Decatur Democrat, Volume 41, Number 14, Decatur, Adams County, 17 June 1897 — Page 4

THE DEMOCRAT PUBLISHED WEEKLY. DEMOCRATIC PRESS rVRUIsIIING CO 1 ~ LEW G. ELLINGHAM,-EDITOR. $1,50 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE. Entered at {lie. Post office nt Decatur. Indiana as Second (’lass Mail Matter. OFFICIAL PAPER OF ADAMS COUNTY. u _ u -w-v-w—v-v -V V U M .M M W—«r-v-V■V—ir x. a, a' Fpoor PRINTING f t POOR PROFITS. We get out a class of printing J I that is superior to [lie "general j run." Good printing paw. J DEMOCRAT s t B 'OK AND JOB 3 G PRINTER Y. K in n jCja—a— n_-n--n_-A_n n -/i_n—n—n-

THURSDAY, JUNE 17. The published statement of Decatur’s financial condition is wh it the taxpavers want to see. Prompt-; ness would be golden in this instance. The owners and holders of the credits and securities of the country have been under the impression that they could go through the ordeal of adjusting Hie property and business of the country to the ;1|)perciating gold standard, and that the full force of the blow would j have to be borne by the, producing J and debtor cla-ses. naßunM eavaanraaß«<MßHW3v*iaro»>*w Wk fear the southern people who are declining to turn out and ; hear Air. Bynum depict, the horror j of dishonest money, misunderstand the gentleman. xMr. By num charges no admission fee, nor does he take up a collection. He pays his owi hall rent, his own gas bills and hitraveling expenses Mr. Bynum makes this sacrifice of time and money merely to save us from an era of fiftV'Cent dollars. Let the southern people turn out and be | terror stricken by this feerless Hoosier lecturer. Nothing could more clearly demonstrate the selfishness and grab game nature of “protection.” as,seen by the average .republican senator, than the attempt of benator Quay to get a good thing lor two or three big concerns which are interested in Cuban and Nova Scotia iron ore, by offering an amendment to the tariff bill, exempting from the duly of forty cents a ton, ail iron on imported by manufacturers fortheirown use. These friends of Mr. Quay are about all the manufacturers in the-country who import iron ore for their Oven use. A high wool tariff stimulates the sheep industry, makes sheep very plenty, mutton low and wool cheap; while woolen goods, flannels and stockings are dearer. Free -wool permits the sheep industry to stand on a solid i mndation. It neiihei booms the business nor destroys it Then the price is regulated by th. supply and demand. Flannels art naturally cheaper and the great mass of consumers.reap the benefits Comparatively tew men in tne United States are engaged in raising sheep, while all the people are consumers of woolen goods.—Columbia City Post. The citizens and taxpayers of Decatur are entitled by moral and legal right to a report of the conditions of the city finances. The statutes are perhaps a little lame and fail to require the city officers to publish such a statement, but it is nevertheless due our people, and should be laid before them in detail. The officers of Adams county every canipaign are subjected to criticism and are alluded to by republican politicians as thieves, rogues and everything else that pertain to corruption and dishones’y. Nevertheless, these same officers are required by law to report the business of their several officers and they do report same In this issue you will find the an nual statement of the financial condition of the various funds of Adams county, as reported by Auditor Mangold and approved by the board of county Commissioners. It is right, just and properfhat this report should be published, so that any taxpayer may know the county’s indebtedness, the amount of money collected and where same is applied and paid out. The officers of the city should do likewise, and the common council should see that it is done. This matter devolves; entirely upon the council. The officer or officers, whose duty it is to make such a report, have no right to do so, unless so ordered by I “the council. The taxpayers wanti to see a report, and any councilman who in any way resists having such a statement made, lends* color to his official conduct. This is an important matter and it’s neglect’ will reap just abuse upon any conn cilipan who resists it. Let’s have the report.

LOCKWOOD IN A WASHINGTON WHAT HE SEES AND HEARS OF INTEREST TO HOOSIERS. House Members RetiiriilnK In Expectation of Early Action on the Tariff Bill.' Doubts Concerning Appointment oi ( urrenev Commission —lmliimilS New < rop, of Postmaster —Johnson’s Talking liecord, Etc. From Our Special Correspondent. Washington, June 16. —Several of the Indiana members of the house, who have been sojouring in Hoosierdom, have returned this week to Washington, and all are expected back within a few days in anticipation of the return of the tariff bill from the senate, which, it is thought, may be exported at an early date. It is not thouiffit probable that the bill will remain long in conference committee, as the senate has already surrendered on almost every essential point, and Republican, members of the ■ways and means committee express a willingness to make every consistent concession which will promote expedition in the passage of the law. The new measure may bo upon the statute books within a month. An anxiety for adjournment is manifest in both the senate and the house. Whether adjournment is to be delayed by another message from the president, asking the appointment of a commission with authority to report a plan of currency reform to congress in December, is still problematical. Senator Fairbanks is in favor of the appointment of such a commission, but. with other leading Republicans, doubts whether favorable ac- ■ tion can be secured in the senate on this proposition of the; might be possible to push such a measIndianapolis 1 mfflietary conference It ure throuuh the house while the tariff

