Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-05-12
CONGRESSMAN R1DGLEYs BILL.

Last week we referred to Congress
man Ridgley's bill and we this week
publish it in full. MIR. Ridgley was
formerly Greenbacker and Is there
fore hard and earnest worker in the
reform ranks. The following bill was
introduced in the House of Represent
atives on April 14th, last, and was re-
ferred to the committee on ways and
means where 1t is expected to become
the victim of an ignominious death.
But it Is good measure nevertheless,
and something which the country and
It's people need:
BILL TO ENABLE THE UNEMPLOYED
TO EARN A LIVING, TO UTILIZE IN
DUsTRY, AND PRODUCE GENERAL
PROSPERITY.
House of Representatives of the Unit
ed States of America in Congress as
sembled, That hereafter when any
state, territory, county, city, township,
or school district in the United States
shall desire to raise money for the pur
pose of giving employment to its unem-
ployed citizens in constructing and op-
Grating public improvements, and shall
issue for such purposes non-interest-
bearing bonds, running twenty five
years, and payable to the United States
only, in an amount not exceeding one
half of the assessed value of the prop.
erty of such state, territory, or munich
pality, less all outstanding and existing
indebtedness, and shall present such
bonds to the Secretary of the Treasury
of the United States, he shall issue
United States Treasury notes in
amount equal to the face value of the
bonds so presented, in denominations
of one, two, five, ten, twenty and fifty
dollars each, and shall deliver to such
state, territory, or municipality ninety
nine per centum of the treasury notes
so issued, and shall retain one per cent
um in the treasury, which shall be
placed in the current expense fund to
defray the expense of engraving, dis
bursting and taking care of this depart
ment. Such Treasury notes shall be
full legal tender for all debts and taxes,
both public and private, in the United
States.
SEC. 2. That the state, territory, or
municipality availing itself of the priv
ileges of section one shall pay out such
treasury notes in giving employment to
its own citizens, who shall be employed
in the construction and operation of
public works, sach as roads. bridges.
canals, improving waterways, or in the
construction of school aDd other public
buildings, or in the construction and
operation Of public utilities of any kind
whatsoever, to be owned and used by
such state, territory, or municipality.
In all employment under this act the
compensation to employees shall be not
less than one dollar and fifty cents per
working day of eight hours, the same
rate to be paid both men and women.
SEC. 3. That any state, territory, or
municipality issuing bonds under this
act, shall levy and collect an annual tax
on all the taxable property of the state,
territory, or municipality, sufficient to
pay into the United States treasury, in
legal tender money. each year, not less
than four per centum of the total
amount received from the United States
treasury until the whole shall have
been repaid. The treasurer of the
United States shall cancel and retire.
OF the treasure n0tas Iscnnd ,,nsar @b;c
act. each year an amount equal to the
payments so made; and the bonds shall
be cancelled by the treasurer of the
United States aud returned to the state.
territory. or municipality issuing the
same as fast as paid.