Greenfield Republican, Greenfield, Hancock County, 30 April 1914 — Page 3

THE REPUBLICANS CHOOSE LEADERS

Great Gathering and Enthusiasm of Delegates Reach High Pitch.

MANY PROGRESSIVES THERE

W. A. Prendergast, Former Progressive, Discussed National Issues and Howard Maxwell Scores Democracy for Extravagance in State.

Indianapolis, Ind., April 23.—The Republican state convention which adjourned this afternoon was pronounced the largest and most enthusiastic ever held in the history of the Indiana organization. From start to finish it was wildly enthusiastic. Every indication pointed to the fact that republicians in every section of Indiana are united and determined to return Indiana to the Republican column in November. The convention exceeded the most optimistic predictions of the most optimistic party leaders. Enough republicans came to Indianapolis to fill three halls the size of the one in •which the convention was held.

It was a great convention—that held in Tomlinson Hall. Five bands discoursed popular airs and enthusiasm marked every movement of the convention. Each officer, speaker and notable appearing before them received an ovation.

It was more like a love-feast of old than a closely drawn contest as to who should be chosen leaders in the 1914 contest. The success of the convention—in numbers in attendance, enthusiasm and good feeling prevailing on all hands was especially pleasing to Will Hays, chairman, and Jack Henley, secretary of the State committee, who have been untiring in their efforts to work out the arrangements leading up to the convention.

Above the speakers' platform were pictures of Presidents Harrison, Linoln, Garfield and McKinley, martyred presidents, and ex-Governor Morton. The big stage had been built up in ampitheater effect, so those on the stage had complete view of the arena and the speakers' platform.

The large hall was decorated with national colors and placards had been placed, indicating where each county delegation had been assigned seats. This was a new departure and prevented much confusion.

HUGH Ih. MILLER

Republican Nomine* for United States Senator.

Prendergast and Maxwell Speak.

Hushed in silence while Dr. Allan B. Philputt cf the Central Christian church delivered the invocation which formally opened the Republican State convention hundreds of republicans burst into applause when Howard Maxwell of Rockville, temporary chairman, came to the front of the rostrum to deliver the keynote address.

An appeal to the Progressives to return to the fold and a challenge to the democrats of Indiana on the ground that the Ralston administration has been profligate in the expenditure of finances issued from the opening session.

William A. Prendergast, comptroller of the city of New York, extended the olive branch to the progressives, and Howard Maxwell, of Rockville, Ind., in a speech that was considered indicative of the issues on which the state campaign would be made, charged that extravagance had marked the regime of the Indiana democrats.

The convention adjourned until the following morning when at 10 o'clock, after the invocation, former VicePresident Fairbanks was introduced as permanent chairman of the convention. Mr. Fairbanks was given an ovation, and the large audience hung on his every word for near two hours. It was a masterful address and the arguments advanced why

Republican principles should prevail in this country were convincing and couched in the language of a statesman. In appealing for Republican unity he said: "The hour calls for a high order of patriotism, for self-restraint, for sober judgment. Men must harbor no petty jealousies and nurse no resentments they must bury beyond the reach of the hand of resurrection the memory of the past differences and stand together in a common cause. Party unity is dictated by a sense of common prudence, and all of those who believe in the vital necessity of restoring prosperity to the country and of insuring its continuance in fullest measure, and who believe that this can be accomplished by once more putting into effect Republican policies and Republican administration should stand shoulder to shoulder. We know full well that those who differed with us, both leaders and followers, were actuated by the highest motives and that they followed where their conscience led. Our respect for them is undiminished."

What Resolutions Contain.

The resolutions were presented and adopted as reported by the committee on resolutions. They contain a strong plank in support of the protective tariff policy. It ascribes present depressed business conditions and the lowering of prices of farm products to the new democratic tariff law. It denounces the Democratic party for its failure to enact legislation to fulfill its promises of gotfd times and a reduction in the cost cf living.

No definite stand is taken on the subject of Panama canal tolls exemption, but the platform denounces the Democratic party for its failure to live up to its plaform promises on this subject. It says that American money built the canal, and that America should have absolute control of the canal, without any references to Great Britain or any other foreign country.

