Decatur Democrat, Volume 44, Number 51, Decatur, Adams County, 28 February 1901 — Page 4

THE DEMOCRAT BVBRY THURSDAY HORSING BY LEW a. ELLINOHAM. PuMUher. »1 00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE. Entered at the postoffice at Decatur. Indiana as second-class mall matter. OFFICIAL PAPER OF ADAMS COUNTY. THURSDAY, FEB. 28. Tom L. Johnson, the single taxer of Cleveland, is a candidate for mayor of that city. Huntington newspapers are swelling up their city officials for landing two kids who were imitating Pat Crowe, the Omaha kidnapper. Mrs. C. W. Fairbanks the wife of the senior Indiana senator, was last Friday honored by being chosen president of the society of Daughters of American Revolution. J. Pierpont Morgan drew a check the other day which was made to pay on presentation the snug sum of $32.000,000. This is the first time we was ever beaten at this kind of business, but the belt belongs to Mr. Morgan.

What has become of that expressed agitation in which free mail delivery and a new Clover Leaf depot was so freely discussed. No use letting it die abornin’. A little concerted action of the right kind may have desired effect. Let’s get a real move on us. The Hon. Samuel E. Morss Indi ana’s editor, for president, is the latest political gossip on the boards. This is gratifying indeed and would be pleasing to many of the friends of Mr. Morss. and by the way. they are not limited to the boundary of Indiana, by any means. Indiana has now burned a negro at the stake, and can no longer laugh at the barbarism displayed in Ohio and elsewhere. While it’is not policy to uphold such indignities against the law. yet such instances a« that at Terre Haute, makes a man wish he were there to give the rope an extra jerk and the fire a punch. A similar outrage occurred at Indianapolis. In a recent issue of the Commoner Mr. Bryan wants to know what will happen if we continue to place the dollar before the man. This- was given a practical demonstration last week, by the Indiana law makers and gentlemen who wanted certain bills to become laws, and the question is easily answered. If we continue to place the dollar before some men. Mr. Brvan. the dollar will disappear' Indianai>olis Sun. On Monday next Mr. McKinlev will l>e reinaugurated president of the ’ United States, and Mr. Roosevelt will l>e sworn in as vice-president. Soon thereafter there will bea new attorney general, and possibly other changes ! in the cabinet. Now is a good time to be amiable all around. There is a <-ertain degree of patriotic support which a decent administration is entitled to from all parties, and let us hope that the second aiiministrtion of McKinley will be good. If the people do not entirely like it they ean call a halt in the house of representatives next fall. Enquirer.

I I jb p K M I I I Woolens for Spring. Y Ol R ATTENTION is called to our new assortment of 1901 Spring Woolens for ® Tailor made Suits and Trousers. A handsomer line has never been shown 1 before. All the new fabrics in Vicunas, Unfinished Worsteds, Thibets, Cheviots in H Blacks and Blues and the Fancy Flannels, which are so popular now, are shown here in large quantities. Be extend a special invitation to you to call in and inspect our stock H of suitings and trousers. Our prices are as low as the lowest and workmanship is guar- P anteed to be the best. Vours Respectfully, I Holthouse, Schulte & Company, i ® '* •* >* s

’ All the extravagance of a repub lican congress is not connected with ; the big appropriations, although thev makajhe most fuss and are naturally heanTthe most of. The appropriations of the present i congress will reach a billion dollars, and we guess the constitutional limit is not in sight any too soon. The principal feature of the session will be its rank extravagance. The job of whitewashing Superintendent Hert, shows signal ability of ■ those g. o. p. members. We suppose • this inspiration also comes direct from the throne, of which they claim tie trusteeship in fee simple. ’ It now appears that Senator Platt, the notorious New York boodler. is taking a hand in shaping the laws to be made by the statesmen at Indianapolis. If there is anything a republican legislator likes to do it is to meekly follow in the foot-steps of the man. with a barrel. The St. Louis exposition which is due in 1903. is now assured of fifteen million dollars to pay the expense of j surne. Congress gave five million of i this sum. St. Louis five million, and the state of Missouri five million. With this sum they will be able to

