Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1899 — Same With “The Democrat.” [ARTICLE]

Same With “The Democrat.”

The official management of Jasper county should be “Lexowed.” And now won’t the Brook Reporter kindly “pull” the name of J. Frank Hanly for U. 8. Senator from the head of its editorial columns? J. Frank was completely snowed under several weeks ago.

Any person to whom Jasper county owes one red cent, should receive his honest dues in full. It is disgraceful the way J. E. Alter’s bills were treated by the commissioners if they were honest ones. The re-letting of the contract of superintendent of the “Poor Asylum,” more commonly known as the poor farm, has put the taxpayers to an expense of $31.50 for Abe’s court and $5.00 to SIO.OO for advertising, and then,' it may take two days to let it; there is s2l more. But then, it circulates the money, "dontcherknow.”

The Democrat expects, of course, that the republican press here will denounce the exhibit of the claims filed by J. E. Alter and assistants, which appears in another column, as a blank lie from top to bottom. If the reader will take these figures to the auditor’s office he can readily verify them by the commissioners’ record in a very few minutes.

Here is something for the taxpayers of Jasper county to ponder over: According to the Auditor’s annual report for the year ending May 31, 1890, the entire cost of commissioners’ court for that year was but $325, while for the last sixty days—with nothing extraordinary on hand—it has cost SIBG, not including the session of the board as turnpike directors.

Jasper county is getting quite a number of wolf scalps since raising the bounty to $lO. The Democrat believes the bounty should be dispensed with altogether. Farmers and others are anxious to kill wolves at every opportunity, and a high bounty it seems only adds to the taxpayers’ burdens without diminishing the number of wolves to any appreciable extent.

When A. F. Knotts in his remarks on the anti-Roby bill on the floor of the House a few days ago made the statement that “If this bill is passed Lake and Jasper counties will return a democrat to the next legislature,” he offered a gratuitous insult to the intelligence and honesty of the good people of these two counties. The people of Lake and Jasper are a law abiding people, who. if they had a chance would vote Roby and all its supporters into the Dead Sea. —Lowell Tribune (rep.) What expansion means: Never before in the history of the country have so many schemes been pending in congress looking to the expenditure of vast sums of money as at the present time. A partial list of the propositions now under consideration includes the Hanna-Payne shipping subsidy bill, involving expenditures aggregating SI67,(XX),OCX); the Nicaragua canal bill, $100,000,000; extraordinary appropriation for army and navy, $125.(XX),000; river and harbor bill, $42,000,000; cost of the Philippine islands, $20,000,000; public buildings, $20,000,000; new battleships and cruisers, not embraced in department estimates, $13,000,000. The foregoing sums of money are asked for in addition to the ordinary expenditures provided for in the regular appropriation bills.

Another instance of the rottenness of the present oounty commissioner system has come to light, this time at Columbus, Bartholomew oounty. On Jan. 3, a contract fora bridge costing $8,500 was let without the knowledge of any one except the commissioners and the agent of . the Lafayette Bridge Co.

The Democrat would respectfully suggest that “Honest Abe” send for those “pneumatic clock experts” that are rumored to have accompanied the junketing expedition from Chicago to Milwaukee when the clock was purchased. They are reported to have been “hot numbers” and their presence would no doubt keep the “clock” plenty warm enough to run good.

That a public library in this city would conduce to the intellectual and moral welfare of this community no one will deny, and no one is more anxious to see one established than The Democrat. But when the people of Marion township or Jasper county are asked to contribute other than voluntary subscriptions in books or money, we are not in favor of it. There are numbers of people in this city who have means and surplus books who could easily contribute of both to establish a public library filled with works of interest to all the people. While the tax for this purpose is small, and would not add much to the present burden, yet it is the aggregation of these small taxes that makes the $3.05 levied in this city for all purposes, and very few taxjavyers can be found favoring the increase of this sum by any amount whatever at this time.

A specidf to the Indianapolis Sentinel of Jan. 31, says that Judge Paulus, over in the republican county of Grant, has come to the conclusion that the board of commissioners of that rockribbed republican county need investigating. It seems these “prominent and trusted citizens” have been in the habit of charging the county $11.02 each per day, for each day consumed in regular or special session, and if anything like our own, they put in plenty of time. But, anyway, the republicans got tired of this thing, and then the democratic paper had published some of the allowances from the record t>efore the election, and this only added oil to the tinmos. The republican chairman central committee admonished the people to keep quiet until after the election, “and then we will have an investigation.” The Judge will appoint a republican, a democrat and a prohibitiqpist as a committee, and tfie investigation will be watched with keen interest by others beside the good people of Grant.

