Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1900 — Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

The rumor th«t, if elected, the republican nominee .for sheriff Will make the north-end Apologist scribe his deputy, is probably Without foundation. Abe is simply “jollying”4he old girl a little. The republican township tiustees of Indiana who have now served six years by reason of bad legislation in extending their terms, have not got their fill yet, and suit has been brought in Marion county to test the law, it being claimed that the present trustees can hold over two years more, and therefore none can be elected this fall. The case was taken to the supreme court at once and an early decision is looked for. The Democrat heartily agrees with “Keener” that it would be well for the smaller taxpayers of Jasper county if there were a few more Nelson Morris’s to take up their grievances. Wlyle no ordinary individual taxpayer can do this, Mr. Morris is financially able to fight a lawsuit to a finish, and every citizen of Keener tp., should take off his hat to the man who started the “ball rolling” in this matter. The expense of bringing the suit and prosecuting it to a finish is Mr. Morris's, but if the courts decide in his favor—that the people eannnot be robbed with impunity—every taxpayer in that township, no matter how humble, will share jq the reward, and it will perhaps teach public officers that the people have some rights of law and equity which must be respected.

Tlffi jpebpid of Jasper county whO wbuld like to have an investigation made of the county records will hardly be bamboozled by that old Fleener & Perkins contract. The case referred to furnished a little cheap campaign thunder for thp republicans a few years ago and a very lame excuse for refusing to grant the petition for an investigation filed last summer. That’s all. It has been in the supreme court for several years and no effort is apparently being made to get a decision. Long ago a ruling could have been had if any efforts had been made to that end. But a decision is apparently just what is not wanted, and the taxpayers may rest assured that it will be staved off just as long as passible. Then, like those famous and much-heralded tax cases, which enabled, that notorious prosecuting attorney of the Thirtieth judicial district to succeed himself in office, the matter will be hushed up. Chizum worked the tax cases at both ends —told the farmers that there was enough due the county in taxes from the “Rensselaer rascals” to pay for that new court house entire, and the cases against the alleged tax-dodgers acted as a club in uniting support to him. No, nothing may be expected in the way of an investigation unless officers are elected pledged to bring it about, and the democratic candidates ARE pledged to do this. Besides, what the people want is an investigation of the county officers, not an investigation of the taxpayers, as contemplated by the old, moss-covered Fleener & Perkins investigation (?).