blow themselves real handsomely. Next Monday will be Hanna day in Washington. The inauguration of his president will lie due on this eventful day. and great are the preparations now in progress. Never before has such grandeur and spec ■ tacular display lieen seen there as will lie in evidence oc the second inauguration of President McKinley. The corporations have ruled the Indiana general assembly with a high hand. They hare not passed a twll directed against the dangerous encroachments of capital, while on the other hand thev have passed a number for the financial benefit of these great corporations. In addition to this no provision has been made for the vote buver. It all mfeaas that the pious grand old party intend to cling to power through the corrupt aid furnished by the corporations. Sats the New York Herald: "No glove fights in Ohio, no liquor in Kansas. no bachelors i after forty years c-f age i in Connecticut and no Chief of Police in New York what will the t wen t iet h cent ury come to ?” W hit her. indeed, are we "drifting?’’ Justice does not keep pace with the sweeping flood of the centuries. It is hard on the men to compel! them to marrv after the women have taken their situations from them and left them wandering on the streets begging the price of a drink. Credit will lie due to democrats in congress for whatever reduction of war taxes the country gets. The republicans fully intended to kill the 1 bill in conference, but when thev i found out that all of the democrats in the house, and enough republicans to I make a majority, were determined to head off that scheme, the leaders at once ordered that a compromise be patched up in conference between the house and senate bills. That compromise will not, of course, in anv sense, be a democratic measure, but it will make some reduction in war taxes that would not have l*en made, if the democrats had been less agres give.

Decatur is the best town in the universe. You can hear such com inendatory remarks every day in the week, and from strangers too. especially if theyeomefrom Bluffton this way. Governor Di rbin has issued a second proclamation to those looking for snaps under him, and thev consist of the larger part of his constituency, that no applications will be considered or appointments made, until after the adjournment of the legislature. The Muncie normal school graft has been withdrawn and will not be considered bv the present set of grafters now on duty at the state capital. The cause leading to this withdraw! was the fact that there were too many other questionable bills that had precedence. The investigation of the Woman’s prison shows more brutal treatment of the inmates than could be thought possible in this age of enlightenment. It would not be out of place to give the management a slight dose of its own medicine and then relieve them of any further responsibility at the institution. It is estimated that -0.000 horses and mules have l»*>n shipped from this country to South Africa during the Boer war. They were war sup plies, without which the British could not posssiblv have successfully contended against the Boers. They are tarnishing to the British government in violation of the recognized duty of l a neutral to furnish no war supplies to either party. Sentinel.

Senate x M roan, in the minority report of the ct-mmittee on foreign reiati.cs oc the resolution declaring that the ratification erf the Hay-Ponce-fc-te treaty ;s »•:< a condition precedent to the ..x®strueti<-u of the Nicaragua Canal and that the United States sbcAild rr.veed with that work regardi—- :’t e Clayton-Bulwer agreement. wLit was adversely reported by a party rote, makes the possitive charge that Mr. McKinlev caused the Feaoiuticn to be adversely reported. The g. a p. is as good as it can be to the fellows who put up the boodle for the late campaign. Neither the national congress nor republican legislatures are laying a straw in the way of the trusts which continue to flourish and are gradually concentrating the wealth of the nation into few bands and killing off all small competition. But it is not strange that the republican party should be so grateful, for the trusts own the party, soul and body. Columbia City Post. Recb Williams, publisher of the Northern Inuianian. one of the oldest, and - we might as well own up to it th» best newspaper in northern Indiana, has began a systematic cam against the "dead beat" subscriber. This is the fellow you know, who after taking the paper for a period ranging from five to a hundred years, without paying a cent for it. refused to take it from the postoffice on the broad and humane grounds, that he never sub scribed for it. Last week’s issue of the Indianian contained the names, postoffice addresses and amounts due and owing that newspaper from that class of benevolent people. It was accompanied with a caustic supply of sarcasm and truth, that will cause every son of-a gun to itch, providing his name is written there. It is a drastic remed v, but the ease warrants , it.