fe. la & (X . ..*3L„, z rWI ißffih MB-SC'AiB steagi? SENATOR JONES OF ARKANSAS, bill is in conference, but- some doubt is expressed on this point, for the majority in the house would hardly present so solid a front upon such a proposition as it has upon-the tariff question. Within limitations, all shades of opinion are represented in the-majority on the currency question, from members who folfow Senator Chandler in the advocacy of bimetallism to those Who believe with Mr. Johnson, of our own state, that the single gold standard forms the only basis for a sound .financial system. In the senate the opposition t th • measure .woqjd probably muster a majority, am' it is reason dJv c Train that a prolonged" debate would follow JtUfintrqduction. That would mean the projection of the present session into the autumn months, which of course would render the appointment of a commission futile by preventing any opportunity for itsdeHbjrrations during the vacation. This is-'the threat of Senator Jones of Arkansas, and what Senator Jones savs goes on the the Democratic side of the senate chamber. He and his Democratic colleagues insist that congress “is able to settle its own problems without the intervention, of the Indianapolis conference or of a commission appointed at its suggestion.” —»**— “It would simply mean,” said an Indiana member of the old Republican faith to your correspondent, “a continu’ ous performance of congress from December, 1896, until the summer of 1898 and that is unprecedented. Most of s have our desks full of private bills which we have promised our constituents shall have consideration as soon aS ‘she committees are appointed. Then we have told those of our constituents who are seeking federal appointments that the administration will distribute its favors when the tariff bill has passed. Even that assurance has been comfortless to those of us Avho understand just how many disappointments there are going to be for every appointment. Perhaps a well distributed hope would be better than a lot of well located disappointments, but ;we and the candidates want it over with, for better or for worse. Probably when it is over we will feel that we have troubles enough on our hands without anticipating any in the legislative line that are bound to come with the next session anyway.” And the Hoosier member wore a worried look which seemed to indicate that being a congressman in this year of grace is not exactly one grand sweet symphony. —*** — .The next Session is to be notable from several standpoints, and Republican nulnibers admit that all signs do not point to smooth sailing. Senator Fairbanks is expected to report early in the session from the committee on immigration, of which he is chairman, a substitute for the McCall bill, which President Cleveland vetoed. Mr. Fairbanks says that there is a surprisingly general sentiment among wage earners in industrial centers, and particularly in ; the Indiana gasbelt, in favor of protection against the influx df cheap labor from southern Europe. The interest of the session will of course center about financial legislation, and the keynote of the congressional campaign of 1898 will , be sounded during the extended debate. Then a struggle over the civil service law seems inevitable, and this may in--3 w ith the administration. The Cuban question will probably be as thoroughly alive then as it is now, and all in all members of congress may be excused for a desire to rest up preparatory to the work before them. i —»%— W. W. Canada of Winchester, who has been appointed consul to Vera Crus

