The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-05-10
THE OLD BONDS.

They exist. They stare us in the
face, with the blistering legend: -
''the faith and credit Of the State of
Minnesota are pledged to the pay
ment Of the principal and interest of
this bond.'' They assail us in the
market places; they denounce us
through the press; they preach at us
from the pulpit. How can we make
this Banquo's ghost ssdown?''
True they were swindle; we gave
them expecting railroads and we re-
ceived earth works; we believed
somebody else would pay them, and
they have been, for twenty years
thrust in our face for payment. Can
we step to the bar of public opinion
and cry out,-'sWe made asses Of our
selves, oh Judge we entered into .
bad bargain with our eyes open; we,
a sovereign and intelligent people,
were fooled by few knaves; and now
we plead the baby act and our ASST.
nine condition as an excuse for not
carrying out our contract What
will the world say?
But, says some one, the bonds were
issued under an amendment to the
constitution while we were State
out Of the Union; the obligation was
only loan Of credit; the companies
did not do as they agreed, etc., etc.
4 Granted that all these things arr
true, what then! Will you appoint
perpetual commissioner to constant
. ly explain all this to the whole world
and to answer every newspaper at
tack on the fair fame of the State
, And, when your commissioner ha
said all he can say, will not the bills
tering legend still remain: s'the faitl
and credit of the State of Minnesot
are pledged to the payment Of tn
principal and interest of this bond.
How can he explain that away! How
can he explain away the great seal o
, the State. with the Indian riding int
the setting sun,-probably to escap
paying his share Of the debt?
But, says our correspondent from
Fillmore county, let the 100000 acre
Of internal impr0vementland be turn
: ed over to the school fund. That abl
: and honest man, Hon. William
Meighen, has tried to accomplish tha
: for years. He has never succeede
: and he never will. If the lands ar
not used to pay this old debt they wi
: be gobbled by some railroad comb
nation. Even now the pending 'proI
! osition, for the settlement of th
g bonds; is being opposed by some pal
9 ties because they want to give the1
g away for railroads. Remember tina
! il it had not been for Governor Au'
: tins veto we would not have the Ian
T to-day to apply in payment Of th
q debt. Remember also that the PEI
: pie have already once voted that th
lands should be used t0pay the bond,
8 But, says another, it is q swindl'
: Granted again; and yet it will not b
I denied that the men who took thof
= bonds invested some money in th
3 State:sUm say it was One-fourth tt
t face Of Ahe bonds; some say on
2 third; some one-half, some thre
= fourths. But it was something
!. Where is it nowi The State took
e What for To indemnify itself Fl
y its liability on the bonds. Can it no
8 say it owes nothing ,on Ahe bond.
y Can it pocket the coll4e0fal and /
8 fuse to pay the debt !
j. The State says the bonds are
t! swindle; the bond-holders say tn
q are not. Here is an issue. Who
le to decide it Not the courts for +
= State cannot be sued; and If It we