Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1899 — Democrotic Centrol Committee Meeting. [ARTICLE]

Democrotic Centrol Committee Meeting.

A meeting of the Jasper County Demooatic Central Committee will be held at the law office of James W. Douthit, in Rensselaer, Ind., Oil

Saturday. February, 2d, 18911, at 2p. m. As full an attendance as possible is desired. N. S. Bates, Chm’n. J. Walters, Sec.

Not one private soldier was called before the War Investigating commission. The private soldier got the proof of the pudding by eating it and his testimony was not wanted.

Had the county council law been in effect two years ago Jasper county would have saved enough on her court"-house alone to have paid the expense of such council for half a century.

It seems that the Roby race track is to be wiped out. as the ground has teen leased for a bicycle factory. Armanis F. Knotts will lose a job as Roby's attorney. Lowell Tribune (rep.)

The total assessed valuation of Newton county .is $8,124,859. Jasper county’s valuation is $8,344,593. The tax levy for county purposes in Newton is 25!, cents on each one hundred dollars valuation, while in Jasper it is 45.\, or 20 cents greater than Newton's.

Representative Reser of Tippecanoe county, the republican obstructionist in the legislature, has fought every reform measure introduced by honest and well-mean-ing republicans. As one of his republican colleagues remarked, however, what could you expect from a man whose name spoiled the same either forwards or backwards?

Over eight hundred pieces of property have just teen advertised for sale for delinquent taxes in Wabash county, where the republican majority year after year is something near 2,(KX) and- where “prosperity” would naturally be expected to strike first. Inability to pay taxes must be one of the ear marks of the republican brand of prosperity.— Starke County Democrat.

Bro. Healv of the Brookston Gazette, says Gov. Mount went before the Ways and Means Committee two years ago and asked for SBOO, with which to pay house rent. “He only paid S4OO for house rent, what did he intend to do with the other $400”? That’s easy. As is the wont of republican statesman, he put it “where it would do the most good.” What else would he be expected to do With it ?

Last Tuesday the house committee on benevolent and scientific institutions had under consideration Representative Louttit’s bill requiring all child-bearing, feeblededmin women, between the ages of sixteen and forty-five, to Inkept at the feeble-minded school at Ft. Wayne. The bill will be favorably recommended for passage and will doubtless become a law in which event one prolific inmate of the Jasper county poor asylum will be sent hence.

The New, Albany Lodger says tin re is not a city of any importunce in the country that could not be governed at one-half to twothirds the cost 6f the present government, if its affairs wt re conducted on strictly business principles. The political boss and the lv itical caucus, however, will not j> itiit it to be so governed. Both the obnoxious and usually conscienceless elements in muncipal government have their hands in everything. Merit does not have a chance anywhere, and no more does economy; political influence controls everywhere. When cities eliminate thes6 vicious elements from their mnncipial systems they will speedily enter the highway to prosperity.. Until such elimination takes place they will languish and sooner or later fall into utter decay.

Taxpayers will find Jasper county’s fuel bill greatly enhanced by reason of the new $165,000 court house. Since Dec. Ist fuel bills amounting to almost S4OO, have been made, and there will be a great deal more to hear from.

That genuine prosperity has come (of the McKinley variety) is conclusively shown by the formation of trusts and the pricos statesmen are compelled to pay for an election to the U. S. senate. A great many “prosperity badges” a're also in evidence among the I common people.

Twelve years ago the legislature ! appropriated $200,000 for a state [soldiers’ and sailors’ monument at Indianapolis. Since then there have been repeated calls for more funds to complete the monument and the original appropriation has reached $400,000. To this SIOO,000 more was added by the legislature this week. How long, O Lord, how long, cry the people, is this thing to continue? And will i the monument ever be completed.

We regret to note that no explanation of that stationery steal has yet been made by Bro. Marshall, neither has he mentioned the suit of Heinzman Bros., vs. Jasper county, nor kept his readers posted about that court house clock. The Democrat has stated time and again that the republican papers here which includes all three— had never given the people only such particulars of county affairs as the ring wanted given out, smothering all information which would in any way reflect upon their management. We leave the reader to decide whether we have been right or wrong in this contention.