The city officials are deserving of commendation for their efforts to oppress existing evilsand to uphold the laws and enforce them. Public opinion is always on the side of the law. and always will be. M hile we do not think Decatur is worse than other towns, or half as bad for that matter, vet there is always r *m for improvement of the morals of any town. The railroads can certainly congratulate the present legislature for the faithful way they have taken care of their corporate interests. The bill prohibitiug the voting of subsidies as well as the one limiting the amount of subsidies have been "kilt, as has also the two cent fare bill. On the other hand the railroad consolidation bill and other legislation which gives them undue authority, was passed without the objection of even a good sized kick. Another method of extravagance, which has flourished under this administration is connected with the enormous expenses piled up by some of the departmental bureaus. For instance. when congress provided for the bureau of animal industry of the department of agriculture, it provided for one chief at $3,000 a year, one clerk at $1,500, and twentv inspectors at SIO.OO a day. The expenses of that bureau during the last fiscal year, as shown by the official figures, have grown to nearly a million dollars. The Kirkland township voters could not do a better thing than to devote every spare minute from now until March 16, in portraying the merits and benefits of the two proposed macadamized roads. There is no other element that enhances the value of farm lands, or that speaks better for a community than good roads. It is a blessing that is worth many times its cost, and one that will ever be a monument to the thrift and industry of the people who are responsible for them. There is not a farm in Kirkland township but that will be benefitted by these roads, and in consequence they should receive the unanimous indorsement of every voter in the township. Work and vote for both roads.

The corporations have held high sway in the senate during the past two weeks. Tbeir most important victories have been the passage of the railroad consolidation bill, the Thompson tax-dodging bill and the defeat iof the quo warranto bill. A few minor bills are also to their credit. A favor able report has also been made on Joss’s bill allowing street railway companies to increase capital stock The bill will permit city and interim ban lines to water their stock as dee| as they please. The axe of the cor poration has fallen on the bill to re quire a low water alarm on boilersand to condemn worn out steamboats The street car companies and other public corporations, including the railroads, are quietly preparing t< choke Senator Wood's bill for the pro tection of lawvers. The bill pro vides that, when a damage suit i.compromised out of court by the plaintiff and defendant without th* knowledge of the attorney wh< brought the suit, the attorney ma* hold a lien against the company for his fee. The street car company is especially anxious about the bill. I nder it. if the company were to set tie a So,ooo damage suit for SSOO without the knowledge of the lawyer wh< brought it, be might claim a fee from the company above the amount paid i the injured party. Indianapolis Sun

