Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1903 — NEWSPAPER SUCCESS. [ARTICLE]

NEWSPAPER SUCCESS.

Col. John C. Lawler, democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 1900, died at his home in Salem a few days ago: Col. Lawler was a veteran of the civil war, a prominent democrat of the state and an honored and respected citizen.

The stir that is being raised over the action of the Hammond school board in purchasing supplies at fancy prices is creating an agitation in favor of a law requiring school boards to publish their allowances. The last republican legislature refused to pass a bill of this kind. The advocates of such a measure say that there is as much reason why school boards should publish their allowances as there is for the publication of allowances by county commissioners.

While the reports of the present poor farm superintendent for the past seven months, or from February 1, 1903, to September 1. 1903, show a total expense of $2,039.90, this sum does not represent the total poor farm expenditures during this period. The reader will note by referring to the allowances made by the commissioners at their September term, that poor farm allowances were made at that session alone amounting to $56.13 which were not included in the superintendent’s report. As these claims must have been filed five days before the commissioners’ convening, the supplies and labor represented therein must necessarily have been furnished or performed prior to Sept. 1.

A petition is being circulated and will be presented to the county commissioners at their meeting next week, we understand, asking that they build a cottage the soldier’s home at Lafayette. Jasper county is one of the few Counties in this section of the state, it is argued, but has a cottage there already for the use of old soldiers sent to the home from their respective counties. While this may be true, and much as we dislike to discourage a worthy cause, yet with a per capita indebtedness, of $10.67, only exceeded by two other counties in the state, and an already exces-

sive tax levy, we think Jasper county should be a little slow to contract more expenses. However, as there has been no appropriation made for this purpose, the commissioners can do nothing in the matter were they so inclined. The petition should be addressed to the county council, and not to the commissioners.

Down at Terre Hante the better element of citizens have asked for an injunction to stop the proposed street carnival there, on the ground that it is bad for the moral and physical condition of the city, “letting loose on the streets the forces of disorder.” The carnival movers will, it’s said, ask for a change of venue from Judge Stimpson, because of a published interview in which he is quoted as saying that the carnival association is proceeding with the same spirit that characterizes a mob, and that “the people of Terre Haute have not the backbone to stop them.” The Judge is also credited with saying that if a proceeding were instituted for the public good the street fair could be stopped on the ground of immorality.

The report of the state statisticion, just issued, among other valuable information, shows the per capita expenditures for the year 1900 of the various counties of the state. Of our neighboring counties, Benton’s per capita expenditures was $3.16; Lake, $1.95; Newton, $2.55; Pulaski, $3.33; Starke, $3.16; White, $2.65, while Jasper’s was $3,44. These figures speak volumes. Pulaski, Starke and White counties are each paying for new court houses, as is Jasper, yet each of those counties were under democratic control —in part, at least —in 1900. Benton, the next most expensive managed county to our own, was also under complete republican management. Mr. Taxpayer, don’t you think you are a little bit foolish to continue to vote to have your county affairs managed by such an expensixe set of officers, when you are getting nothing more whatever to show for your good money tnan your neighbors in adjoining counties are getting for theirs?

The Democrat does not say that Mr. Clark’s report on leaving the poor farm was correot or that Mr. Blue’s reports have been false. It has merely copied the statements made therein. If either have been untrue it was the duty of the commissioners to act. If Mr. Clark did not have 27 head of cattle, 63 head of hogs, 2,500 bushels of oats, 1,500 bushels of corn, etc., on turning over the management of the farm last Feburary, as stated in his report, it was the duty of the commissioners to have raised a howl and seen to it that this stock and produce teas there. If there are now 10 head of cattle less, 100 chickens less, 1,300 bushels of corn less, 2,500 bushels of oats less (presuming that the 1,300 bushels of oats on hand Sept. Ist were this year’s crop) and the total receipts from all sources during the seven months of Mr. Blue’s reign have been but $1,013. was the duty of the commissioners to investigate and see what caused the apparant discrepancies. We believe this is a proposition that every honest

taxpayer in the county, regardless of political affiliations or previous condition of servitude, will subscribe to..

The rapidly increasing price of silver is likely to bring about a curious state of affairs in the Philippines. When the Philippines coinage bill was undhr consideration in the House last session, the democrats and a minority of the republicans, passed a substitute measure which made United States money legal tender in the Philippines. Later, the Senate passed a measure which provided for the Philippine peso and made it and the United States money legal tender. The House was whipped into line during the closing hours of the session and the Senate bill became a law. No\y, the price of silver has advanced almost 50 per cent, and is quoted at 61.58 cents an ounce. If it reaches 64 cents the peso will be worth more than their face value as bullion and will be promptly melted and sold as such. That would leave the only legal tender money in the Islands, the legal tender of the United States, as provided by the minority bill.

The tax-ferrets who operated in this county recently were engaged in making what purported to be a non-partisan investigation, the expense of which was paid by the people of the whole county. As such investigator Mr. Workman had no business to use his investigation to boost his friend Mr. Halleck into office, and that is what is now generally admitted he did do in' placing the alleged omitted taxes on the duplicate against Judge Thompson just on the eve of the election. It is also admitted that this alleged omitted tax wa3 held over Thompson’s head as a club all during the campaign, in the attempt “to keep him still,” and, when he wouldn’t keep still, Workman was sent for and the amount was placed on the duplicate. The courts have decided that the ferrets had no valid claim against Thompson for the taxes, and Mr. Workman’s action in willingly assisting in the scheme ss above set forth goes a long way toward convincing the public that he is not honest in his investigations. The whole thing proves that The Democrat’s remarks on the subject at the time this slick work of Workman’s was done, were true in every particular.

Lafayette Journal: Somebody has said that friendship to a newspaper is often disaster to a newspaper; friendship gets between an editor’s feet, trips him, and he goes on his nose. To succeed with a newspaper it is required that you interest folks, you do that even more thoroughly when you kick a man into the gutter, than when you help him out. The wise thing for a newspaper to do is to list its enemies as an asset and its friends as a liability. And this person might have added that the best way to interest folks is always to tell the truth, and always be on the right side of questions which concern the public. This is the only way to secure confidence, and confidence is the mainspring of newspaper success. When a newspaper has acquired a reputation in the community of absolute reliability, so that everybody accepts it as authority and it is quoted because it can be relied on never to lie nor mislead, that newspaper is a success.