The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-08-31

To NV mind these are all the reasons tha'
need be stated They are in the interest OF as
riculture, cheap lanus and labor.
As YOU will observe the special assessments
under the proposed amendment arc 10 DC lcSicu
against the property benefited thcreDy-Wilci
excludes all other property. Inc pat''oe wv" ~
inp these lands are not asking money, OF uo,
nations, or contributions, but simply the rlSht
of retaining their own lands at their own eN-
pcn.e. 1t is the permission TO help themselves
ihnt they are asking and not the assistance OF
Others. Even then, according to the hoLuihSs
of our Courts, under the proposed amendment
mn spccial assessment can be LEVIED, except ny
a majority vote Of the people interested.
In our county we have constructed levee
along the banks of the Mississippi river over
fifty miles in length at large expense ana II II
ever should be completed, and 1t Will be II inc
amendment is adopted, and we get inc hcCes ,,
sary legislation, it will reclaim over lOo,oo
acres of the best lands OF Illinois III one BODY.
As soon as the law under which we were
operatlng was declared unconstitutional we
found it impossible to raise cent to keep IL
in rcpair by taxation, and we had TO resort to
voluntary contributions like building a church,
for that purpose.
What is true of lands in our county Is true
Of all other counties in the state bordering on
the rivers, III greater or less degree, Inc
fear is that the amendment Will be allowed 10
Inc defeated bv default that Is by parties not
votinr on the subject. Art. IA, Sec. 2 OF the
constitution provides as follows: Sald
amendment shall be submitted to the electors
OF the state, for adoption or rclectlon AT the
next election of members OF the General AS,
sembly, in such manner rs may be PROVIDED
bv law; and if a majority of electors, voting u,
said election shall vote for the proposed
amendment it Shall become part OF lhc con
stitution of the state"
From this you will see that majority OF
those voting at the election must vote for the
amendment or it will be defeated
Every voter failing to vote on the subject
will be vote against it, The papers through
out the state are taking this subject up and IN
that way the people will get to understand IT,
and when they do the amendment will pass
beyond question.
The legislation on the subject will not be
difficult Before the decision of the Supreme
Court in 1876, we supposed we had substan
italy, the legislation that VIII be hccdcu IN
the event Of the adoption of the amendment,
The legislation should not be vollmnous
should be simple in character, and easy oil exc
Icuion.
Before the matter got into court We supposed
our constitution was sufficient and that the
LEGISLATION of 1871 would, with an occasional
amendment. be all we would need to enable us
to reclaim our swamp and overlooking lands
In other words, if the amendment should be
ad0ptcd our constitution will be what we sup
pose it was, ard if the act of 1871 should be en-
acted the statute will in fact be what we sup
poscd il was, and with some additional amend
mcnts, will answer the purpose anu meet the
public demand
As before stated the fear Is that the interior
counties will be indifferent on the subject, ana
that rs a consequence there Will be default
against us Sec 3 of the act OF 1877, (amend-
ments to constitution pg. ~ provides that tue
several county clerks shall send with the cleo
ton notices required by Sec 46 OF the election
laws. notice that the amendment will he sub
mitted to vote of the people, which notices
shall set forth the proposed amendment,
There is danger that this will be overlooked
by some of the clerks and hence invite your
attention to it. In conclusion allow me to
add that the whole case can be stated in
word.
All our legislation on the subject has been
declared unconstitutional. The lands to be
reclaimed in round numbers amount to 500.
600 acres. They are worth Sl2,0OOOOO and
will be worth when reclaimed, 52N0,0OO an
increase of S40O00,000 over their present val
ne. These lands cannot be reclaimed except
by the adoption of the proposed amendment
oman " ~ A. G. MATTHEWS.