Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-03-22
THE FUNDING BILL
KIRwIN. March ID. '83.

the commissioners Of Phillips county to
fund the outstanding county indebted
Bess, seems to meet with disfavor among
our people, and while there are some
self assumed leaders who are, for polit-
ical effect, making great haste to pre-
empt whatever there is of popularity in
antag ,nizing the bill, the fact neverthe-
less stares US in the face that 1t is law,
and we are powerless to change or re-
peal it, until the meeting of another Leg
isIature two years hence.
Another disagreeable fact that we
are forced t. consider, is that as a
county we are largely in debt-irdebted
20 the amount of about ffty-fve thous-
and dollars, as estimated by those who
claim to be conversant with county
finances. Whatever there is of this
amount that we are legally obligated
to pay must be nett is debt we
ua'C aLlCdug COulIdCICO WIlS4C4u
we have received and consumed the
consideration, whether prodigaly or
wisely is not here a question, and pay
ment cannot be evaded nor even post
poned, except by some funding scheme.
1t is not question whether we shall
create new or iurther Indebtedness
and issue new bonds therefore, but
whether we shall pay a debt already
contracted.
Further, we have heard it represented
publicly, by gentlemep who have been
in position to know whereof they af-
firm, that there is quite per centage OF
our Indebtedness illegally assumed, aud
warrants issued therefor, and in some
instances duplicate warrants for the
same claim outstanding against US. Il
such is the case the enemies Of this bill
will certainly not contend that it was
passed for lega!lzing such debt, or pro.
viding for its ultimate payment; mol
covering up any iniquity that may have
been a factor in originating the debt al
ready contracted.
Some may oppose the bonds and lei
the holders of our paper sue if they de-
sire to, and some too are i'll advised
enough to believe that payment canno
be enforced through the courts this il
both silly and false position to take in
regard to any legal Indebtedness we hav
: outstanding,
fit was to create and incur ueV
debt, would unhesitatingly say, incu
no new debt under our present state 0
) finances, and issue no bonds; but tn
) question of our present outstanding in
: debtedness is one that will not clown
at the will aud pleasure of any or all o
US, but on the contrary the uncomfort
able and perhaps inconvenient fact is
. we must pay it in some manner,
E Whatever is true of the legal obliga
l lions of the private citizen to pay hi
D debts, is quite turn of the same class Q
! obligations assumed by counties, aud al
though the legal remedy may dife
, somewhat in the two cases, it is uon
5 the less effective and certain.
l Now the question arises what mus
: We do clrcumstanced as we are 3? I an
. swer we must either pay our debt now
or provide in the manner pointed GU
: by law, for its payment in the future
: There is no other way out Of it. It WI
t be idle and sheer nonsense to smothe
S our county commissioners, at their mex
meeting, with remonsrances against tn
= issuing of the bonds, as provided for /
! the funding bill, Such a course woulc
It If needed, by them, only subject theI
|, to operation ofjudicial proceedings, tia
could and'doubtless would be institute
by creditors, with no correspondiD
good result following.
I have not yet seen the funding bi
as passed but presume the commission
ers have no discretion, but must issu
bonds when warrants to a certain am
mount are presented for exchange
+ Upon the state of the case the remor
= strances referred to can serve no GOO
purpose other than to fill the was
basket.
= The next question is, what can We
L if anything, and how shall we guar
Id the interests of our county by hayir