Decatur Democrat, Volume 41, Number 39, Decatur, Adams County, 9 December 1897 — Page 6

THE DEMOCRAT EVERY THURSDAY MORNING BY LEW G. ELLINGHAM, PUBLISHER. 41.50 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE. Entered at the Postofflce at Decatur, Indiana as Second-Class Mail Matter. OFFICIAL PAPER OF ADAMS COUNTY. THURSDAY, DEC. 9. Electric lights at thirty-five cents a month beats sixty cents all hollow. Now reduce it some more. Congress convened at noon Monday, and this fact will be pointed to as another sign of prosperity that somehow fails to prosper. It is nor time for that finance committee of the council to dig up that promised report of the financial condition of the city. It has been many months since the promise was made and the people are tired of waiting. Col. Dick Bright is now in trouble at Washington for having prohibited the sale of intoxicants at the capitol building. And this is a republican congress and Bright a measly democrat. Just think of the outrage, if you can. Wb congratulate the council upon their acceptance of the Democrat’s suggestion to rates of incandescent lights. It was right and proper to reduce their former outragous rate, and now it will be right and proper to make further rate reductions. Take off the tariff. Senator Daniels has been reelected United States senator from Virginia. Many Adams county democrats will remember tne distinguished statesman at the last na tional convention at Chicago. He is a democrat of the old school and is as brilliant as they make them. It has been announced that Myron D. King of Indianapolis, is the latest aspirant for the democratic nomination of clerk of the supreme court, 'lhe other candidates at this time are M. D. Youtz, Henry Warrum and Joseph Reily of Indianapolis, Allen W. Clark of Greensburg, C. W. Wellman of Sullivan, and R. K. Erwin of this city.

=< HOLIDAY NOVELTIES. /VP-FT HAVE JUST THE GREATEST LINE OF HOLIDAY NOVELTIES Tn our FURNISHING DEPARTMENT ever brought to the city.

Neckwear. Choiest Neckwear in all the latest shape, patterns and designs, extra heavy quality, Satin, Puffs, Tecks, Imperials and Four-in-Hand. Price 25 and 50 cents. /Mufflers. A large assortment of all the latest effects at popular prices. Handkerchiefs. Largest assortment of Kerchiefs of plain and fancy border with and without Initials, Linen and Silks in all grades. All prices. Hat and Cap Department is still complete with all the latest shapes and styles at Popular Prices.

Give us a call when in I—l/-—>l+ I—Ai* . need of anything in our * * iv/11l IV-/L—4»— * •> line. We will save you _. . ~ money. The Leading Clothiers.

The democratic central committee will meet in this city Saturday of next week. Candidates before the primary, their friends and other* who wish to attend the meeting will hereby take notice. So far a* we have been able to learn the candidates favor an ear'y primary. It is with considerable pride that we refer our readers to the many d'splay advertisements in this week’s Democrat. The holidays are approaching and it will pav any reader to post up on prices. The careful readingof newspaper advertisements will save money tor any purchaser. The Journal says that they can verify the fact that the tax rate made by the commissioners, is much higher for the last year or two than formerly. The county tax rate for 1896 was 46| cents, for 1897, it was 44 cents, and for 1898 reduced again to 42 cents. Oh yes, they can verify the fact, any tact in fact that is not a fact. For the benefit of those who may not know, we will state that the Democrat will take no part in the coming county prinary. Each and every candidate will receive the same treatment by us, and after the successful candidates are nominated then we will take both pride and pleasure in doing justice to them and the party that nominated them. At the present time, however, it is not our fight. The poatoffic department at Washington deserve commendation for their official action in closing the mails to all newspapers that print advertisements offering chances in any disguised lottery scheme, such as missing letter words, guessing, etc. These swin dies have been shown up as often as the green goods business, but as long as they could advertise they could always find new victims. This office offers anv reasonable reward for any a d all ft s found on the advertising merchants of Decatur who are this week represented in the columns of the Democrat. It shows more enterprise of our merchants than any publication ever presented to the public by any office in this city. It will also place Decatur in the proper light abroad, and is worth much as an advertiser of our city. Merchant* who are not in the swim should ponder well, and then do likewise.