The plank relating to Mexico denounces the manner in which the Democratic administration has handled the situation, but the plank declares strongly in favor of supporting the President in whatever he may do in the use of armed force in Mexico. It says the course of the administration has been one of policy and not of patriotism, but declares that now the republicans of the country support the President. It says the Democratic party promised to protect American lives and property in foreign countries, but that it has failed to do so in Mexico.

Condemns Extravagance.

The Democratic party is condemned for extravagance in the management of state affairs, for the creation of new offices and the multiplication of subordinates. It denounces also the excessive cost of the last session of the legislature, which was Democratic, and also denounces the party for running the state deeper in debt.

On the question of woman suffrage the platform recommends that this subject be referred to the constitutional convention, if one is called, and if no convention is called then the platform says an amendment to the state constitution providing for woman suffrage should be submitted to a vote of the people.

The platform points to the record of the Republican party on moral and liquor legislation, and says the question of liquor legislation should be removed from party politics and prejudice.

There is a declaration in favor of the creation of a nonpolitical labor commission to which labor disputes should be referred for adjustment, and there is a declaration in favor of some equitable plan of arbitration. Another plank calls for the eradication of child labor, and there are declarations in favor of workmen's compensation laws, additional safeguards for toilers in sanitary conditions and safety. Better conditions and shorter hours for women wofkera are favored.

REPUBLICAN STATE TICKET

For United States Senator HUGH Th. MILLER, Columbus

For Secretary of State JUDGE ED JACKSON Newcastle For Auditor of State

I. NEWT BROWN Franklir. For Treasurer

JOB FREEMAN Terre Haute For Attorney General

ELE STANSBURY Williamsport For Supt. of Instruction

HORACE ELLIS Vincennes

For Supreme Court Judge QUINCY A. MYERS Logansport For Appellate Court Judges

First District

LUCIUS C. EMBREE Princeton IRA C. BATMAN

Bloomington Second District M. A. CHIPMAN

Anderson U. S. LESH Huntington

SHEPHERD J. CRUMPACKER South Bend For Clerk of Supreme Court

WILL H. ADAMS Wabash For State Geologist HARRY R. CAMPBELL

Indianapolis

MAXWELL CONDEMNS INDIANA DEMOCRATS

Inefficiency and Extravagance of Officials Shown by Records.

Pledges to Economically Administer State Affairs Ruthlessly Broken— Ex-Gov. Marshall Quoted.

Ind:anapolis—Hon. Howard Maxwell, of Rockville. Ind., presided as temporary chairman of the Republican state convention. His address was confined to state issues and was as follows, in part:

It is now five years since the Democrats came into power in this State upon a platform pledging retrenchment and economy in the management of State affairs and containing this language: "We are opposed to the creating by the Republican Legislatures of enormous, useless offices, boards and commissions with large salaries, and we propose to abolish all stich offices, boards and commissions when in power."

You will recall that Governor Marshall, in the campaign of 1908,

HOWARD MAXWELL

again and again in public address declared that we had too much government, and that there were a great number of unnecessary Boards, Commissions and officials, and that the Democratic policy would be to root out, lop off, and abolish these Boards and Commissions, reduce the number of persons in the public service and thus minimize the cost of government. Do you recall of any office being abolished? What is the record?

The facts are that under Democratic administration the number of Boards, Commissions and offices have persistently increased. There is not a single department of State, with offices at the State House, in which increased salary has not been given to the chief officer or some one or more of his deputies. At the State House alone at least fifty additional positions have been created since the close of Republican administration, and if you consider appointees under various recently created Boards, not drawing their pay direct from the State Treas^ ury, the number of such increases runs into the hundreds. This increase of salary to former officers and deputies, added to salary paid new officers and deputies, all officing at the State House, aggregates the total sum annually of $138,450.00. New Boards have been established. The Legislature of 1911 created four Commissions. That of 1913 three Commissions. In 1908, the last year of Republican Administration, the total annua,! expense of all the Boards and Commissions then existing was $317 098.67, while in 1913, the total annual expense of the Boards and Commissions now existing was $533,430.18, an increase of $216,331.51, or 68 per cent. If in 1908, we had, according to Governor Marshall, too much government, we are certainly boiling over with government now. The Democratic party has signally failed to keep its promise to the people.

