Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1906 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

SI.OO Per Year.

JUDGE DARROCH

Formally Accepts Nomination for Congress. ♦ A STRONG AND SENSIBLE LETTER. Democratic Candidate Tells Chairman Risk Why Me Accepts the Honor Conferred Upon Him. Mr. James K. Risk, Democratic Chairman of the 10th Congressional District, Lafayette, Ind.: Dear Sir: The time is at hand when perhaps it is proper, that I should say something to you, and through yon ah district chairman, to the voters of the 10th Congressional District of Indiana touching the Democratic nomination for congress so generously and unexpectedly tendered me last Jnly. Sensible of the high honor conferred I feel some distress from a consciousness that the little of time and thought I have heretofore given and can now give toward an active political canvas will be but a poor apology for what is usually required and expected. My inclination has never been in the direction of political campaigning. What little of energy and ability I possess has been given up to the exacting duties of of a business life among the people with whom for many years I have bad the good fortune to be associated. My inclination in that direction is fixed and strong, and I bad reached the conclusion not to be drawa into the vortex of political action.

It is true, however, that where people are sovereign the exigencies of publio affairs require that personal inclination must often give way to public duty. The principles of a political party would be of little value if the voters of that party be deprived of the privilege of expressing their convictions at the polls. To give expression to political convictions candidates are necessary, and at this time when the conscience of an active Presidqpt is impelling him, without the mandate of his party, to force a republican Congress to enact democratic measures into public law, it is especially important that the voters of each congressional district have the opportunity and privilege of voting for a candidate who, from principle and political belief, can act with the President along democratic lines in the correction of evils engrafted into the body-politic by the political heresies of republicanism. It its also eminently fitting that in a democratic convention the candidate should {be selected by the people delegated thereto rather than be permitted to force himself upon the convention with all the arts, efforts and cunning known to political craft, ahd in suoh a self-asservative way as to warrant the conclusion that he was controlled by a consciousness that he was born tp rule rather than to serve. Self exploitation for political nominations rarely involves the solution of any principle of political faith; but usually involves only a personal effort for selfaggrandizement. If for the time the self-seeker is rewarded with success at the eleotion, public office beoomes prostituted to private pecuniary gain; or if ambition be the goal it then becomes . but the stepping stone to a higher station, and in either oase leads from publio duty and is alike demoralizing. The problem of chiefest concern now seems to be the repression and regulation of the evil methods of men and corporations of great wealth. That their evil tendencies exist is oonceded by all, and that they are a proper subjeot of government policy is denied by none. The position of the present administration in that regard is reactionary; not in harmony with past party aotion, nor with present avowed party policy. The subject of taxation is always important, because always exacting. The policy of protection for protection's sake, as engrafted into our revenue laws, teaohes that be who may enjoy its direct benefit shall have the law-

ful right to claim and receive for' his prc ducts more than their fnirj market value; that he may exact somethng for which no equivalent! in value is returned or expected to! be returned, Carried into logical! effect we have the authorized tak- i ing of the labor and the products of the labor of one citizen for the enrichmennt of another, and without full, fair compensation. Such a policy teaches that thrift in private business undertakings by legislative enactment is legitimate business; that the use of the taxing power of the government to enrich individuals and corporations is proper. Persons engaged in industries not thus directly protected sought to evolve a business scheme whereby they might also thrive at the expense of others, and trusts and trade combinations were formed to destroy competition, regulate the output and fix the price thereof without special regard as to the cost of production.

Trusts and trade combinations for increased profits are formed for protection; are a part of a general scheme of protection, only less baneful than protection through the taxing power, because not clothed with the respectability of legislative enactment. If we are to assail the evils of the one system of protection why not the other. Since the break has been made and from a republican quarter, why not now return to one of the fundamental principles of this government that there should be no special privileges to any, and say that no policy wljich violates that principle is a safe policy, however plausable it may be maintained. With our boundless resources of natural wealth in all its various forms, with our genius for accomplishment, we have long permitted ourselves to be duped and misled by the dazzling spectacle of prosperity, as if that were a surprising thing and an unexpected thing. Seasons of greater prosperity and material development have always followed with the increasing volume of the medium of exchange circulating as money, and under these oonditions will exist in spite of trust protection or tariff protection. This republican polioy of thrift by legislation has existed so long, has been supported with such constancy and the return* flowing from it have been so fixed and sure that the profit sharers of its bounty have come to regard it ah a vested right; and thus it was that it became natural and perfectly easy for a United States Senator, who had grown rich through the senseless tariff on lumber, to openly declare on the floor of the Senate that his aotion as a United States Senator on a statehood bill was effeoted by bis private investments in the territory involved. While to him this position may

Rensselaer, Jasper County, Indiana, Saturday, September 29, 1906.

