, 1877-02-04
CHICAGO AND THE LEGISLATURE

l6. tropo1is, has many wants peculiar to her
sw sre cation, her large population, and her trn
; which are not known to tle people of
= = State generally. Nevertheless, Chicago is
" important part of the State, and the Legis
ture, if satisfied that the legislation is ne
.. ed and is just Of itself, will not refuse
30 The laws, or amendments to existing Ia,
Which ere required at this time by this c
and county may be briefly stated in the f
Al lowing terms:
J. l. law, or an amendment to the Gene,
Revenue law, by which the Municipal &c
ernments in the State may levy, assess, Al
collect the unpaid taxes of former yea1
: These are not new or extra taxes, but tax
levied in good faith for legal purposes, M
which the property taxed has escaped b
cause Of defects in the law, aud not becauk
Of any question affecting the me rits Of Ii
taxes. These resisted and unpaid take
amount in this city to about two million
and half Of dollars, and in other cities ar
OF equnl proportion. All these cities are il
debt to the amount Of this deficiency i,
their revenue, md are helpless under exist
ing law to pay that debt unless from the pro
ceeds Of taxes which the law affords then
no authority to collect. Chicago asks TO,
| herself and all the other cities in the State
an act of the Legislature conferrine the
power to collect these unpaid taxes.
2. 4 law, or rnther an amendment to the
Revenue law, simplifying the proceedings
abohshing much Of the machinery, especially
the expensive, ponderous multiplication of
books, and the worthless but costly publica~
t1on OF ta1-lists, and such changes as will
take away the premium On tax-defaultine
and providing IN increasing progressive pen
atty for delays and omissions to DAY tores
when due, and like penalties upon property
forfeited because of non-payment of taxes
At present taxpayers borrow the amount Of
their taxes from the public at simple interest.
and repay it ct their pleasure. This system
OF cr1pping the State revenue, and the rere-
nue Of all the local governments. is becom-
ing SO general that it is now a Slate or;ev.
ance and no longer local one. In this re-
spect our Revenue law is anomalous it has
no penalties for the non-payment Of taxes.
aud this singular omission, unknown in anv
other State, is daily increasing the indiffer-
ence with which property holders meet their
obligations to the Government. Taxes haye
become the most accommodating Of all debts,
they may be paid ut the pleasure Of the
aebtor, without penalty for the neglect.
3. Under the Constitution this county has
Government which unites both Legislative
md executive powers. It levies taxes. an
'roprlates the money, md through its own
members expends that money. It is easily |
understood that Government exercising |
uch powers tends towards corruption. and |
naturally attracts to its support every man
sho seeks to be supported at the public
Expense instead Of his own. Indeed. the
anne class of persons persistently seek
membership in this Government. The
;ounty Treasury has become sort Of sonp-
ouse, from which the idle, corrupt, gam
ling' aud dishonest population expect to be
ed mud furnished with spending-money.
'nder tie name Of charity, the support of
ne poor and the insane, the sick and the
elpless, Is used as q technical excuse to en-
ble gang Of confederates to plunder the
abnc oy dishonest contracts. For the bet
r success Of this scheme, the members of
lis County Board. though representing a
onmon constituency, are elected BY dis
acts and at intervals, 80 that it is impossible
'f puoiic opinion to roach the guilty except /
1e" at time, while q controlling majority
always maintained against the public The
eopie OF this county, without difference of
arty. ask that the election of this Board be
ade an annual one, and that the whole fif.
zen be elected by the vote of the whole
eople Of the county. Outside of the cor.
'ptionlsts and their dependents, tlere is M
terence of opinion Oh this subject in this r
unity. The bill proposed by Senator Ron1s- i
n meets this case thoroughly, and it is to |,
hoped that the Legislature will furnish n
people OF this county with the means of n
lung themselves OF IN into1erable evil. r.
=. This city and, to proportionate ~. is
II, al the other cities and towns Of tbo | ~
ate ask relief By an amendment to thu n
grant Inv: It is not necessary to punish ci
very; but vagrancy, which partakes te
eels OIL crime, may be said to be protected II
the e11stlng law Of this State. There is a "a
> large criminal population which migrates b{
m point to point, aud generally is found bt
iarge cities. This population, however e1
Il known to the police, cannot be arrest ar
unless charged with the commission If ~
ne They are ragrants in the worst lr
SO OF the term, and when arrested and m
Elcted Of vagrancy are sentenced to nav er
ne OF $50, payable within period fixed ~
laW. The aim Of the law is to drive ~
N away; but $50 will not drive criminal n.
OF Chicago, when be can make ten times 6a
sum BY pilfering He therefore appeals str
the fne, and during the two or three ke,
$ it takes to have his appeal decided he lo,
protected from further arrest. Il, how. her
, this Vagrant law be changed, as sue- of
ed by Superintendent HICKEY, so as to clio,
the penalty 5000, OF the alternative tai,
years labor in the House Of Correction, Thi