The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-05-28

Suo- iohoNinb hutnS tHab hccumuihteu
against the State
Lock Bonds. 300 coo
Modoc war 6onun. ......-........ ...... 4O,hoD
Wagon Road War r'ntstswamp 100000
Pen.tentlary Building. ................ i50.oe0
state Capitol Building. g................ 10000
Outstanding Warrants.............,.. 2Oo, 200
War OF iS77-7s.......... ........ ......x. 40,e00
Total ......"....... ,....... ......"S ,l2O, ,O0e
How easy il is to make these figures,
and we might add TO them still further.
While they arc true, the State met her
indebtedness as fast as she could.
How does this affect tho State We
will answer the question. We may
add to the above the $4,000 tug sub
sidy at Astoria, and the several thous-
ands of dellars for colleges, schools,
Centennial Commissioner, etc, all abso-
lutely necessary and valid claims against
the State. It is alleged that the Dem
ocratic State officers contracted these
debts, but the debts themselves show
that they were brought into existence
by the Legislature, and when this was
done no provision was made by the
Legislature to pay them, save perhaps
in one instance. Hence they accumu-
lated, and were put in the current ex-
pense fund to DO carried. In 1876 the
Legislature provided an additional levy
Of three per cent. TO meet that portion
which had not been provided for The
case as 1t is now is as follows: The
payment of the small amount Of Sol.
diers' Bounty aud Relief Bonds are
provided for, so they viii no longer fig-
ure as a debt. The Lock Bonds, now
amounting to 100000, are to be paid
as by law provided, and that is out Of
the internal improvement land, and the
per cent. fund. That is not debt TO
be paid by taxation. The Modoc Bonds
amount to Sl32,s5s &c. This debt the
General Government viii pay. There
was 4 bill that passed the House, intro
duced by Hon. L. +. Lane, providing
for the payment Of this debt, or a suffi-
cient amount Of it to warrant the bal
ance. The report OF the investigating
committee, though false, concerning this
debt knocked further legislation in the
head. There is no doubt but that Con-
gress will pay the debt upon further
showing. The War Bonds of lS77-7S
stand in the same relation as the Modoc
Bonds. This debt will be paid by Con-
gress. Then we have the Swamp Land
Warrants, amounting to $4,000, to
be paid out Of the swamp, tide and
other lands, and the five per cent. fund.
This debt is provided for. And had
the Legislature Of 1878 authorized the
selling Of these lands absolutely-as it
should have done-at one dollar per
acre, these warrants would all have
been paid by this time, and surplus
would be in the Treasury to be applied
to other sources. This was recommend
cd by the outgoing Governor. He took
the ground that the grant was without
conditions and the Legislature could
authorize the lands to be sold at once,
giving legal authority for his opinion.
Recently we see by the dispatches that
Secretary schurz has decided that the
grant is without conditions, the title
being vested in the State at once when
the grant was made, thus fully sustain
ing all the State has heretofore done to
save the grant. This decision would
Justify the action Of the Legislature had
a bill passed directing the unconditional
sale Of these lands. Then we have the
last item to mention. OF the amount
that the three per cent. levy was to
lliquidats there will not be at the end Of
this fiscal year over $4,000 left. Here
is the actual Indebtedness Of the State
Of Oregon. Aside from this floating
debt she is not in debt to exceed $780,.
600. What State IN tie Unton can
sbOaO such a record It will not be go
riously contended that Gov. Grover
built the State House, Penitentiary,
carried on the Modoc war, etc., all
alone, or that these acts were illegal,
Because his administration was live
one it was not dishonest nor reckless.
These debts were contracted by the
Legislature and no provision made tC
pay them without taxation, except
the sum of $4,000.
To an immigrant this is belts.