at $3,000 a year, will leave for his post this week. Mr. Canada is the first member of the Indiana “push” which came to Washington at.|lio time of rhe inauguration who has landed an office. Colonel Holloway thinks he will be next, or. more properly speaking, that ho is alreadyn'next.” # —* •* — The ship canal scheme which contemplates the connecting of .the lakes with the Wabash and Ohio rivers is still of interest to Indiana members of congress. The bill making an appropriation fora preliminary survey was shelved during the first session of the Fifty-fourth congress and along with all other similar projects has received no attention at the hands of congress during the present session. “Os course,” said Representative Faris to your correspondent, “wo can hardly expect anything during the next session on account, of the disposition of congress to shelve all bills of lo* cal import which carry appropriations. In fact, it may be a long time before congress can be induced to act in the premises. But the younger generation of Indianians will live to see the ship canal a reality with vessels moving from Lake Erie or Lake Michigan to the Ohio and thence to the Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico. There will be no such improvements in freight carrying methods during that time as will cheapen the cost of conveyance to the point, possible in canal carriage. It would be of incalculable benefit to the people, not only of Indiana but of the entire northwest, by giving us ports from which our products could be shipped to European markets. To show the cheapness of water carriage a ton of coal can lx shipped from New York to Liverpool cheaper than it can be sent by rail to Albany, so that European producers have ihe advantage of us on that score even on the Atlantic seaboard. —»*♦ — The members of the board of managers of national military homes, whe i visited the .soldiers' hone at Marion last week, are now on their way to Califor- 1 nia in continuance of their tour of inspection. I’ is a matter of comment i among members of the board that the Marion home is in management and , 1 general discipline equal to any of the i homes in the chain which extends from I Togus, Me., to Los Angeles, Cal. Gov-1 'eruor Chapman, who has charge of the Marion institution, is Considered an especially efficient official. Many improvements were in evidence at the inspection this year, and others are in contemplation, especially in the way of beautifying th® - grounds. The grounds I are extensive and the buildings hand-1 some, and it is hoped that the Marion I home may yet become as widely knowi for its attractiveness as the one at Dayton, 0., which used to be a favorite objective point for Indiana excursionists General W. B. Franklin, president of the board of managers, who was at Marion with the inspection party, w~» the honor man of the class at West Point in which General Grant graduated.

Indiana still leads other states in the number of'fourth clak§ postmasters supplanted by the appointment of Repub Reaps. Partly this is because morr ' terms have expired in Indiana than el"?-1 where so early in the adniinistrat on. ■ The Hoosier state has more politics i- . the square inch than any other state i.. ! the Union, am) this led to the early re-: moval of postmasters during the last I three administrations. It is rumored I that the ax will be operated even more j rapidly after July 15, and that Fourth As- ; sistant Postmaster General Bristow will relieve all postmasters where two appointments were made during the la * administration without waiting for four years to elapse and this policy may H followed with offices of the president!;., class.. —»*» — Among the diplomatic appointments sent to the s mate last week was one of Indiana interest—that of Henry L. Wilson to be minister to Chili. Mr. Wilson is a brother of Senator Wilson of Washington, and is a native of Crawfordsville, where he practiced law for several years after graduating from Wabash college in 1879. Later he was editor of the Lafayette Journal, and from Lafayette went to Washington, where he has since resided. He was t delegate to the St. Louis convention. Mr. Wison’s father, James Wilson, who was defeated by Daniel Voorhees fo r congress in the Terre Haute district: many years ago, was minister to Venezuela after the war and died at his post. Mr. Wilson came on last week from Indianapolis, where he had been the guest of friends, and expects to go to his post within a few weeks. —•»** — For some, time after the advent of James Hamilton Lewis of Washington into the house it was thought that Representative Johnson’s previously unbroken record for .rapid-fire talking was in danger of being disturbed. Mr. Lewis is a flaxen-haired and flaxen-whiskered statesman whose immaculate dress anti Parisian suavity of manner made him an object both wonder and amusement when he first came upon the floor of the house. Since Mr. Lewis has had an opportunity to display his abilities on the floor, however, he has taken rank among the leaders on the Democratic side. Classical language flows from his lips with a rapidity and smoothness that is astonishing, and it is remarked that all of his oratory does not go through his shining tile. It was the general impression after Mr. Lewis’ first effort that Mr. Johnson would have to take a back seat in the language class, but the official reporters have lately come forward with the assertion that Mr. Johnson’s record of 230 words per minute, made during a speech on an election contest case some years ago, is still unbroken, and is likely-to remain so. On that occasion Mr. Johnson’s utterances swept the chamber with such cyclonic force that the unfortunate official reporters will never forget the struggle they were compelled to make in order to keep within hailing distance of the member from Richmond. Mr. Johnson is convalescing from his recent illness, and it is the hope of his friends that he will have Sufficiently recovered his health to be able to participate in the business of the next session with his usual ability and force. George B. Lockwood. -

