Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-10-04
the BOND QUESTION.
10 he Editor Of The Eaaier


voters Of Delano, Waco, Ohio and Mime
; scah townships. In few days you will b
called upon to vote tax upon y0urselve
that may prove a grievous burden 70
twenty or thirty years. Have you eve
considered what right q majority in
township have to vote u grievous burdeI
upon the minority. The Legislature o
the State have no right to pass law to tn,
the people to build me residence. Taxa
ton can only be legally levied for the sup
port Of government and all objects Of pub
lie necessity. A railroad corporation, IL
law, is private individual, and the Legis
lature has no right to appropriate the landi
and money of the public to private parties
Their powers are limited by the constitu.
ton; therefore having no power delegated
to them by the people to vote direct tax
upon the property Of the people for the
purpose of the State becoming a stockhol-
der in private corporation, how can they
delegate TO township powers they them
selves do not possess. The law allowing
dollars per mile to become stockholders In
private corporations, in my opinion, is en-
tirely unconstitutional.
A private corporation is not q public
necessity. and township is only quasi
organization for carrying out the details Of
government. They have none of the attri-
butes Of sovereignty, and bare majority
cannot enact laws oppressive to the minor
ity, and the Legislature of the State cannot
delegate to township powers they them
selves do not possess, namely, the power to
tax the people for the benefit OF private
corporations. Are not railroads public
property, and do they not exercise the
powers Of eminent domain taking our
lands from us at will! l say NO. Eminent
domain pertains to sovereignty. and to SOW
| ereignty only. The State allows the cor.
poration to run their road through my
land by paying me for 1t every dollar it 10
worth, if l can get an honest assessment.
So the State would allow my neighbor to
build a dam and overflow my landb by pay
ing me the damage. So il is the State that
exercises eminent domain, and not the mill
owner or railroad corporation. 1t is not .
condemnation for the use of the public, but
for the benefit of the mill owner and rail.
public benefit, but both are private prop
erty, not public property or public high
ways. They are subject to sale, mortgage,
or lease, with all their franchises, rights
and privileges by their private owners. l
know very well that millions OF acres Of
land, and millions Of dollars have been
taken from the people and given As subsi-
dies to railroad corporations, in violation
Of constitutional provisions, and every
principle Of justice and right. The citizen
consents to be taxed for the support of
government, and expects in return the pro-
lection Of government. But when railroad |
corporations, by constantly asking end con- |
stantly receiving, have become 80 powerful |
as to control legislation in all cases where |
their interests are affected. what can the |
people expect but oppression and gross ex-
tortion.
Take the States Of Indiana and Illinois |
for example. Counties, cities and towns /
have been hurdened for years with unjust
taxation, because OF legislation in favor Of
local ALL 10 railroads.
They employ good, smooth takers to Wis
it all parts Of the county or township, and
talk Of their large experience il railroad
Of the great benefit their particu-
lar locality will derive from the proximitp
Of the road Of the great profit to be re-
turned in the shape Of dividends and taxes,
II local aid is voted and, after having by
fraud and deception induced the people 70
vote the bonds, they turn their attention to
State legislatures or Congress Tor mora
Aid; and past history shows that they can
buy up legislator like articles Of mcrchas-
disc. The road il built but what ars the
evils flowing from local taxation IN favor OF
The creation Of an immense in
iebtedness not unfFequently retards the
settlement Of the locality expected 10 be
and depreciates instead Of en-
,ancing the value Of property. Citissns
Who come from Indiana or Illinois eau ~ I
member well the eondition Of those conn
les and cities that, yeafs ago, loaned their
redit TO railroad companies, or subscsib-
d TO their capital stock. Localities Iess
Avorably situated, with fewer natural 3D.
autages, fewer miles Of railroad, have fhr
their bonded heighbon u
realth. improvements ssd the facrsassd
alue oftheir property. Persoos seekingI
,catious dread and shun thess bssd-ean. :
d Localities, aud seek heoes elsewhere. :
/ burned child breads he Gre, aad having
experienced, In the older States, ~ sea-t
nusl drnin m e0unnulnnPv tnxnfion ~ =
Iill not knowingly sex . heus II sash
ond-cursed townships.
The railroad co0psaiss d net hsdtats tej
N yeu that they charge Tor transpertatSsaI
\ the business viii bear. ms II pcasssdI
y in wichita b worth - pr ~, and II
olerade ~ thsy Win ehasgs ~ ssang- r.
pFtation On, leaving Ne shlppsr bst QAsf
'aryin for biz frsuh,s. 0ns-Aalf - thBee-I
'srths u III ~ ersps q Knnsas go in1Dl
y esAsss * abeut dsasa nsatn W. =
rese, whs eva husdrsds e ni1l6sas III =