PLANKS _ VIOLATED Two of the Republican Party’s Solemn Pledges Glaringly Scouted. LEGISLATIVE FAIILURES The Majority In the State Legislature Adopts Do-Nothing Policy. , — What It Fail* to Do For th* Peopl* It Makes Up In Service In Behalf of Corporations—Louis Ludlow Writes of Doing* of the Hootier Solon*, Dealing With Their Deeds ol Omission and of Commission — How An Autocratic Speaker Dominates the House. [Special Correspondence.] IndiamijHilis, Feb. 27. As the legislative session draws to a close it t>e- | comes evident that, aside from helping the railroad coni]mnies and fur--1 uishing Democratic capital in the cam paign next year, it will accomplish very little. It will lie noted for what it fails to accomplish for the people as well as for what it accomplishes in belialf of the corporations. By falling to enact any anti-trust or primary reform legislation worthy of the name, the legislature will utterly violate two of the principal planks of the last Republican state platform. Bills that have the impetus of powerful lobbies are the only ones, it seems, that will get through. By passing a bill that makes possible the formation of a gigantic railroad trust, the Republican members have added several nails to their party coffin. Many of the bills that seem destined to become laws are palpably crooked, while the charges of corruption and bribery that hover about this legislature, like Ranquo’s ghost, will not down at the command of the politicians. X—X—l .Speaker Art man has become a czar and by exercising the powers of an autocrat Is the leading factor in shaping legislation in the house, subject only to the will of the party bosses. He recognizes whomsoever lie pleases and refuses to recognize others that are clearly in order. Few people ralize how potent is a passing remark or even a word from the speaker in giving a turn to legislation. A trifling incident illustrating the point happened the other afternoon when several members desired to adjourn for 15 minutes during the afternoon in order to have the house memliers photographed in a group on the front steps while the mid-afternoon sunlight would lie at its best. A motion, duly made and seconded, did not meet with the approval of the speaker, who said: "All that want to have your picture! taken, stand up.” Not a man arose, although it had been the general in tention to support tue resolution. It was the speaker’s way of putting the question that defeated the resolution; Speaker Artman has promulgated a stern rule against the "peripatetics.” The peripatetics are the memliers that have a hat: of walking about over the floor and aeeking recognition wherever they may be at the time they want to sjieak. The chair has ruled that no member will get recognition unless he be at his seat. This dictum was modified by a motion of members of the house to allow Mr. Roberts of Itea.-born. who is slightly deaf, to alt and speak wherever he may desire. This is the first instance on record Where a member was formally given such a privilege. Every seat in the bouse belongs to Mr. Roberts. He is an inveterate walker, hardly still two minutes at a time, and as soon as a memlier gets up he is likely to plunk down in the vacant seat.

fourteen member* of the houi«e of representatives nerved their country in the Civil war. Each of them received a neat invitation the other day to attend the annual banquet of the Indiana Ixiyal Legion. No other house of representatives of recent years has contained as many old soldiers. The fourteen are: Messrs. Scott of Montgomery, Dirk sou of Adams, Wesling of Marlon. John of Spencer. Gilbert of Lagrange Carmichael of Delaware. Johnson of Vermillion. Dilley of Huntington, Marshall of Fountain. Burkhart of Cass, Schroeder of Vanderburg, Owen of Parke. Thomas of Tipton ami Clinton, and Miller of Ohio. Representative 1 A. o. Heser. chairman of the education committee, la an expert shorthand reporter ami in addition to presiding at Ihe meetings of bis committee he takes down what is •aid in shorthand. Whenever anybody questions the varaclty of his •tatements as to w hat occurred In committee he pulls the record Everybody has wonder,,,| resentatlve Bishop of Morgan county, • Jolly old bachelor, should introduce a bill to prevent kidnapping Mr Bishop says iu explanation "I Introduced It in Representative Stutesmaa's behalf to prevent the girls from kid Rapping him." Mr. Statesman, who is himself fln old bachelor, was one of the most ag gressive champions of the bill ,-aliing for public support of froe kinderraX tan* while another old bachelor. Mr Roberts of J..ffe rw , u . |, )U( || V tar right of ladles to wear their lints !■ public gatherings and brought in >« ■Mnorhy report of th,. Judiciary committee postponing Mr. Bonham's bill Mr *”*"■ •™«‘d ifttwrta in