JUDGE WILLIAM DARROCH.

have seemed natural and proper, to the ordinary citizen it is certainly suggestive of moral mendacity or mental decay, When occurrences like this can be published broadcast to tbe country, bf a United States Senator without exciting indignation in the ranks of the party, with whom be is affiiliated, it is fitting and proper that the subject of “Civic Righteousness” be inducted into tbe politics of that party as a proper subject of popular debate. Mr. Chairman, the President of the United States having been compelled to subject himself to the just criticism of violating his executive duty and encroaching upon the legislative branch of the government, for the purpose of securing a little beneficial and purely democratic legislation, the people should see to it that he be relieved frpm further criticism ou that by electing democrats to Congress. It is the duty of every voter to inform himself well on all public questions and to vote bis honest convictions thereon. In the persuit of that information it is doubtful if the best results will be obtained by committing political education to candidates for public office. Their advice usually comes in the heat of a political canvas, and as a rule is charged with fervid declamation calculated to inflame rather than to advise and instruct.

It is believed by some and is now being urged that tbe Advisory Initiative should be applied to questions of public concern; that is to say, the measure or proposition shall be stated in specific terms and determined by a direct vote of tbe people; .that if this course be persued it will create a mfire general and rational enquiry into public questions and give to tbe individual voter a larger inter, eat and a greater responsibility in publio affairs. Any proposition that gives to the individual citizen the largest measure of personal liberty, and the largest measure of individual politioai liberty and power, violates no rule of true democracy and ought to receive the endorsement of every true patriot. Whether one man is eleoted or whether another man is elected is a matter of small concern to tbe general public; but it is of concern that men be elected to\Congress who favor general and not special interest; economy and not extravagance in the" administration of public affairs; tbe largest measure of liberty and power reserved to the individual citizen that is consistent with good government; a revision of the taxing law, not by the friends* of protection, but by the friends of tbe people and the friends of revision; the right of trial by jury unimpaired'; the repression of all svUb and abuses of corporate wealth,

even to the extent of invading the right of contract or the right of corporate existence, if the extent of the evil justify and the general welfare of the people require it. Entertaining the views here expressed and obedient to the mandate of the people who nominated me, I now formally accept the nomination tendered and shall cheerfully abide by whatever decision tbe voters may render at the coming election. Very truly yours,

WILLIAM DARROCH.

WESLEY TAYLOR NOMINATED.

Democrats Nominate Young Monon Attorney for Joint‘Kepre* sentative. The democratic joint representative, convention for the counties of Jasper and White, was held at Monon Tuesday afternoon. County Chairman L. Strong, of Jasper, was made permanent chairman, and F. E. Babcock, also of Jasper, secretary. On call for candidates White presented the name of Wesley Taylor, a popular young attorney of Monon, which nomination was seconded by Jasper county, and he was made the unanimous choice of the convention. Mr. Taylor is an honorable young man and has a host of friends in his own county, where be is best known. He will make a complete campaign of the district and if Jasper county does tbe right thing he will be elected. After tbe nomination brief talks were made by Messrs. Honan, Baughman and Strong of this county, and Messrs. Taylor, Wasson and Hanna, of White and Carroll counties.

THE ncCOY CASES HAVE BEEN CONTINUED.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred McCoy arrived in town yesterday evening to be in readiness for a hearing in one of tbe oelebrated McCoy cases today. Judge Farber who is the Special Judge in the same cases came on the same train from Frankfort. At two o’clock this afternoon the cases were called and by the agreement of all parties concerned were continued until the next term of the White circuit oourt. The hearing attracted but little attention. There were not a half dozen people in the coqrt room outside of officials, attorneys and parties interested. —Tuesday’s Montiuello Jourual

MRS. SAGE RAISES BEQUESTS.

It is reported that the widow of Russell Sage has agreed to double the bequests of the deceased millionaire, if there is no contest of the will, and that the heirs have agreed to this. If true, our present townsman, Elizur Sage, will come come in for $60,000, instead of <25,000.

LICENSE REVOKED.

Teacher B. N. Fendig: Accused of Immoral Acts. APPEAL TAKEN TO STATE SUPT. County Superintendent Revokes License Because of Teacher’s Alleged Gambling. The teacher’s license of B. N. Fendig, of this city, was revoked by County Superintendent Hamilton Saturday on the alleged grounds that the former was a gambler, a poker player, and that he had admitted to the. county superintendent and to others that he gambled. (This statement the other parties deny.) Mr. Fendig is teaching the Bowling Green school, northwest of town, in Marion township, and is considered one of Jasper county’s best teachers. The action of the county superintendent while not a surprise to a number of people in town who knew the matter was being considered, came as a shock to the hundreds who knew nothing of this. In cases of this kind it is said a teacher has five days in which to appeal to the State Superintendent, who reviews all the matters pertaining thereto and either approves or disapproves the action of the county superintendent. Mr. Fendig is teaching this week and it is said has been advised by his attorney, A. Halleck—and to whom the superintendent tells us he himself went for advice, he being the county attorney and the superintendent a county officer—to ’‘stand pat’,’ and neither appeal or give up his school.

