Year: 1866

D0m't 1Oucn H.


A new scheme is on foot. which. If car
ried out, will be another gigantic swindle
upon the State. Whatever may b' the de-
sign Of the measure. We believe it was
first promulgated by Gov. Carney. in q
letter to gentleman Of Baldwin City.
Douglas County. The proposition is.
that the Legislature pass law under
which the State shall become responsible
for the payment Of the Bonds voted by the
various Counties to aid in the construc.
tion Of Railroads-that is. shall guarantee
the payment of principals aud interests.
To begin with, this would be an indirect
violation of our Constitution. which says
that the State shall never become party
in carrying on works Of internal improve
ment. Bot even If it were lawful, glance
will show in what position it would
place the State. Counties could vote
bonds to oil the moonsbine Railroads
projected. and the State would guarantee
their payment. Spsrsely settled Counties
could vote Bonds to real railroads. to an
amount ten times as great as the value Of
oil their taxable property but what nat
tsrs it to them +? They may never be
able to pay them but the State has guar
anteed them, which will place them almost
at par, and secure the Railroad. This is
all the Counties want. and the State may
psy the expenses. Counties which have
refused to rush headlong into the Bond
business, would become. in their proper
tion, responsible for the debts of those
that did go in. and in case of the failure
of said Cou.ies to nest their obligations,
would have to be taxed to pay their debts
Lssvenworth County is said to be in deb.
more than double the amount Of the Kan
sas Stats debt, principally on the Railroad
Bond business. and will probably never
be able to get out; but if the State would
become responsible for the debt. they
could not desire q better thing.


What nice times such Q law would
bring about County Boards might
take whim not to levy tax to pay the
interest on their bonds. The State ia
security, and the people of all the Coun-
ties must be taxed to pay it. II Coun.
ty is in so deep that it cannot meet it's
obligations, or if the times should become
so hard that the people could not pay
their taxes, then the State is pledged to
the payment of County Indebtedness, and
must tax the people or 60 in debt to meet
the demand. Then, how is Legislature,
10 January or February. to know what
Counties will fail to make payment on
the first of July or January. following and
to what amount? and how are they to know
what amount oftax to levy, or what other
provisions to make. to NEE. obligations
that will fall back on the State! 1t nigh,
not be so pleasant for the taxpayers
but it would be fat thing for the capi.
tsiists and spectators who have bougb,
up County Bonds at fifty cents on the
dollar.


But perhaps We don't understand this
question-it may be claimed that the law
can be so guarded as to avoid all of the
evils we have referred to. Well, we don't
prete dso understand anything about these
deep financial questions; bat nevertheless
it smells OF big swindle. We hope the
Legislature will determine that fhe peo.
pie shall never know anything about it,
from experience; for it is a piece Of ex
perience that will cost them dearly.