Pledges for Economy.

But how about their pledges to economically administer State affairs? I have here in my hand the reports of the Auditor of State for the fiscal

years "1908 and 1913, official public records and I wish briefly to make some comparisons of certain parts of thsse reports. I choose these years for no other reason than this: The year 1908 marks the close of Republican administration, while the year 1913 marks the beginning of the present Democratic administration. What do the records show as to the conduct of the three old, established departments of State government?

In 1908 the expense of the office of Secretary of State was $14,293.89. In 1913 this expense was $38,247.64, an increase of $23,953.75 or 167 per cent., and ccynpared with the legislative year, 1907, an increase of 44 per cent.

In 1908 the expense of the office of Auditor of State was $58,941.44. In 1913 this expense was $72,602.32, an increase of $13,660.88 or 23 per cent.

In 1908, the expense of the office of Treasurer of State was $12,176.24. In 1913 this expense was $13,492.70, an increase of $1,316.46 or 10 per cent.

Let us go farther. In 1908 the expense of the Bureau of Printing was $77,037.26, last year $118,352.44, an increase of $41,315.18, or about -54 per cent. And compared with the legislative year, 1907, an increase of 23 per cent.

In 1908 the expense of the Board of Education and the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction was $20,808.74. Last year $29,802.62, an increase of $8,993.88 or 43 per cent. In 1908, the Library, and Library Commission expended $25,299.00. In 1913 $35,088.93, an increase of $9,789.93 or 38 per cent. In 1908 the expense of the Board of Health was $42,886.06, last year $62,393.39, an increase of $19,507.33 or 45 per cent. In 1908, the expense of the Board of Charities was $16,343.63. Last year $27,703.67, an increase of $11,360.04 or 70 per cent.

In 1913 the expense of the Board of Accounts was $63,550.01. This is the amount paid directly out of the State Treasury, and does not include the thousands upon thousands of dollars paid by the municipalities, counties and townships, for so-called investigations by this Board, many of these reports covering the conduct of ex-officers, so far back that the statute of limitations barred any recovery against the officer or his bondsmen, and these reports being without any practical profit or utility to any one.

In 1908 the expense of the Railroad Commission was $30,861.96. In 1913 the expense of this Commission and the public service Commission which had been added to it, was $59,251.68, an increase of $28,389.72 or 92 per cent.

Do Not Reduce Expenditures.

In 1908, the aggregate expense of the then three separate departments, known as the Labor Commission, the Department of Inspection, and Inspector of Mines was $29,467.66. Under Democratic rule these three were consolidated under one known as Department of Inspection. One would ordinarily suppose that such consolidation would result in reduced expenditure, but, on the contrary, the facts are that this one department, in 1913, expended $50,196.36, an increase over the three departments in 1908 of $20,728.70 or 70 per cent.

Then there is the office of gas inspector. I had been under the impression that we no longer had natural gas. In 1908 the expense of this office was $4,273.92 and in 1913 $8,656.18, an increase of $4,382.26 or 102 per cent. Under these figures natural gas ought to be increasing in the State of Indiana.

Take the office of State Entomologist. In 1908 the expense of this office was $3,247.02. In 1913, $14,970.98, an increase of $11,723.96 or 361 per cent. The last regular legislative session under Republican rule, that of 1907, cost $130,024.87. That of 1913, $162,507.67, an increase of $32,482.80 or 25 per cent.

