New-York tribune., 1875-07-02


tended as the victim.
4 BLOW At MUEICiP4L RKPTDIlTJON
1t is probable that the State Of Illinois,
which has given lis the advantage of so many
experiments III legislation, will shortly afford
the country another valuable precedent Oh the
subject of municipal obligations Several
counties in that State have gained IN uncn-
viable notoricty in recent years by negiccting
or positively refusing to pay the interest on
their bonded Indebtedness. The most noio-
rous cases have been those of MacouDm and
Dewitt counties. which have been covered with
indcliblc disgrace by the raScaliiy with which
their county officers have endriVOrd to repi-
diate their debts. In Macoupin the debt is
enormously large probably beyond the capacity
Of The people to pay without serious neon
yenience. In Dewitt it is very small and
could be paid any day without trouble. 1t Is
the fault of few men OF knayish instincts
about the county seat that this ls not done.
The Supervisors are as Il general thing duli
men, of little education or knowledge OF tie
world, whose notions Of ethics are 50 imperfect
that they acknowledge 10 public obligations
which cannot be enforced by law. They do
not deny that the county has had the money
and spent it, and that the bondholdcrs have
paid full value for their securities. They con-
slider it their duty, however, to act for their
constituents" and avoid payment wherever
it is possible Two or three pcttfogging knavcs,
intent upon their own small gains i'll the mat
ter, are enough 10 persuade these rural diGni-
taIcs that by holding on and fighting their
creditors in the counts they can finally escape
from paving anything. Offers of compromise
have been made i'll numerous ca'"s-nOtaby
in those of the two counties aforementioned
But they have not only failed to induce the
Supervisors 20 come to terms. but have en-
couraecd them to further efforts to fight the
payment of their debts. In some instances
where tie lawyers employed by the officers
convinced that they had no case, have advised
a compromise, they have had great trouble in
inducing their mruly clients to consent to It,
Some of these lerudiating Supervisors are not
worse than the common run of their ncghbors.
They are men who are in the habit of paying
Their own debts, and who sustain fair char
actcr in their community. But their minds have
been so poisoned by the constant cackle of their
village malcontentS, and by the dcnunciations
of capital INDUCED in by ignorant dcmagogucs,
that they have come to feel perverted sense
of duty in continuing their shameless oppOsi-
ton to the payment Of the debts of their
counties and towns.
They have bncn thus far sustained in this
stolid IaScality by personal impunity. 1t costs
them nothing 10 fight the b0ndhOldtIS. They
have all the Gdgdjrm certdmHiS, with none of
its danger and expense They can "drink de-
eight of battle with their peers" with no risk
of even bruiSing their armor. The county pays
all fees of litigation, and they have the fun of
the fight and the applause of the knavcs who
DO not want to pay. This sclf-complaconcy
was rudcly shocked when the Supervisors of
Macoupn County were fined - ,OCO apiece for
refusing to obey a mandamus requiring them
to levy tax. They rallied for Il moment
when the county paid the fines, but were
astonshed when the Court, at the instance Of
ex-GOv. Palmer, gave the money thus paid to
the creditors OF the county, and called on them
to show cause why they should not personally
pay it over again. \ still more important
movement has lately been made by Mr.. Palmer
against tie same class of dtlinqucnts and the
issue of it is awaited with great interest by
all who hold municipal bonds OF any character
and Wy those who have any regard for the
general credit and welfare. He has sued the
Supervisors directly for damages resulting to
his clients from the negligent or contlImaciOus
conduct of the Supervisors. Some OF the eases
will be tried in Springfield this week, aud will
embrace every category of the recent offcnses
of this class Of officials; those in which they
have neglected to pay money due without suit ;
those in which, being sucd they have refused
4, a. 10, I,J Il
ments obtained, and those in which they have
disoheyed the mandamus of competent au-
thority.
If these cases are carried through to n sue
ccssful result the problem of protection against
this sort Of municipal swindling and rcpudia-
ton is solved. If Supervisors are made to
feel that damages will lie against them per-
sonaly for beating" the creditors of their
county out of their just dues, the game will
lose its popularity very rapidly. The very
men who encourage them to this dishonest
warfare will refuse to help them when they
come to pay the damages consequent upon it.
he impoI tance OF the issue is shown by the
fact that Mr.. Tnmbull has been engaged to
defend the threatened officials. If his eminent
abilities fail to shield them, they can 10 longer
complain tilat tiielr cause Ias not received
proper support, and if damages. ever SO slight,
are allowed against them, the system of repu-
diaton which has attained such ominons pro-
portions in Illinois may be considered as at an
end. Our advices from Springfield state that
great interest is felt there in the result Of the
suits, and they will certainly DO watched with
no less attention in this city, where so large
an amount of Western securities is held IL
Mr.. Palmer is successful in making these rcpu-