Many memb-rs of cong'es* are already outspoken against the postal saving- bank scheme From what little study we have given the subject, we feel coiisirained to believe that it is nothing short of what the a term it—a scheme—and one ilia' will not bi m fit the people as it's prom >ters would have us believe. Give the people go. d hanking laws. For instance a law that wi 1 nm make a hero of a defaulting bank cashier, and the people will tie amply protected. Democrats are not behind the republicans in j lining in the general sympathy extended to Mr. McKinley because of the great sorrow which has come upon him through the dying agonies of his mother For the time, the strong opposition to the reccommendattotis of his annual message is held in obeyai ce, and the criticism to which the message is open remains unspoken. In the presence of 'he angel of death, as it wer*, any display of partisanship wou'd be uuseeinmgly. Among ihe early discussions in congress will be the subject of civil service, an i it is ibe belief of mans that the present law will either be repealed or amended out of recognition, in spite of the well known devotion of President McKinley to the continuance and extension of the classified service. While we have never been a favorite of the law, further than it maintained the selection of cmpe'ent employes. Ye it remains for the republicans to re move even this barrier to the filling of every conceivable office witn a republican.

Senator Fairbanks and Representative Over-treet are about the only members of the Indiana delegation who are expecting any definite action on the currency question dur tng the present session. Several Indiana members of the house are openly against currency legislation, such as will likelv be proposed b\ the commission appointed by the Indtanapol’s conference, while others content themselves with the statement that no action in this direction could be expected from the senate, and that debate in the bouse would only tend to unsettle business. There has not been a session of congress for many yea r s, bv the wav, at which tbe legislative programme wa* so much in doubt at the time of assembling.

You Can Go to Alaska...

* n one our Storm Ulsters and never feel the cold. They’re made of soft, thick Shetlands and Montagnacs, of heavy Frieze or warm Beaver, with splendid linings and great, deep collars to pro- / ■'■J©' I '!' tect tbe h ea d a nd ears. E Talk about comfort 1 why, a u '’"'Ss man carries U right with hint when he wearsone of these. Our prices are just as easy as the u ' sters are CMJ ? 00( i’ an d we guarantee the j| WO' /WWiJ'ffl quality of every ulster we I’ ■ taWwl M s£ h- You can 't ma k e a mistake if you stick to this li UK/ label: t / ■HI i iEV •■'.J I 'Ail®win GUARANTEED CLOTHING.

Representative Allen of MissisKippi, Who e j 'VS the reputation of being the wittiest man tn the house, say-: “Down tn Mosis-ippi h ive "not as yet been deluged With prosperity. The advance agent ts tarning a long tune on his way to our section. I’llnle, (Mr Allens, town), i* waiting for him and will tuvehttna bra-8 band reception. O >r people, however, are not suf feri"g for the necessities of life. We live ni’d'S'ly and contentedly, and are long <n hog and honunv, however short we may be on flbhy lucre. We do not go much on clipping coupons, but as the poet well says, ‘We are the people.’” Attorneys Mann and France for lhe city and Attorneys Erwin and Hooper for Mr. Edwards were in B uffton ves'erdav arguing a demurrer in the electric lighting case.—Journal. This is the first knowledge the public will have that the city has a defense to make tn this ease. A« we U' derstand it, the suit is against Coverdale et al., individually, and i hat Judge Heller refused the defethian's the privilege of dragging the city into the disgrace and exp nse of helping defend the riotous aC'H of a council. It mav bethough, ihat'he Journal is under the misguiding impression that Coverdale et *1 are the city, or in other words the whole thing. President McKinley's message to congress will be found complete in this issue. Among the recom mendations the message declares that the time is not ripe for the recognition of Cuban insurgents; urges revision of the currency, advocates extension of national banks to small towns with a minimum capital of $-25,000; that banks be allowed to raise notes to the full amount of bond* held; urges annexa'imof Hawaiian Islands; advocates revision of national quarantine laws and the appointment of acorn-m-ssion to locate yellow fever germ. and many other matters that are agitating the pnb'tc mind. The democratic state enmmittee held their first meeting at Indianapolis Tuesday. Some two hundred prominent and active democrats were present at the meeting. The large attendance was a surprise, as no preparations had been made for the reception of such an enthusiastic au lienee as was present. 1 A sort of a love feast was held and speeches were made by Claule

