervisor, can see advantages and
, disadvantages to both systems ] have nc
doubt but that three we'll qualified men
acting in the capacity of county commits
soners will do as much business in three
| days, and perhaps better, than the aver
age board Of supervisors will do in a week
hence as to dollars and cents quite saw
ing would accrue to the county yearly
, Yet are there not other and more import
; ant matters involved in this question thar
! the mere saving of few dollars expenses
. to the county?
had written the above when the dali.
! Union of August 81 came to hand with
: Lao tho Of T,,A
! Guyer in it, have read this letter care
o to the watch and clock matter, but mus
confess that, with his views-that is, as
suppose to get votes in the country to
abolishing township organization-I can
not imagine why it was written or publish
ed. To use homely adage he has ''le
a the cat clean out Of the bag" 1t is par
e import and true intent and meaning of ii
d Rock Island and Moline, when we ge
township organization abolished will, witt
= our &c, 900 inhabitants to your Ii, 900 in tn
. country, take this thing into our own hand
. and rectify these abuses which we suffer a
V own men, run the county FINANCIALLY
anu Utu0EWlSt, tuu SOu Will HUI nave Ill
Is power to say to US nay"
s. The Judge has much to say of the uu
Is equal representation of Rock Island an
Moline in the board of supervisors, and tn
e. injustice done them in the matter {
le equalization, and Of Moline unloading he
is taxes. l am we'll aware that both cite
lg are frequently before the board of supel
visors to got unloaded. Last year tn
,,D1oo1ol
IS $40, 600 and $4,000, and the banks a r.
It, clamation for a large amount Of taxes pal
a by them. 1t all may be right. but it lool
rather hard for them to go back on ii
board of supervisors, who, it appears, hs
n given them all their rights by. the way
" ATTACHMENTS.
III Again: Probably the poor tax in tt
u county amounts yearly to $4,000 or SIG
fe 900. Now at least nine-tenths of that ia
originates and is bred in the two cite
ed and which they, in justice, ought to pay
an yet our property is taxed to support the
Ct poor. We do not complain of it. | pr
ed sumo it is safe to say that not to exce'
&c 81 900 of the poor tax accrues outside
the limits of the two cities, during Il
,t year.
ON After deducting the poor tax we pay
n 1
nd from time to time it will shrink the figur
el- of 1854, $50 boasted of, very much. B
" we of the country altogether deny tn
- injustice has been done to the two citi
&c in the way of taxes, and charge that if al
~ Sinking has been done it has been do
~. by themselves only, not by the count
nc towns.
ne Rock Island and Moline are the cent
U.s. of the wealth of the county, and instead
by complaining when they are assessed sor
mt $2,OOO,00O more than the balance of Il
IDS county, they ought to rejoice and gi
he thanks that it is not much more, as
at ought to be.
ms They have their six banks-wealtl
ce. manufactures without number-$50,0
-. and 100000 hotels-fast and high pric
1Iu horses-stylish and costly turnouts
ny princely houses, richly iurnished-bloc
~ cn of stores filled with merchandise, some
ne them doing yearly business nearly
'ut quite up to the millions railroads, rou
Ias houses and depots; and vacant lands ST.
'ei rounding them which cannot be bought
81 900 an acre, equalized by the supery
IN, ors down to $75 an acre, and they are 4
ed satitfied at that,
ors Now, we of the county do not envy o
to city cousins on account of their prosperit
10. On the contrary, we rejoice at it. Ma
ra- of them were poor, like ourselves, and ha
ow earned their riches and deserve thel
ng But we of the country do not like to
be twitted that we have or intend to unfair
flch by way of taxes one cent of thu
on property.