A glance at the conduct of our State's institutions reveals the same general condition. In 1908 the expense of all the institutions of the State, including the penal correctional Charitable institutions, all schools and soldier's monument, amounted to $1,852,663.56. In 1913 this expense was $2,775,092.28, an increase of $922,428.72, or 50 per cent. In view of these enormous increases some one may say that there exists something peculiar and extraordinary about these years 1908 and 1913. It may be possible that in some particular instance peculiar and unusual conditions prevailed that would make that particular comparison an unfair one. So that there can not be a shadow of doubt in the matter, let us compare the annual average cost of government for the entire four years of Republican rule under Governor Hanly, with the average annual cost of government for the entire five years of Democratic rule, under Governors Marshall and Ralston. There can be no successful contention that this basis of comparison is not entirely fair. When the State buys grounds, makes permanent repairs" and erects new buildings or makes payment upon the State debt, it has, after the expenses are incurred, something to show for them. Payment upon the debt relieves us of that much debt, and while the money is gone with which the grounds were bought and buildings erected, the equivalent, the grounds and buildings remain, actual, visible, tangible property. Expenses, such as salaries, maintenance of institutions, in short all other expenses, are intangible that is, after they are incurred the State has no actual property or thing of value to show as their equivalent, and these expenses in the truest and strictest sense, constitute the actual cost of government. Excluding then the items of payment upon the State debt, and cost of grounds, permanent repairs and new buildings, so as to arrive at the actual cost of government, there was expended for all other purposes, during the four years of Republican administration, under Governor Hanly, an annual average of $2,805,163.29 during the four years of Governor Marshall's administration an annual average of $3,673,812.03, an average increase each year of $868,648.74, or of about 31 per cent., and during the one, year of Governor Ralston's administration, $4,453,879.70, an increase of $1,648,716.41, or more than 58 per cent.

I might abuse' your patience with

further reference to these reports. These facts abundantly establish the proposition that in the great majority of all the important departments of our government, enormous increase of expenditure has occurred, until economy has become a mere Democratic catch-word to be used only in the platform and then dropped from their political dictionary. The Democratic party has signally failed to keep its promise to the people of economical government.

Economy a Catch Word.

The history of -the State debt tells the same story. The administration of Governor Durbin is noteworthy for the amount of public debt paid. At his incumbency it was $4,704,615.12, and at the close of his administration it had been reduced to $1,902,615.12. The same policy was continued under Governor Hanly, so that in 1906, the second year of his administration, all had been paid on the foreign debt that could be paid, the balance not maturing until 1915, and the bondholders refusing payment prior to 1910, when payment was optional with the State. At the incumbency of Governor Marshall, the debt was $1,510,163.12.

The Democratic party could not deny this truly remarkable achievement but they formerly contended that it was due to our tax law, which they claimed as a Democratic measure, and that this tax law in a sort of automatic way paid the debt. During the administration of Governor Marshall the debt was reduced $250,000.00 so that when the present administration came into power the debt was $1,260,163.12. The valuation of taxable property in the State, which in 1908 was $1,723,311,564, in 1913 was Sl,938,207,235, an increase of more than $200,000,000.00. The levy, which in the last year of Republican administration, was 33.35 cents on the $100.00 was, by the Legislature of last year, fixed at 40.10 cents on the $100.00, an increase of 6.75 cents, or about 20 per cent. Not only has-the State rate been thus elevated, but recent Democratic legislatures have been prodigal in creating a number of minor additional county officers, and increasing salaries of old county officers. In Marion county alone, salaries of county officers have thus been increased more than $40,000.00 annually. Never in the history of the State, in times of peace, has every section and community been so oppressed with the burden of taxation as at this very hour. The last legislature also created several forms of special taxes, yielding large revenues, notable among which are the automobile license fees and the inheri-, tance tax. Now with this immensely increased valuation, with the higher rate, with these special taxes, and with the same old tax law, we find that the State debt, including floating or temporary debt was at the close of the fiscal year 1913, $1,470,163.12, an increase-of $210,000.00. The citizenship of our State is humiliated by the fact that our State institutions are kept open and the State government is now being run on money borrowed of Chicago bankers, and that more money must be borrowed, and more loans negotiated, in order to keep these institutions open, the government running and to prevent the State from failing to pay its obligations like a common bankrupt. This enormous increase in the cost of government, this contracting of additional debt, have all occurred under Democratic rule, under normal conditions, when no war, famine or pestilence vexed our borders. Fiscal mismanagement combined with legislative extravagance, have placed the State's finances in an intolerable condition. In fine, Democratic administration may be characterized as a time when all of the financial dreamers and incompetents, out of jobs and hungry 'for public provender, and the money derelicts gather together around the State Treasury to hold high carnival.

