Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1899 — Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

The White county commissioners have appointed F. B. Hamston and Jones Breariey, ex-clerks, to examine the books of the auditor and treasurer.—Carroll County Citizen. Defenders of the trusts tell us for our encouragement that they, the trusts, are going to “bust” of their own accord, if people will only give them time. In view of their very thrifty condition at the present time there is nothing very assuring in the prediction.—Bluffton Banner.

In another column we copy an article from the Indianapolis Sentinel in regard to the investigation of county affaiis being made in that county, which we commend to the careful consideration of the taxpayers of Jnsper county/ Conditions here we believe to be similar to the conditions in Marion county, except that the “misappropriations’’ have perhaps been greater when we take into consideration the difference in opportunities presented. The experts in their examination of the clerk’s and sheriff's offices, mention of which has heretofore been made, found some $23,000 due the county. And now over 12,000 is found to have been witheld by the recorder of that county, with the treasurer’s and auditor’s offices—where there was the most apparent crookedness—yet to hear from. The experts are now engaged in making an examination of those two offices. Taxpayers, do you want an investigation in Jasper county?

The Keener tp. gravel road will no doubt run up against a circumstance ere long. In conversation with a prominent resident of DeMotte who claimed to know what he was talking about a few days ago, we were informed that only about four of the sixteen miles of road is now completed. Almost two and one-half years have passed since this contract was let and Keener tp. taxpayers have paid two year taxes for this road ($2 on each SIOO valuation) while about $21,000 or $22,000 of the $31,858the total contract price—has already been paid out on the road. Just what will lie done about completing the road after this money is all expended remains to be seen, but of one thing the taxI>ay ers may rest assured, not one dollar can be recovered from the contractor’s bondsmen. The “loss" of the bond and the taking of the work out of the contractor’s hands by the commissioners certainly relieves them from all responsibility. Keener township taxpayers will probably pay a good round sum for their experience with Jasper county’s incompetent officials.

The county and township advisory boards will meet and apportion money for county and township expenses in less than sixty days. The personal of most of these boards is' an earnest of their intention to do what can be done to cut down expenses, to reduce to the lowest possible point all expenditures for county or township purposes. At this time a few suggestions will not be out of ’ place. In the first place, all salaries of all officials should be limited to the allowance by law. No appropriations for any “extra” ' should be allowed on any pretext ! whatever. No man holding a commission as a county officer could command the salary he now enjoys, if he were selling his service to any other than the county. Not a cent should be ap- * propnated for “wolf or fox scalps,’’ ' one of the worst pieces of reckless extravagance ever e ndulged iby the people. Appropriations for : “hpoks and stationery” should be ■so limited that no more could be I purchased than were actually needed to carry on public busii ness, thereby requiring private individuals to purchase their own stationery and pencils. Many other measures will suggest themselves from time to time whereby savings can be effected without harm to the public business, and the individual members of these boards should make notes of them to present to the full body when in session in September.

It seems that our amiable friend of the Apologist is not the onlyone who is growing poor in this great country of ours, if we may believe the assessment returns. In the great state of Illinois—a state that has grown more, in population in the last decade than any other state in the Union—the total assessments of real and personal property in 1886 was $793,563,498, while in 1898 it had shrank to $778,494,910, a loss of $15,088,588 in the twelve years. However, it is estimated that there are liars in Illinois, and assessments were I given in at much less than they should have been. Of course, in Bro. Marshall’s case, no one would - ' ' '' *