Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1899 — Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 [ADVERTISEMENT]

Beware of the men who are always trying to defend the scoundrels who are fattening on public plunder. A dose inspection will generally reveal the fact that they are sharing in the booty.—Hebron News. Had the money which is being spent in the Philippine war been used in improvement of our country at home, it would have met with the approbation of the people. We have much territory which should be developed instead of going colahooting off after a lot of islands 7,000 miles away, and which will be worth nothing to us if we do get them.—Delphi Times. And now the New York Tribune (republican) says that the New York banks have crippled themselves in financing trusts, reducing their reserve $20,000,000 and loans $46,000,000 since July 8. To relieve the money stringency in New York to some extent Slecretary Gage will anticipate the October interest on the 4 per cents of 1907, amounting to over five and one-half millions of dollars. The Benton county council cut the estimates of county expenditures for 1900 from $53,451 to $36,000; in Carroll they were pared down $13,000; Shelby from slOl,600 to $40,443; Hancock from $75,000 to $60,787; Harrison $4,160; Clark from $76,407 to $47,560; Clay from $70,000 to $50,000 and appropriated S6OO for an investigation of the books and accounts of county officials. In a few counties the counoils are still in session, while in quite a number their sessions lasted ten days. A special from San Pierre to the Indianapolis Sentinel of Tuesday, says: “The excitement which is daily witnessed in the oil regions west of this place rival the palmy days of Pensylvanin, when speculators made fortunes in a day by rich strikes. This week a number of gushers have been struck and five wells which had been abandoned have begun to flow oil in paying- quantities. Prospectors have now leased nearly an entire township and the explorations promise to be continued until Jasper county and contiguous territory become the oil region of Indiana. An experimental well will be drilled during the next thirty days on the Orr farm, in Laporte county.” Up to the present time the new county reform law has proved to be a great success in this county. The county council now in session has cut the estimated expenses of some officers 50 per cent, and more and thousands of dollars heretofore worse than thrown away will be saved to the people. Some amendments will have to be made to the law by the next legislature and one that seems proper is to put in the hands of the circuit judges the power to appoint the members of the county council. Unless this is done the members of the various county rings will see that their kind of people are nominated and elected members of the council and matters will be carried on much the same as they have 1 een. —Goshen Democrat. One year ago to-day the price of corn in the Rensselaer market was 26 cents. To-day it is 29 cents, 3 cents more than last year. This would seem to be a little better for the farmer than the prices of one year ago. But is this a fact? Nearly every article the farmer buys has advanced more in price than the advance in his products amounts to. Take farm wagons for example. It takes more bushels of corn to buy an ordinary farm wagon to-day with corn worth 29 cents than it did one year ago with the price at 26 cents, and the same may be said of nearly all articles used or consumed upon the farm. Thus the Sf|bll advance in farm products does not help the farmer as much a* the prosperity boomers would have you believe. *