Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1902 — ABOUT THE COURT HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

ABOUT THE COURT HOUSE.

Item* of Interest Gathered In the Offices and Corridors of the County Capitol. v Nothing has been placed .on the “omitted tax-duplicate” since our last report. The April term of the Jasper circuit court will Convene one week from Monday. File your applications for mortgage exemption with the county auditor prior to May 1. Miss Blanche A. Hill, stenographer, of Onarga, 111., is assisting Workman, the tax-ferret. Tax-Ferret Eugene Spitler is assisting in the work in Tippecanoe county, at Lafayette, at present. Tax-Ferret Workman says he is busy checking up all the big cases here this week, preparatory to making settlement with the parties next week. Marriage licenses: Meh. 28, George Pierce to Susie Flewelling. Meh. 29, Isaac H. Brubaker to Ottie Blankenbaker. Meh. 29, Jay McMurray to Mary Ann Myers. New suits filed: No. 6309. William T. Beahler vs. J. L. Wood; action on note. Hanley & Hunt, attys. No. 6310. James H. Chapman vs. Walter Disbrow; action on notes and chattel mortgage. W. B. Austin, atty. Dr. Wilson, the Thayer doctor charged with having one too many wives, was released on bail Saturday. This leaves only the two Edwards* from Remington, as inmates of the jail. The April term of commissioners’ courtwill meet Monday. It is understood that at this meeting C. T. Denham, the republican nominee for the third district, will be appointed to fill the vacancy now existing in that district Considerable complaint is made by tax-payers regarding their taxes being so much heavier this year than they were last. In explanation of this The Democrat desires to say that the tax-payers themselves are largely responsible foFthis condition of affairs. The county levies were made in 1889 and 1900 by a non-partisan county council—com posed of three democrats sad four republicans. The 1901 levy was made by a county council composed of ALL republicans, who were elected by the taxpayers of Jasper county. The 1901 county levy is about onethird higher than the 1900 levy. It would seem that the best results were secured under the county council law during the first two yean of its operation, when the council was non-par-tisan. It would be much better for the people if this could continue, and it could if republicans and democrats would agree to let the dominant political party in a county nominate four candidates for members of the council only, and the weaker party nominate three candidates. This would give the dominant party a majority of only one on the board, and the results obtained would be much more satisfactory to the taxpayers. The Democrat is in favor of the adoption of this plan in Jasper county, and suggests that some of our leading republican friends who have the best interests of the people of the oountv at heart, confer with the republican county chairman and see if arrangements cannot be made to have three of the republican nominees pull off, and then, at the forthcoming democratic county convention, let the latter nominate but three candidates for members of the county council.