Mr. Hamilton states that rumors had been coming to him for some time that Fendig gambled and he had a talk with him recently and told him that if he was doing anything of the sort he must quit it, as no one conld be allowed to teach school who gambled. During this talk, he says Fendig stated that he had played poker a little in a social way but would quit it altogether. W 7 hea the Rosenbaum gambling joint was pulled Fendig was seen by the officers outside the room, in the alley or rear of the building, but some of the inmates had already made their escape and they are unable to say whether he was in the room when they first went there or was on his way there, or was, as he stated when spoken to, simply going there to warn a friend —Dan Way mire—that the place was to be pulled, claiming to have been given a tip to that effect.

The officers talked publicly about seeing Benhart there and the matter came to the superintendent’s ears, he states. He called Fendig before him and fold him about tbe matter, and he says, he admitted that be bad gambled recently. On this showing, tbe superintendent says, he gave him notice to resign his sobool, and told him his lioense would be revoked. He did not resign, and Saturday, the various township trustees were notified of the revocation of the license. While of oourse there should be no politics in this matter—and Mr. Hamilton says there is not — one is a republican and the other a democrat, and both candidates for tbe cdunty superintendency. The democrats have a majority of one of the township trustees. A three years’ lioense is necessary to make one eligible to this office, and the papers of Mr. Fendig were sent to tbe State Superintendent for grading. Contrary to his expectation he received only a two years’ license, having been given only 83 per cent in arithmetic when he thought be should have been given 100. He went to Indianapolis Sept. 15 and took the matter up with Mr. Cotton and his manuscript was hunted up and a re-examination Bhow.ed that tbe arithmetic grade should have been 100. This gave him the necessary three years’ license to make him eligiblo to the oounty superintendency. It was explained to him at the state superintendent's office, we are told, that the error in the grading was the fault of a olerk who marked one problem wrong that was correct. Fendig thinks

Vol. IX. No. 26

there was something wrong in the matter and that it was fixed up in some way to make him ineligible for county superintendent. Mr. Hamilton states that he had nothing whatever to do with the grading and the papers were sealed here and went to the State superintendent with no remarks about grading, and the fact that Fendig was a candidate for the county superintendency has nothing whatever to do with his present action. The whole affair is an unfortunate one, and especially as the teacher had begun his school and is very popular with its patrons. He has taught in this township for twelve years with excellent success, is a young man who has built up a good retail boot and shoe business here which he has given his personal attention to when not teaching, and his friends hope thut he may be able to prove himself innocent of the charges made and which he denies. Later: Notice of appeal to the State Superintendent was served on Mr. Hamilton Thursday, and the outcome of the matter will be awaited anxiously by the friends of both parties. Pending the 'appeal a hearing will be given Mr. Fendig by the superintendent this morning at 8 o’clock.

ANOTHER CO. OFFICIAL INVOLVED.

Recent Raid On Gambling Den Is Causing Consternation In O. O. P. Camp. The recent raid on the Rosenbaum gambling joint is still opening up new sources of information for tbe general public and causing untold agony in the ranks of the republican politicians. It is possible before everything is over that the names of some more people may be mixed up in the matter, and the name of Walter V. Porter, one of the republican members of the Jasper county council and a candidate for re-elec-tion on tbeir county ticket, is now freely talked about as having been a patron of this gambling place. When the officers made the raid, it is said, in looking about the rooms, a blank check of a local bank was picked up from a desk in the place on which was written the names of several men, with figures opposite their names. This paper was shown to a party who was thought to be a patron of the place and he was asked what it meant. He replied that it was Mr. Rosenbaum’s memorandum of poker chips issued to the players. Rosenbaum; it would seem, was the “banker’ljin the poker games and the writing on this slip is said to have been in his hand. The “chips” were issued in lots of $5, it appeared, and opposite the names was placed the value of th© chips in dollars. The name of B. N. Fendie is said to have been on this slip, and opposite his name was $5 five times, indicating that he had bought $25 in chips altogether. This evidence, Mr. Hamilton says, influenced him in tbe matter of revoking Fendig’a license, the officers having on his inquiry admitted that the name was there as above stated. There Were several names on this slip, and among the nnmber, we are told, was that of Walter Porter, one of the members of the

county council and whose name now appears on the republican county ticket for re-election. Opposite his name was $5 eight times, it iB said, indicating that he had bought <4O worth of chips at the sitting of which the .slip was a memorandum Whether this slip was the memorandum of the “banker”* for the night’s playing that the raid was made the officers are unable of course to say, but the general opinion is that the memorandum had not lain there any great length of time when they picked it up. In the event of any trial in court of the Fendig matter the names on this paper may play an important part in the testimony.

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