- — ’ ... , j n speech of trying to win the f».' an adored one by bringing [ 0 hi*" 1 nority report, and fairly shouted-' “ l ' "I will support the minority of the gentleman from epwt the only consideration I ask u” 80,1 vithtion to the wedding." an l ®’ ‘x-x- x Representative McCarty, the .. est minority member of the house h?’ most men of' his age. has a best’ 11 She lias Iwvn visiting him with , Jarity and sits by Ids side while b forms the duties of a statesman n other evening after adjournment 2 was occupying a seat by hl* side Messrs. Cotner. Roberts of and other members of gay and ft'™. 1 ' propensities got together’in the 11? and concluded to have some fun ti took a page Into their confidence Mr. Cotner wrote on a card: "] J" you my lime,’ and sent the page wi ? it on a gallop to McCarty. [ t is r “ tamary for one member to yieldT other his rime in debates on t[ le fl ’ McCarty did not raise his header’ though bis tormentors grew giwf .’ when they noticed crimson s [X)ts b ' to loom up behind bis ears. The na ~ has not worked as much all th.- X of the session as be did the ten nii utes following, when card after e ar a was sent to Mr. McCarty with proffer, of -more time.” He paid n„ attention until Mr. Roberts wrote <, n a card“l move that you pop th,, question" Then Mr. McCarty arose and made* most profound bow, while the gay band of "kidders" acooted out at the nearest door. «—x—x There has been a great deal of dodg. ing of votes during the past wee'especially on the temperance propost tion, and on Important roll calls smne of the members answered in such i weak tone that it would require the trained ear of a Sioux Indian to hear them. This made the speaker very wrathy on one or two occasions, and he sent doorkeepers out doublequick to bring in absentees. When a member grows faint In the vocal organs on a roll call it Is pretty safe to say he it voting against the wishes of his con stituents. Representative Burrier of Grant county is one member that has never dodged a roll call this session. “Two years ago,” sain tie ••[ d.elged one vote. I thought I would go where no member would see me, so 1 strulted up to the state museum. I'll be consigned to eternal demuation if there weren’t seven other representatives there for the same purpose when I got there.” X—X—X The farcical character of the investigation of the Indiana Reformatory was impressed on one in many ways. The legislative investigators sat with their feet cocked up on the table, smoking good cigars while the evidence was being heard. Warden Hert, the defendant, crowned with a halo of tobacco smoke, listened with bis face wreathed in smiles. O<-. isioMlly someone would crack a joke that would cause general merriment. Once John Pate, the chief witness t -stitied that some of the less important visitors that went to the prison on state business had to eat at the guards’ dining hall with the guards ami servant*, while others- state officers, principally —were taken to the warden’s residence. This caused General Ketcham. Warden Bert’s attorney, to recollect that when he went to the prison be had to oat at the guards dining hall. "Do you mean to say," he asked, sharply, "that I was the only state officer that was put to the indignity of having to eat in the prison’.-" "They were classified according to their looks,” interrupted Attorney General Taylor. Mr. Ketcham’s bullyrag tai tics in ex amfning witnesses aroused the righteous indignation of Representative Davis, Democratic leader, assistant counsel for the prosecution. I object." he said, once, "to witn- sses being browbeaten and insulted in tbi* way. No court on earth would tolerate it.” • Objection overrul'd." *ald Chairman Kall quickly, and Mr Ketcham proceeded to put the next witness on the gridiron. X—X—X Exclusive of places that may I* ere a ted by this legislature. Governor !>urbin has just six api*ointniems to wake —those of adjutant general, quartermaster general, state bouse custodian, state bouse engineer, memb'-r of the board of the reform school for '"'J’*and member of the board of the * for feeble-minded youth. The olUc' seeking propensity of the Hoosier I* strikingly illustrated by the fact that there are now on file in the governor* office over 3.000 letters pertaining l» these six places. In addition the k'"’ ernor scarcely finds time for anyth l "* else than talking with |»lace-s,s‘k'-r’ and the men sent here to boom rte'iuExtreme precautions have to bo tak-n to keep th« hungry horde from ' he governor. He has moved bin office i"'" the big executive parlor which I* ,be south end of the suite of rooms eupied by the executive departnicnHe site at the end of a niag"lh'' , ' n table about U by 12 feet in dlinen*'"" and thia la the only office desk he ha* • ■ic private office between 'he rcc"P tion room ami the executive pari"' which was occupied by Mount, has been pre-empted b> rate Secretary Wilson, whose pct’"" _ alon has to bo secured before car, get into the executive I""", North of the reception room room that formerly was the l’ ri ' secretary's workshop. I his 'I liaed by ifae stenographer* und " ' feree The governor exorci*'* ' ropst frankness In dealing will'" 1 , sorter* go as to create no fal’ 1 ’ ' LOUIS «