Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1908 — TRYING TO “EXPLAIN” THEIR EXTRAVAGANCE. [ARTICLE]

TRYING TO “EXPLAIN” THEIR EXTRAVAGANCE.

John Billheimer, Republican candidate tor state auditor, has taken his turn at the task of trying to explain ths enormous Increase in the cost of the state government since the Republican party has been in power. Governor Hanly first tried his hand at the job, and then came Candidate Watson. All that these men have been able to do has only emphasized the tact that for twelve years the people of Indiana have been bled by a horde <ML political cormorants who looked upon the taxes paid by the people as partisan plunder. Neither Hanly, Watson nor Billhei* mor, nor any other Republican speaker or newspaper has disputed the fact that the same offices in the state house which cost 1431,900 a year under Democratic rule, cost last year, under Republican administration $925,470, as shown by the appropriation acts. Governor Hanly cannot deny that the annual appropriation for his office Is now $58,550, as against $12,020 un4er Matthews. And Mr. Billheimer cannot deny that the appropriations for the state auditor’s office are now $M ,620, as against $12,800 under the last Democratic state auditor. Nor can they or anybody else deny that the appropriations for all of the other state offices have been Increased in like proportion until the aggregate of increases amounts to $493,570 a year more than was found necessary by thi Democrats. Hanly, Watson, Billheimer and all the rest of the “explainers” fall back upon the fact that certain state offices prior to 1895 drew fees in addition to their salaries. This is true, but it affected only the individual compensation of the official and bore no other relation to the expense of the office. But these fees were not allowed nor drawn by Democratic officials after the taking effect of the fee and salary law passed by the Democratic legislature of 1891. which exempted persons then in office from its operations. The Indianapolis Star, Republican state organ, comes to the rescue of the wasters of public money. In an editorial a column long it says that “Mr. Marshall, candidate for governor of Indiana, also raises the cry of extravagance in regard to Republican state administrations, and makes many loose assertions tn regard to tax levioe and the cost of operating the various state offices and institutions.” ' Mr. Marshall has, indeed, raised the “cry of extravagance,” and he will continue to raise it, but he has not made a single statement which is not. in accordance with the facts and susceptible of proof by the official records. He has kept himself strictly within the truth, and it is the bare truth that causes such panic among the tax-eaters. The Republican officials and their organ are only trying to distort the facts and twist the figures, hoping thereby to muddy the water and mislead the voters, but they will not succeed.