Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1887 — THEIR TITLES NOT COOD [ARTICLE]

THEIR TITLES NOT COOD

“It (the Journal) can give notice to artists and contractors, anent the soldiers’ monument, for instance. that the bill authorizing the same has a signature, the validity of which is disputed by one >f the branches of the Legislature, and that, therefore, they will have to take their chances of having it disputed.”—lndianapolis News. “It is not creditable to the News to continually and persistently misthe Soldiers’ Monument bill was passed by the Senate before the laadlock, and that nobody disputes the validity o* the signature of the then legal presiding officer of jt. 'Che News knows that Speaker Sayre signed and had sent to the Governor every bill passed by the Senate before the 24th of February, and thabthey all became laws by virtue of such action. The News knows that nobody disputes the validity of Smith’s signature previous to that date. It knows that the House did nothing to interfere with the c urse of legislation until the Senate brutally a. d forcibly expelled the Lieuten-

ant-Governor from its chamber when he appeal ed to discharge his constitutional duties, but, on the contrary, that the House did everything it could to facilitate the completion of all legislation passed by the Senate up to that date. The position of the House was constantly maintained throughout. So much can not be said for the Democri tic Journal. We confess to amazement in reading these lines. We wish sincerely that every voter in the State could read them. Here we have the leading Republican organ of the State, wh ; ch for months assailed l. resident Smith with the vilest abuse, openly confessing - “Nobody disputes the validity of Green Smith’s signature previous to February 24.” „ Then what in the name < f all that’s decent, was the row about? Certainly nothing happened on February 24 to justify the House in refusing to operate -with the Henate». If President Smith’s signature was good before February 24, it -was good after February 24. We frankly admit we have been

thunderstruck.—lndianapolis oentjnel.

Washington, March 28.—The Commissioner of the General Land Office has approved and sent to the Secretary of the Interior for transmission to Congress reports from the Surveyor General of New Mexico in private land claims, as follows: The Sierra Mosea claim for 115,200 acres. He recommends this c'aim for rejection on the ground that the evidence is not sufficient to make out a case. The Alameda (Spanish) claim for 106,274 acres. The surveyorgeneral says that the evidence in this case fails to show that the grantee ever entered into the actual possession of the land or complied with other conditions of title required by the royal laws of Spain. The claim is recommended for rejection. The Arro o He San Lorpnzo claim for 138,139 acres was also recommended for rejection for similar reasons. The San Clements claim for 89,413 acres, ond the Muestra Senora Del Pilas claim for 22,578 acres were recommended for rejection on the ground that the evidenoe of any right or title in the claimants to the tracts described had not been produced.

One of the original characters and best-known men in Indiana is Hon. Daniel Bloteher, of Scott county. He states that on April 7,1812, his father, Matthias Blotcher, arrived from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, with Jonas, Jeff and Harvey Howard. Jonas Howard was the father of Hon. Jonas G. Howard, congresman for this district, and Jeff Howard was the father of the ex-warden of the prison south. The party landed at London’ between Madison and Louisville. — Mr. Bloteher says liis father and family lived for months in a bark tent, in which one of his daughters was born.

The honorable Dan enjoys a distinction which probably no other man in Indiana can boast—that of having shaken hands with all the governors of Indiana except Governor Jennings, first governor of the state. He lias filled every office from constable to representative in Scott county, and now, nt the hale old age of seventy, feels that his cup of political honor has been filled to overflowing. “Uncle” Dan lives at Holman, wh he has a be atiful home and deer park, the antlered herd of which provides enough venison in season for himself, family an- friends, tn unique feature in stock raising in Indiana. “Uncle” Dan is the man who once saved the day for the Indiana democracy by lending an indige*. t and barefoot voter his shoes and socks to go to the polls, and afterward had to go there barefooted himself. This was when Ed. 0. Hannigan was elected to the United States senate by one vote. —Jeffersonville sp cial to Indianapolis News.