The new county reform bill as introduced provides that county commissioners in the 6th class of counties (which includes Jasper) shall meet on the first Monday of each month and continue in session if the business to bo transacted demands it three days. Should they not transact all the business in this period they may continue throughout the week, but ARE ALLOWED PAY ONLY FOR THE first three days. As turnpike directors no commissioner can draw to exceed $1 per annum for each mile of turnpike under his jurisdiction. This would have given “Holiest Ate” ateut sl6 for his services as turnpike director last year, but he managed to extract nearly $1(X) from this source. Is there a solitary taxpayer in Indiana —outside of those holding office—who will have the audacity to say that no reform is needed in the management of county affairs?

This is an era of retrenchment. Retrench men t every where, at home, in all kinds of business, in—no not in public affairs, and more is the pity. Every famiiy, every business man, every corporation, is engaged in a careful and exhausive examination to discover if possible a leak anywhere, whereby a saving can be effected. Yet, when a protest is made against public extravagance, a howl is raised so loud that it can be heard around the world, and then the barnacles feeding at the public crib, go straightway and tear their hair and rave, in a vain endeavor to get the people pacified and contented with their lot. But this ruse won’t work any longer. The people, being compelled to economize, see nogood reason why public servants, with no more ability, and with no more work to perform, should be allowed from three to five times as much pay ns the people themselves are able to earn. And in this contention the people are right. Public officials are not entitled to more pay than are the paymasters who discharge equally onerous duties and incur equal responsibility.

The proposed tp., and county reform bills now lieing considered by the legislature peovides for a township advisory board, to be appointed by the circuit judge, of five members from each township, three from the party casting the highest number of votes, and two from the minority party, who shall serve until the next general election, when they shall thereafter be elected by the voters of each township. This board shall have the power tp make or amend the tax levies made by the township trustees, consider townships expenditures, etc., and are not to receive more than $5 per annum each for their services. In townships of less than 1,350 population the trustees shall receive SIOO per annum for their services, while in townships of less than 4,500 they shall receive S2OO per annum. (This section has been amended changing the above somewhat, we believe, and allowing the per diem as heretofore, but limiting the service account) . The county bill creates a

county council of one member from each township (to be elected by the respective townships on and after the nest general election) and three councilmen at large, to be elected by the voters of the whole county. The firet set of officers are to be appointed by the the circuit judge, as in the township board. Members of the county council receive $lO each pier annum, and their duties are similar to those of the township council, except they look after the county business. Each council is required to meet once each year. Next woek, when the bill will probably have passed l>oth houses, we will give a more complete statement of their provisions.

Last Saturday the State Senai to/s had the Township and County reform bills consideration. !It was suggested by the county and township lobbyists, enemies of these reforms, that a Sunday be spent “at home.” The comity officers and the township trustees could then get in their work. But upon arriving at home the legislators found—or at least from their subsequent action one would suppose they did—that.the pap-suck-ers, who have always fought any attempt to curtail the flow’ of pap to their voracious maws, did not represent their entire constituency. So after spending Sunday “at home” the Senators came back and straightway passed the bills. The township bill by a vpte of 3d to 13, and on Wednesday the county bill by a vote of 27 to 15. We are very sorry to say that Senator T. W. O’Connor of this senatorial district voted against l oth bills. They will easily pass the House it is thought. There is nothing in these bills.of ! which any honest official need ! stand in fear, They will tend to make public business public property, and therein lies the milk in | the epeoanut. Jobs and steals can i not be consumated, when the public eye is directed at the would-be thief. Does any one believe for a moment that the stationery steal in this county last year or the court house clock, or the furniture contract, or the various contracts for extras, on the new oourt house would have stood a ghost of a show, had the public been apprised of the fact that these “bargains.” were to have been purchased ? The taxpayers are hungering and thirsting for reform, for a scaling down of public expenditures, muncipial, county, state and national, and they will have it, or some mighty good reason why it can not be had—a much better one than has been advanced so far, by their enemies, the tax-eaters.