The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-11-02
THE PROPOSED DRAINAGE AMENDMENT.

The people OF Illinois, at the election next
Tuesday, are called upon to vote in favor of or
against an amendment To the Constitution IN
reference 10 the great question Of farm drain
are. The nature Of the proposed amendment
and reasons for it are 50 clearly set forth in a
circular before Us that we publish the material
portions of it. The reasons IN favor Of the
amendment are stated as follows:
I. The amendment is nothing new but only
proposes to make the Constitution of 1870
what the Trainers thereof supposed it was, on
the subject of drainage, before the Supreme
Court gave it an Interpretation.
3 The Act of the Legislature, passed in 1871,
consisting of some fifty odd sections, provid
ing tor the construction of drains, bitches and
lcvas or all of it that is of any value, has, by
the Supreme Court, been declared unconsitu-
tional
3. Extensive works in various parts Of the
State have been commenced, and in some cases
completed, under SAID act, which cannot be
finished or kept in repair without the adop-
ton of this amendment and the passage OF
legislation under It.
l. The benefits Of these works, and the vast
amount of money expended IN constructing
them, will be lost unless the amendment is
adopted.
). The lands to be reclaimed amount in
round numbers to one million eight hundred
thousand acres worth but little without drain.
age.
6. When reclaimed, it is estimated they will
be worth at least forty millions of dollars more
than they are now, and will add that much to
the taxable wealth of the State, over and above
their present value.
Z, TO, tay tl,n l,pI
of any man withsut his consent, and not even
by his consent unless his lands are benefited
by the proposed work, and then only to the
extent of the benefit
s. If the above reasons are sufficient we ask
that every friend Of the measure give 1t his
active support, at the coming election, for if
not adopted this fall, 1t cannot be voted upon
again until 1888 (Sce Article IA, Section 2
of the Constitution of 1900
g. This 100000 acres Of land consists most
ly of swamps, bogs and lakes, worthless in It's
present condition for agricultural purposes,
and rendering the surrounding country I'M
healthy by reason of its miasmatic atmosphere
1t is proposed to reclaim this land by drains
and lcvccs The amendment does not author
izc any expenditure OF the public money or
any tax to be levied or debt created, for the
purpose, but simply that the Legislature shall
nave inc llBnI 10 authorize inc III lDTONcuCHt,
and that the land benefited shall pay the eX-
pcnse. Without such law Il drain could not
be cut across the land of an obstinate owner,
however much it might be needed to drain Il
whole country, and although it might reclaim
his own land Even the owner of the land cannot
be made personally responsible for his share
of the expense but his tract of land reclaimed
would be liable for ITS benefits, and no more,
which he could pay or not, as he chose. If he
did not see proper to pay it, the land, now
wholly worthless, might be sold, Thus the
lands are made to reclaim themselves. 1t is
not II proposition to tax the State, the county,
or any municipality, to construct any drain,
ditch or levee. The parties owning these
lands are not asking money or donations, orr
but simply the right of reclaim
ing the lands at their own expense, 1t is the
permission to help themselves that they are
asking, and not the assistance. of others. South
crn and Central Illinois need this amendment
very much. Those lands, when reclaimed,
will be among the richest in the State.