Matthews, John G. Shanklin, John E. Lamb, B. F. Shtvelv.S M. Rais- i ton, W E. English, Frank Burke, i John W. Kern and a score of others. < It has been settled beyond any ’ doubt that the democratic party < will go into the campaign next I .year ‘standing squarely and emphatically upon the Chicago platform in every particular. The olive branch will be held out, however, to the gold democrats, allowing them to return and repent. The sentiment from every corner of the state looks bright for the democrats, and unless all signs fail in dry weather, the state will be redeemed from republ'Can misrule. The state committee named January 11 as the date for holding the district meetings for the selection of members of the state committee. It is likely that at ’he meeting of the county committee on December 18, tha' delegates to the district meeting will be appointed. According to advices from Washington, the American Protective As-ociatton has gone to the wail. The A. P. A., as it is more familiarly called, was organized for the purpose of antagonizing the elevation of public office of those who either belong to or are in sympathy with the Catholic church. The organization at once became a powerful factor in national, state and local politics, and for a time it began to look as though the A. P. A’s. were going to rule the roost. But an institution that attempts to proscribe a certain class of citizens because of their religious belief is diametrically opposed to the lettter and spirit ot the Constitution of the United States, and it could not possibly be of very long life, lhe Constitution grants people the right to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience and a Catholic has just as much right to hold office in this country as” a Methodist, a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or what not. The A. P. A., therefore, was an object of popular reproach from its very inception, and it attracted to its membership only ths narrow-minded and bigotted element. Its platform was to keep Catholics out of the offices in order that the offices might be pre-empted for the A. P. A’s. And when the members of the organization failed to get the offices, the or ganization had no fun her excuse for existence and it died of inanition.—St. Mary’s Graphic.

Umbrellas. Just received the choicest line of Umbrellas in all colors, Black. Green. Purple, Blue, Brown and Garnet. Just the thing for a Xmas present. We have the largest assortment of Smoking Jackets, Fancy Suspenders, Gloves of all grades and colors, Night Shirts Full Dress Shirts, Fancy Shirts, in fact anything that belongs to the Gent’s Furnishing Department. In Our Merchant Tailoring Department we show the handsomest line of Worsteds ana. Woolen Suiting you ever laid your eyes on. Prices within reach of all.

The democratic party i ßof co ready to receive any repentent 81D ner who returns and gives evidence of repentance, but the prodigal 80n who comes back and demand* half ot all that is left gets no fatted calf Stuffed club is good enough for him —Sentinel. The city council in a manner came to themselves Tuesday eveQ . ing, and made a straight fin ra i e for incandescent electric lights The rate named is thirty-five cents per month for each light. While the rate is yet high, especially where more than one light is used, yet it is much more acceptable to the people than the meter rate, which was unfair and outragous. Now if lhe city will schedule their rate where a number ot lights are used then the public will take pleasure tn using the light, and the revenue derived by the city will be more adequate and the maintainance of the plant more assured. In February 1896, President Cleveland and Secretary Carlisle borrowed 1112,000,000 f i"r the treasury. They borrowed this money to enable the government to pay its way, the revenues being less than the expenditures. Since that tim& the government has been spending greatly more than it has been getting. Up to the month of October it spent $31,399,439 of this borrowed money, in addition to all the money it received in the mean time from tariff duties and international revenue receipts. At this rate the borrowed money will presently be exhausted. Then what will the government do? Borrow again? Go deeper and deeper into debt, and imitate the Southern planter who, giving his note for a debt, said, “Thank God, that debt is paid?” Or will congress take bold ot this matter in a rational way? The problem is perfectly simple. We have a revenue of easily ascertainable amount. Congress should either provide additional revenue or rigidly restrict the national expenditures to the measure of the national income. The principles are precisely the same ia the i case of an individual and m that of i a nation. Borrowed money is not • an asset but a liability, and the I man or nation that spends beyond - the measure of income must either go deeper into debt or fail to meet > obligations. This is one of the - most pressing questions that will confront the present congress.