, 1877-10-21
THE S50O,O0O PRIZE.

The CoLy1S-L1EB party, the Communists,
the broken spectators, the unscrupulous
contractors, the blowers and strikers of the
County Ring, are playing for big stake this
fall. They see $500.000 ahead OF them in ad-
dition to the regular annual plunder. This is
the amount which the Ring esk the people of
Cook County to vote,-a blanket mortgage
on their property under the possible con-
dition that lts expenditure will be by the ap~
proved Ring methods and under the super
vision Of agents selected by the Ring. It
was shrewl device in the Ring to associate
this large amount of money with the result
of the election, holding 1t out as the chief
prize in sort of Gift-lottery, to be distrib-
uted among the workingmen On the Com
munistic plan in case the Ring can win it.
The Ring and its agents are industriously at
work to impress upon the workingmen that the
voting Of the $500, QUO mortgage will furnish
more employment at better wages; upon the
ragrant and dead-beat class, that, with this
sum to devote to the Courthouse, there will
be more left to distribute among the, various
pnuper funds; upon the contractors, that it
will yield rich harvest of extras; and upon
the mass OF political dependents, that it will
support larger number OF bummers than
ever at public expense.
But how is it with the property Owners
and taxpayers upon whom this extra burden
Of $500, 200 must fall, sooner or later2
Where will they ind their compensation for
voting It? Ii the 100000 were offered rs
reward for the apprehension and
conviction OF the men who have
been p1undering the county in the
past, or as guarantee fund that the pluuder-
ing SHOULD censo in the future, they could
afford to yote it. But the 100000 repre-
sents that much additional temptation and
new opportunity for thievery. The men
who have secured its submission to the popu-
lar vote Ito which they were constrained after
frr1ltless efforts to Issue the bonds without
popular approvaD hope to make it service
able III gathering the support Of the impe~
cuuious classes for the Democratic ring, be-
sides thus securing an enormous fund to
divide up with favorite contractors after it
shall have been voted.
The prudent people of Cook County must
the enrichment Of the Ring to 60 through
by default Not another dollar should be
voted for county uses until it shall have be-
come absolutely certain that the Ring has
been smashed, and that the money will be
honestly spent. The law gives the County
Board authority to tax the people Is cents
on every 800 worth of property of all kinds
in the county, and the Ring absorb this i'm
mense yield to the very last penny. But
they should not be permitted to lay their
hands on anything beyond that. Ii i've re-
liable, honest Commissioners can be elected
this fall, and q majority OF the Board thus
secured for the people, there will be suf6~
cient saving out of the regular tn3-levy to
enable the Board to continue work upon the
Court House. Il any one of the five Com |
missioners to be elected should join the
Ring, then it is important that there should
not be IN extra dollar to squander or steal. |
All considerations, therefore, urge prudent
people to vote against the proposed issue OF |
$500, 600 in bonds, and this must be kept in |
mind Us one of the chief featu1es OF tia |
e1ection