The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-29

The late attack Of masked men on the treas
urer's Office in st. Clair county, Mo, following
as it did the killing of the judges of Cass
county, in the same State, naturally arouses
an inquiry as to the causes that induced this
condition of affairs in State so seldom given
to popular outbursts as Missouri There
must be something wrong somewhere to
| account for this violence. The facts that
brought about these demonstrations are these
| and they apply equally to a number of other
counties in the State: The various State and
municipal authorities of Missouri made
grants OF bonds and levied taxes amounting
in the aggregate, to $50, 1000 O00 for the benefit
OF private corporations. These bonds were
largely issued by what are known in Mis-
souri, as county courts about equivalent to
our police iures-who assumed to do this
by virtue OF charters granted them by the
Legislature. Another class of bonds was
voted by the people-a vote of two-thirds of
the voter, being necessary for the issue of
the bonds.
The interest on the bonds was paid for a
number OF years. Several cases were brought
in the meanwhile to test the question wheth-
ef the "two-thirds Of the voters necessary
for their issue meant two-thirds of the per-
sons voting at the election or two-thirds OF
the electors of the county. In all of these
cases the legality, validity and constitution
ality Of the bonds were sustained by the
COURTS.
Thus matters rested until short time
ago, when the Supreme Court Of the United
States decided against the constitutional
f,f fhn Of ,;ol,4
were issued. This decision created great ex-
element and caused general refusal on the
part of all the counties owing these debts to
pay either principal or interest. A year Of
forwards, and but a few weeks ago, the
United States Supreme Court, on an exactly
similar case, concerning the Cass county
bonds, reversed it's former decision and sided
with the bondhoders. 1t is this decision that
has caused the late outbreaks in Cass, Cedar,
st. Clair and other counties In Missouri.
The citizens of these counties are exceed
ingly bitter, declare the acts of the county
court In giving away their property with
out their consent tyranncal and uncon-
stitutional, and threaten to resist any at
tempt to make their property pay these debts
The interest on the bonds has accumulated,
ton to pay this is naturally very heavy and
severe. The people, moreover, are poor,
times are hard, and little leniency has been
shown in tax suits. The homestead exemp-
ton cannot be pleaded against this debt as in
other cases, and the proceedings for collect
ing it are made very peremptory and short.
All these facts 50 excited the public feeling
that when sales Of property began in Cass
county for the payment of the bonds, the
people broke out in a grand outburst and
several acts Of violence were done. Then
came the st. Clair county case, and now a
similar condition Of affairs is threatened in a
number of other counties. Matters have
grown more and more threatening. The peo-
pie appear determined to repudiate these
debts, and to forcibly repulse any attempt to
collect them in taxes. On the other hand, the
court is equally bound to carry out it's orders
A serious conflict will be precipitated unless
some agreement can be arrived at. The cause
OF the entire trouble Is to be traced to the
Supreme Court, whose contradictory decis-
ions, at one session repudiating these bonds
and at the next certifying to the validity of
them, has unsettled public sentiment and
begot this reputation.