Before the recent Democratic State Convention, Governor Ralston made a lengthy speech in attempted defense of the record of his party. It is an able speech by an able man in a hard cause, a speech replete with explanation, extenuation and special pleading. When the speech is analyzed, the Governor's defense for the present conditions is largely based upon two propositions, the first of which is that the Demotratic party ought to be excused for the increased cost of running the State's institutions because of high prices. No one disputes the fact that

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JUDGE ED. JACKSON Nominee for Secretary of State.

prices have advanced since 1908, but if care is taken to analyze the figures, this increased cost of our institutions is explained only in minor degree by high prices. The cost of maintenance of inmates has only reasonably increased, about which there can be no fair criticism. In other words the Democratic party has not been lavish in clothing and feeding these unfortunate members of society. But the increased expenditure is mainly attributable to administrative charges, that is for salaries and expenses of a large number of added officials and employes. This whole defense, however, is one that by the ryle of political ethics, Governor Ralston should be estopped from making. The Democratic promise was: Put us in power and we will reduce the tariff, and lower prices to a reasonable level. Well they have tinkered with the tariff, put thousands out of employment and, according to Governor Ralston, affected prices not at all. What we need is more tariff and less taxes in the State of Indiana. The Governor's other proposition of defense is that while many new laws have been enacted and new offices created, entailing an increased expenditure, the people demanded them because the legislature passed them. The fallacy of this argument is easily shown. The Democratic Legislative majority is not the people of Indiana, and does not represent the majority of the people, but as we all know is only representative of a minority. It is a far cry, indeed, that because the Legislature made the laws, the people demanded them. The voice of the people is the voice of God. If, accordingto Governor Ralston, a Democratic majority in the Legislature, elected by a minority, is the voice of the people, then such Democratic legislative majority is the voice of God, a logical calamity, which God forbid.

Now, understand me, I do not charge that every Democratic officeholder is incompetent. There are a' few exceptions, notably the office ofthe Attorney-General.' But what I do say is this: that the men of efficiency, of sound and conservative judgment, are so few in number that their counsels are disregarded and they are powerless to remedy these conditions. I submit that we can no longer afford to make our State House an experimental station for all the fads, fancies and follies of the Democratic party.

Honest Democrats Ashamed.

In my own neighborhood a condition exists of which even honest Democrats are ashamed. Since Donn M. Roberts has become the leader of tije Vigo county democracy it is notorious that elections in that county have been farcical. A political lieutenant and an appointee of his city administration has recently been convicted of high crimes against the ballot. He, himself, is charged with like crimes. And at this very hour we have presented the astounding spectacle of this man Roberts, nominally elected mayor of Terre Haute, but indubitably elected chairman of the Vigo County Democratic Committee, performing the functions of Mayor, and managing his ^arty as their chosen leader, from the prisoner's dock in one of the courts oi the city of Terre Haute.

These are the men who, in the face of the record, in defiance of the facts and proofs of their incompetency, extravagance and mismanagement which can be piled mountain high, are again asking the people to continue in thei»incapable hands, the government and prosperity of this great Common--wealth. The difference between the parties in the administration of State affairs can be summed up in this: The Republican party in the State of Indiana is a debt-paying party, the

Democratic party, a debt-making party.

Men of Indiana, men of the State ot Morton and Harrison, I appeal to you,--^ to lay aside all petty strifes, jealousiesU^f and differences, and as patriots per-^ form the plain duty of this hour—Get\$ ready for the coming battle. The Bepublican party in this State can never go backward. Like Napoleon's drummer boy, we do not know how to beat the retreat, but we do know how to sound the charge. My massage to you, fellow Republicans, is a call to arms. The hour has struck. The opportunity is at hand. Let'us, then, sound the charge and attack along the whole line.

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