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IN STAR CHAMBER SESSION. jr THE REPUBLICAN CITY “BUSINESS” ADMINISTRATION AGAIN ISSUE BONDS FOR THE , a BUILDING OF AN ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT BY A CITIZEN’S ELECTRIC j LIGHT COMPANY —NIT. Talk about your ward heeling business administration and the log rollers that manipulate the wires and looks after tne interests! of the “dear people”—the taxpayers of the city of Decatur. At Tuesday evenings session of the common council, without a word of waining to the public and the people who pay the bills, an ordinance was read three times and passed, the object and result of which will be to saddle an extra supply of bonded indebtedness upon the cor potation of this city. It was the grandest effort at railroading ever before witnessed in this place, and is a rank disgrace to every orue who officially participated, lire or dinance in question is one that grants a franchise to what was named in star chamber session, as the Citizens Eclectric Light Company. This franchise grants the privilege to this company to put in a plant adjoining the water works building anil to secure power for the running of the plant from the city. The company is to luruish the city with so much candle power lights, &c., and so on. Bonds are to be issued for $6,000, and more so it is not “exceeding the limit of indebtedness ” Good Lord, think iff that brazen effrontery. The limit has been exceeded so much that it is threadbare. It is simply a concocted scheme to form a stock company, which will only be known in name, and the city to be in reality the sole owner. The purpose is simply to pile up the city’s indebtedness without even the counesy of informing the public. It is wr ng and the people should rebel. We are as much in favor of the city owning an electric light plant —if it is able— as any one can be, but we can’t sit idly by and witness such star chamber corruption, without warning the victims —the taxpayers. The indebtedness of Decatur from every known source should he laid bare before the critical eye of every taxpayer. They demand a glance at the souvenir in all its nakedness. Uncover the ghost. What is a trust? A trust is an organization of capitalists, made in .violation of law, to extort unfair prices from the people for the necessities of life, and protected bv republican legislation and republican officials.—Sentinel. Senator Hanna is very anxious that the tariff be pushed along and become a law, as he says the business interests of the country are suffering greatly, and will continue to suffer until the tariff is fixed, when he promises the era of prosperity so heralded abroad and so earnestly longed for, will at once appear. He does not say that the millenium will absolutely be here, but he thinks that a good, strong tariff bill passed, with a reasonable amount of political sagacity exercised in Ohio, that at the round-tip this fall McLean will find that he is not in it.

. / SEE! SEE! SEE! i in sm ji': 1 ! I UIU U ’UUJ .> qy'ti-Br'i I *" 1 Have secured this elegant , * ny . ■ ■ Ladies’ Recker, which far excels the one previously advertised, and will have a special h -L X ' ■ Sele ’ ‘ || Saturday; June 19, g./ At which time they will > sell the above chair at $1.49. It ■ / . ■" 'fe—X early and leave X your orders.

The officers of Decatur do business on the quiet. Their long suit seems to he the issuing of bonds, "which requires but one meeting of the city dads. Tariff agitation in congress still continues unabated, while prosperity under the gold standard is as far from a realty as ever. McKinley still continue?, to hold that golden key, altho November 3, 1896, is long past due. Press the button, start the smoke and jet’s have the honey. Hon. Robert W. Mikes of the Second Indiana district, bids fair to become the especial champion of the interests of the old soldiers in the Fifty-fifth congress. Although a democrat, his sympathies and interest for this honored class of our citizens, whom he believes it the duty of the government to protect in every way, is haflte to make of him the recognized leader ot the house in all matters pertaining to the best interests of our nation’s defenders. One of the commissioners called our attention to the reduction of the county debt by $11,060 as an evidence of good management. We reminded him that that was an indication of prosperity and then he tried to squirm out of it. If not an indication of prosperity then it must mean a heavier rate of taxation than nedessary. Taite your choice.— Journal. It does not necessarily need to mean either an indication of prosperity or heavier taxation. Economics practiced in public affairs would come nearer analyzing the true condition of the above. CONGRESSMAN FoWLER of New Jersey, has a bill now before the committee of ways and means of the House of Representatives, providing for aitanff commission. The bill provides for a commission of seven to be appointed by the president, with the advice and consent of the senate, and whose term <>f office shall be twenty-one years. The first board is to be appointed for twentv-one, eighteen, fifteen, twelve, nine, six, and three years, respectively, and the incumbent of the longest term is to be chief of the commission. The bill makes it the duty ot the commission to investigate all questions of federal taxation and report annually to the president on or before, the first day of November, with “ such recommendations as it may deem proper for changes in import duties and revenue tax. ;

The Cycler’s Point of View. He —Have you ever run into any one? She —Oh, no, but several persons have been rude enough to walk into me without even apologizing!—Chicago Record. Stage Struck. “It seems strange, ” said Barnstormer to a friend, “that when an egg isn’t good for anything else it goes on the stage.”—Yonkers Statesman. Yet Another One. Mary had a little lamb. I wish she hadn’t had, For she is directly responsible for four million three Hundred and seventy-five thousand two hundred and sixty-five quatrains, And all of them are bad. —New York Sunday Journal.

4th ft ; of J lily Decatur will Celebrate Saturday Joly 3rd. Witch for Particulars.