Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1878 — TO THE VOTERS OF JASPER COUNTY! [ARTICLE]

TO THE VOTERS OF JASPER COUNTY!

MillgfiUil! tnpri “Hare the people of Jasper county any hones :er, pleasanter, or more faithful officers administering their local affairs, than when each depart ment was Dredded over by a Republican? Did the Democratic Board of Commissioners introduce any reform in county management—did they try to—was there any room or place f; r them to?”—Consul in the Union. We reply from the records! For nearly twenty years the Republican party had entire control and management of the county finances. lu 1874 Ihe Democrats and Independents elected two Commissioners and Auditor. The consul says that “they promised reform in couutyailairs, but have not fulfilled that promise, for there was do roSom for reformation. — Let us examine the factSo and compare the figures:

REPUBLICAN MANAGEMENT. Year. Ain't of Balance in Levy. 1868 50c. $ 1,872 1869 50c. 4,415 1870 40c. 971 1871 60c. 2,045 1b72 75e. 4,563 i 1873 50c. 9,747 ! 1874 500. 2,926 i DEMOCRATIC-INDEPENDENT MANAGEMENT. ■ 1875 35c. 12,263 ! 1876 35c. 13.447 REPUBLICAN MANAGEMENT AGAIN. 1377 45c, 6,571 1878 45e. 2,831 Messrs. Hoover and Kessler entered upon their duties as Commissioners at the December Term, 1874, and so ■wisely did they manage the business of the couhty, thai at the June settle ment, 1875, there was $12,263 in the County Treasury. True to the interests of the people, they reduced the county tax from 50c. to 35c. on each SIOO of taxable property, and from the amount of taxes collected on that reduced levy they paid all the exnenses of the county, all outstanding orders,, and at the June settlement, *lß7'6s tnere was $13,357 96 in the Treasury. At this session Elisha E. Rockwood, Ind., occupied the place es Mr. Hoover on the Board. Messrs. McCullough, Kessler and Rockwood thought that if a levy of 35c. would leave so large a surplus in lhe Treasury, that amount would again be sufficient, and accordingly made the same levy for 1876. At the following December Tenn Sons. John Van’tWoud and Wm.B. Price entered upon their duties as Commissioners in place of McCollough and Rockwood. As soon as tihe-y bad become fairly installed in office the money began to flow out of the Treasury faster than it came in, and by the next June the balance, together with the collections, was reduced to $6,571 35, and at the October Term, 1877, the Treasury was empty. The Board then issued bonds to the amount of $5,000, bearing 8 per -lent interest, sold them at a discount of Srofli 5 to* 8- per cent., and the taxpayers of Jasper county are now paving from 13 to 16 per cent, on money to carry on the county. At the June session, 1877, the Republican Board increased the tax levy from 350. to 45c. The levy for 1878 is the same. At the June settlement, 1878, there was but $2831 39 in the Treasury, with a considerable amount of outstanding orders and a bonded indebtedness of $5,000.

EXPENDITURES COMPARED. At the last annual settlement before Democratic rule the expenses of the county were $16,791. The fisst year of Democratic control the entire expenditure was $11,175 72.. The next year, ending June, 1876, the ex penditures increased to $16,940 77. During this year more bridges were built than in any one year before or since.—A bridge across the Kankakee, a bridge over Curtis Creek, the Pullins’ bridge the Lanrison bridge, the Rawls bridge, the Thompson bridge, and the Bullis bridge, which accounts fvF the increase in expenditures. For the year ending May Mist, 1877, the first year of Van’tWoud, Prick & Co., the expenditures amounted to

$21,105 94. The expenditures for the second year, ending May 81st, 1878, amounted to $25,678 80, making a total for the two years of Republican management of $46,624 24. It cost but $2748 more for two years Demo* cratic and Independent administration than it has for the last one year under Republican reform.

The present levy is 45c.. 11c. of which is to be applied to pay the interest afid for the redemption of the county bonds. If every cent is collects d it will fall SI,OOO short of paying them, leaving but 34c. to defray the current expenses. The taxable property is a fractien over $4,000,000, which will raise about $13,000 of revenue. If the same rate of expenditures continue, the county will be in d.-bt not less than $12,000 or $13,000 at the annual settlement in 1879, Eld. H. B. Miller returns thanks to ‘Daddy” Humes and other friends in Union township, for the donation of a number of loads of wood and other substahtials. H. B. Miller, Democratic and National candidate for Recorder, rsgrets that lie is unable to visit the'people as he had desired, owing to sickness in Ms family. Mr. Miller, “fiat” candidate for Recorder, denies most emphatically the statements imputed to him by a Rensselaer correspondent of the Indian apolis Journal.

The flat candidate who is invited by the consul to call upon him and receive charity, suggests to the hero of I’urk Island that “charity begins at home,” and that he devote any spare change he may have to legitimate uses He adds: “Ths consul’s proffer reminds me of the old adage —“Put a beggar on hoiseback.” etc. The county is tn debt, paying in trrest which necessitates higher taxes that oppress the people.—Uuion. As the Union seems desirous of misleading the people we guess next week we will show just how this state of things has been brought about, and fix the responsibility where it rightfully belongs. Fojur hundred is the majorityof the republicans of Jaspercounty.—Union That is simply your claim, Mr. consul. But, don’t you forget it, one of the tricks set up by radical leaders to outvote the citizens has been nipped in the bud, and your claim won’t hold out. You’ll be snowed under.— The people are in earnest. They have rights and interests which they will not permit to be made secondary to those of the gold bugs. Kemem ber Maine!

Democrats, to your posts! One week from next Tuesday the money lords and their hirelings will make a final and desperate struggle for supremacy. See to it, Democrats, that at each voting precinct men are selected to look after the interests of the people. See to it sharp that the voice of the people be not hushed by importations While we believe victory is within your grasp, yet we insist that you contest th« ground inch by inch and thus make success doubly sure, and m re complete. See to it!