Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-07
A PUBLIC DUfY.

imperative duty resting upon all per-
sons 10 q public position 20 do all In
their power to restore prosperity and
uphold the largest possible volume Of
money In circulation.
What ls the situation? On all hands
the number OF unemployed is increas-
ing. Factories are closing. Railroads
are laying off thousands If there is
not an immediate change for the better
and no one expects that. as soon as har-
vest Is over, one half nf the labOriDg
men In the U9ited States will be idle.
People who have any bank deposits,
and now depend on wages In vain, are
slowly drawing out their balances for
the necessities Of life. The money Is
paid TO the merchants Of the towns and
they send it East to pay their bills.
Unless something Is done TO put money
in circulation aud employ labor, bank
ruptcy stares the business man in the
face and banks not as rich as Cresus
must inevitable close.
Il Is the duty Of city, state and cOun-
ty officials TO meet the emergency and
sustain public credit as far As possible.
II roads or bridges are 10 be built it
should be ordered done At this
weeks term Of court The city Of
Salem ls doing the right thing in push
ing street Improvements and its city
hall. The counties should do the same.
The credit Of both should be freely used
II necessary and all the employment
given to labor that Is possible.
Now is the time to push public work.
Labor and material are cheap. When
good times return, when labor is en-
ployed, and all kinds of business is
fiourishing, those in charge of public
works might be Indifferent, but In the
present crisis 1t is public duty to give
laboring men chance. Then the bus
iness men and the banks will have
chance also.
1t Is clearly wrongful policy for the
state OF Oregon to suspend ali its build
ing operations at the present time. To
do so is TO increase the financial strln-
gency that Is paralyzing industry,
commerce and banking. The county au-
thorities at the present time have no
right to hold back the money wrung
from the people by taxation and ap-
propriated by the legislature for neces-
sary public improvements.
The various state boards In charge OF
the eastern Oregon insane asylum, the
Agricultural college, the reform school
and other charitable and reformatory
institutions have all called halt aud
seem to be waiting for something to
happen. What can happen? All that
they could have done this year they
can do. The taxes are paid by the peo-
pile. There are no more to collect In
1898. The taxes are In the hands Of
the county treasurers. Why are they
not paid to the state treasury? What
right have any officials to hold them
back? II they have paid them, what
right have the state boards TO with.
hold them from application to public
works where they are ordered applied
by law?
1t Is said that Multnomah county
has not paid because some of her funds
are locked up 10 suspended banks; It is
said the Agricultural College money
was put In failed bank. II Is said
counties are not paying as they should.
All such talk is unbecoming to a state
government. The question might be
asked have we a state government
Have we no one to enforce the obhga-
tIons due the state? Can the counties
do AZ they please about paying over the
state fundsS Are We to have no pro.
tectlon al the hands OF state officials
against rotten banks aud straw bonds7
The people are beginning to ask Is there
no obligations upon anyone but the tax
payer TO pay? 1t looks that way.
The various state boards In charge OF
the state buildings have no right to
hold back until Cleveland and his con-
gress settle the tariff aud silver ques-
tions. The people who pay the taxes
have q right TO demand that they go
ahead aud use the credit Of the state II
necessary 10 push needed public works.
The state has score or more OF young
who ought 10 be In the reform
school. That ought to be finished at
once. A hundred young men and wo-
men are waiting 10 enroll their names
'or higher education At the Farmers
College aud that misplaced money
'hould be at once recovered from the
,hipley bondsmen or let the state know
hat hereafter no bonds will be exacted
u enforced Ia Oregon.
This 10 not the time 20 halt for \ great
tate that has no debt. Warrants can
ertainly be fiOated. II not In Oregon
hen In other states. IL banks are
oldlng state money they ought at
'ast be willing 10 let the people have
. =. 49,. - half - A uhfla ahau MA lhaI