It is simply astounding what slight provocation will call a special session of “Honest Abe’s” V 1 court. In the last sixty days Abe has held court 16 days, at a cost to the taxpayers of $l6B, which sum does not include the amount “allowed” the sheriff for attending on him in his official capacity or the expense of meeting as Turnpike Directors, some S3O more, making a total of $l9B. At this rate it will require 90 days or or three solid months, including Sundays in this year of grace 1899 to dispose of business before Abe. There was nothing out of the ordinary on hands during these sixty days. That there was no call for these special sessions, cannot be successfully disputed. Why, then, were they held? The re-letting of the contract for the superi: tendency of the poor farm coul. have been easily attended to at the regular December ' term. Quite a number of bills were allowed, but they, too, could have been provided for,' or left over till the March term. Well, that’s so, there was the bill of S. McGinnis. That freight must be paid, and then it’s mid-winter, and cold as blixen, too. Possibly the oounty could . and $10.50 better than McGinn: ould stand it to pay demurrage.

fi doNMem strange that Bro. Marshall remains so silent about that stationery steal of last year. Come, Bro. Marshall, thou reformer of oounty and township government with a big “R,” speak up and tell the taxpayers all about how they were robbed of hundreds of dollare last year on stationery. Ton might also copy what yon said of The Democrat’s expose of this steal previous to the late election; it would add to the “confidence” the people of Jasper county already have in the official organ as a faithful portrayer of ndws and a guardian of their interests. Let’s hear from you, Bro. Marshall.

The Indiana republican editorial association held its annual meeting last week at Indianapolis. A banquet was held at the Dennison House and speeches made by Gov. Mount and others. The first toast of the evening, “The State of Indiana,” was responded to by Gov. Mount, who felicitated himself upon being privileged to break bread with the republican editors of the state, and then said from his boyhood he had entertained a profound respect for just two classes of people—the men who wielded the sword and those other and mightier men who pushed the pencil. One of the greatest safeguards to the republic, he maintained, had been its unmuzzled press, and he believed that public officials—even the judiciary—should not be exempt from the criticisms of the newspapers when such criticisms were not the outgrowth of bias or prejudice. When republican officials might be found who had been guilty of corrupt official action he hoped the republican press would be the first to make the same known to the people who had placed them in office. Editors, the governor said, should be free lances in the interest of honest and correct official life. Lieut-enant-Governor Haggard also paid a glowing tribute to the press and suggested he would like to run a newspaper and “run it wide open” so that he might have the opportunity to read the riot act, even to some members of his-own party. This all sounds very nice in theory but how few of the republican papers do expose official rottenness unless the official happens to be a democrat. They can see no wrong in the acts of any of their own party officials. This is sometimes the case, too, with democratic papers, though much less frequently than with those of republican persuasion. Generally speaking, the democratic press is fearless in denouncing wrongs of "every nature which comes to its notice, and the paper that will publish the facts pertaining to public affairs as they exist, without fear or favor, is a winner and will always gain the respect and confidence of the people.

The Indianapolis Sentinel recently published an article criticising the commissioners of Shelby county, whose high-handed proceedings in letting bridge contracts have been such that the taxpayers have 'appealed to thje courts and because of that publication the editor of the Shelby Democrat appeals to the democrats of the county to boycott The Sentinel, and offers to furniah other democratic papers free to all who will stop their subscription to the Sentinel. That such a- boycott should originate with a newspaper man is surprising. The boycotting of newspapers generally results in stimulating their circulation and creates a desire, especially among the boycotters themselves for reading, .shove all others, the publication the) openly condemn.—Franklin Republican (rep.)

_ -— : Snu ir€»yOf The following team exhibit of the bilb on roe Commissioners’ record in the Auditor’s Office of Jasper county by J. E. Alter, excounty surveyor, and assistants. The sums alleged to have been due, for which these bills were filed, arise in this way: After a ditch is established under the. Com. Court act, it passes under the jursidiction of the County Surveyor. He looks after its construction, sees whether it is constructed according to specifications, and if so. receives it, and his certificate is the contractor’s authority that the work is finished. These amounts do not represent all the income of the Surveyor’s office, as fees under the circuit court Drainage Act, fees for surveying land, and private work, amounting to no inconsiderable sum, are not included herein, neither do the sums purporting to have been allowed to “assistants” represent all income, as in nearly all instances if not quite all, a very-respectable slice of this went to the “boss” as his share. When several bills have been filed at one time by the same person they are grouped by us for convenience.

