Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1899 — Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

Bro. Marshall, at last recognizing the futility of« covertly fighting county and township reform, has come out square-toed in favor thereof. Although late in his announcement in this instance, neighbor Marshall can usually be depended upon to shout for “reform” —and a fat county order. An Indianapolis correspondent of the Cincinnati Enquirer says the County Officers’ Association is workings press bureau overtime at Indianapolis, to accomplish the defeat of the county and township reform legislation. These gentlemen may as well possess their souls in patience for if this legislature adjourns without doing something along this line in the right direction, the next legislature will, and it will be a drastic reform measure, too. The republican press of this county is as dumb as oysters on the subject of the stationery deal of last year. This may be easily accounted for. That contract called for furnishing all stationery of whatever character, while several fat orders outside of this contract were filled by the republican press of this county, and these bills added to those now marked as “continued” amount to over SI,OOO. Our republican contemporaries never squeal bn a “divy.” The Republican devoted a half column last week to to the “Nickum light fraud” as it is pleased to call it. It may be necessary to protect the Republican’s readers from this sort of frauds, but The Democrat readers possess too much intelligence to be caught on a pinhook of that kind. These matters must have employed all of the editor’s time Friday, Saturday and the first four days of this week, as he “forgot” to mention the fact that Abe was in session Friday and Saturday of last week and Tuesday of this week. Neither does the Journal mention the session of last Friday or Saturday, but does mention the session of Tuesday. Taxpayers will please make a note of the fact that The Democrat is the only paper in Jasper county that gives all the news pertaining to county affairs.

At the June meeting of the county commissioners as a board of Turnpike Directors, “Honest Abe” allowed himself $35 for services in “looking after” the northwest system of gravel roads. In addition to this he recieved his $3.50 per deim for the day’s session of the board the same as the other commissionees, and E. L. Clark as clerk of the board, received $1.50. At the December session asTurnpike Directors, Abe received $31.50 more for services on above system and his $3.50 per diem. Fred Waymire at this meeting drew $24.50 for looking after the south system, and E. L. Clark as clerk, $1.50. This is a “graft” which the taxpayers are not generally informed of, as all these allowances are recorded in what is known as the “gravel road record,” and no publication of the allowances is made in the “official organ” that we have observed. No republican legislature has met since 1881, that has not devoted much valuable time to the uplifting of the multifarious interests of Mr. Dog. Always the friend of the oppressed, the republican party has ever been the champion of his dogship. It was this party that in 1881 raised his dogship from slavery and outlawry to his present social position, decorated him with brass and beerchecks, the iusigna of his social rank, and guaranteed to him his 1 inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ■ Every republican legislature since 1 has endeavored to better the social and moral condition of Mr. Dog. ! Yet it was the republican legislature of 1897 that made an assault upon the personal liberty of Mrs. Dog. 1 A law was passed that year requiring her to remain at home during certain periods. Mrs. Dog has treated with scorn and contempt—spat upon aa it were —this