These bills cover a period of time from Nov. 30,1897, to Dec. 16, 1898. The first column shows the amount claimed as due, the second column the disposal of it, whether allowed at its face, cut, dismissed or continued. (Record 10, Page 563) Amt. of Ail’d bill. at. Lewis S Alter, d’c’h wk. 2 bills .$54 50 $54 50 Johu J Alter, 2 bills 20 00 20 00 (Record’ll, Pape 13) Cernelias Biermu, ditch w'k.... 225 225 (Record 11. Page 31) L S Alter, ditches 49 75 49 75 Cornelias Bierma, same 2 25 2 25 Cecil Alter, same. 2 bills... 107 50 107 50 (Pape 36) John E Alter, ditch w’k. 3 bi115..160 75 190 75 (Page 45) A R Rishling. 2 bills 6 50 6 50 Jas B Irwin, ditch work 1 75 1 75 Cecil Alter, same 77 25 77 25 L A Bostwick, same 3 25 3 25 John King, w’k ct house y’d 100 *dis. Lyman Zea, same 100 dis. John Q Alter, same 100 scout Same, for ditch w0rk.;.... 4 75 4 75 Amanda Hoyes. 3 bills 70 50 cout Same, 2 bills 16 75 16 75 Nora Morgan, 2 bills 16 50 8 49 Lee Mauck, ditch work 175 175 Same, ct house yard 175 dis Willis Pierson, ditches.. 175 175 James Yeoman, same 7 25 7 25 Ed McColly, same 175 4,75 Geo. Snow, same .. 175 1 75_ Willie McColly, same 175 rl 75 John lessen, same 925 *9 25 Wm. Beck, same 175 175 James McClanuahan, same 6 25 6 25 Fred Bird, same . 175 175 J C. Thrawls. same 3 25 3 25 (Page 46.) Leslie Alter, ditches 700 700 John E. Alter, office supplies.... 10 85 7 85 “ 2 bills 104 20 79 50 Leslie Alter, wk ct h yard 175 dis John Huggins, two bills .1 .17 25 17 25 “ ct h yd 6 25 dis (Page 48) Cecil Alter, ditches 85 25 85 25 (Page 51) Johu Huggins, ditches 3 25 3 25 (Page 56) John E. Alter, exp surv. ois 10 25 2 40 (Page 62) John E. Alter, ditches 8425 8425 Lewis S. Alter, same 54 25 54 25 JohnQ. Alter, ct h yd 1 00 1 00 John J. Alter, ditches 18 25 18 25 John Jessen,sume 3 25 3 25 Cecil Alter, same.,.. 66 25 Cout John E. Alter, sume 57 25 Cont Manila Hoyes, 5 bills 164 75 Cont “ 1 bill 150 150 (Puge92> Jas. C. McClauahau, ditcher.... 175 175 John E. Alter, 2 bills. .. 168 50 168 50 Lewis S. Alter, ditches 57 25 '57 25 Leslie Alter, same 175 175 (Page 95) John J. Alter, ditches.. 10 75 10 75 Lewis S. Alter, same 13 75 13 75 Cecil Alter, same 18 25 13 25 I Page 105) Manda Hoyes, 4 bills 108 50 100 75 " 2 bills ! 69 00 dis “ 1 bill 35 25 cont Joun E. Alter, 2 bills 139 50 109 50 (Page 141) J. C. Thrawls, ditches 15 46 15 46 Manda Hoyes, same 32 25 dis (Page 142) Lewis S. Alter, ditcher 127 75 127 75 Frank Bostwick, ofs wk ditches 1 50 1 50 (Page 143) John Renicker, ditcher 100 100 Jas. McClannahan, same ........ 12 25 12 25 John O’Connor, same 7 25 7 25 Cecil Alter, same ..21 25 21 25 (Page 115) Leslie Alter,ditcher 4 75 4 75 John J. Alter, ditcher.... 37 75 37 75 Manda Hoyes,3 bi 115...... 76 75 76 75 Johu B. Alter, 4 bills 240 20 209 20 . (Page 175) Johu B. Alter, fid wk Coates dh 2 75 2 75 (Page 177) - J. C. Thrawls, 2bills 37 » 37 12 (Page 181) Lewis S. Alter, ditcher* 142 25 142 25 Manda Hoyes, 2 bills 40 50 40 50 John J. A. Alter, ditcher..., ..., 54 25 54 25 Florence Wood, 2 bills 42 00 42 00 John E. Alter, 3 biUs .210 75 145 00 * Dismissed, t Continued. RECAPITULATION. By JB Alter $1 162 00 Cut by Commissioners 165 15 Allowed at. $ 996 85 By Cecil Alter (J E’sson).. 309 50 309 50 By John J A Alter (50n).... 141 00 141 00 By Leslie Alter (son) IS 25 Dismissed by commiss’ers. 1 75 A 1 lowed at 13 50 LS Alter (J E’s cousin).... 499 50 499 50 Johu Q Alter (cousin) 5 75 5 75 John Huggins (a relative). 26 75 26 75 Amanda Hoyes (of. emp’o) 346 75 Cut and dis. by commis’rs. 112 00 Allowed at 234 75 Nora Morgan (of. employe) 18 50 Cut by commissiouei s 8 01 Allowed at....' 8 49 Florence Wood (of. emp’ej 42 00 42 00 Miscellaneous allowances.. I 133 83 Total allowances $2 410 92 Of the above JB Alter and sons received direct.... M 459 86 By other relatives 50 «0 Total to Altera fami1y........... » m *