Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1915 — MORAL COWARDICE. [ARTICLE]

MORAL COWARDICE.

W eak Kneed Legislators Who Lack Stamina to Stand Up for tire * Right. It is a deplorable fact that many of the officers elected by the people to transact their business ami guard their interests are morally deficient in what is commonly .denominated “backbone” when matters come up which they think may jeopardise their political aspirations, even though they know and admit the matters to be nothing but a graft and against tho interests of the masses of the people whom they are supposed to represent. The editor sent a short letter ir few days ago to a member of tho legislature from one of tho central districts es the state—-not our own, remember—calling his attention to the “battle flag preservation” schemo of a few “patriotic gentlemen” which has cost the taxpayers of Indiana—including the $7,000 appropriation just made —$39,000 in tho past six years. We did not ask this gentleman to oppose the present appropriation, but merely called his attention to the appropriations heretofore made for the same purpose—l9o9, $12,000; 1911, $10,000; 1913, $lO,000—and said thht it was not to be wondered at that taxes were high and the people were cussing the legislature. We received the following acknowledgement of the receipt of out letter Thursday morning: General Assembly of the State of Indiana. Senate Chamber. Indianapolis, Feb. 10, 1915. “Mr. F. E. Babcock, Rensselaer, Ind. Dear Sir and Friend: Your letter at hand and in answer will say: Yes, that graft has gone through a number of legislatures and will more than likely go through this because we all fear it, hut I heartily agree with you that it is nothin?? but a graft; on the other hand, I cannot afford to oppose it. Yours respectfully,

Here is an admission that the sehe?ne is a Kraft, but the law-mak-ers fear it, and Senator ——— says, “I cannot afford to oppos-o it! We have been slightly acquainted with this senator for several years, and ordinarllly lie is a man who doesn’t hestitate to speak his mind and oppose what he believes to be wrong, yet his moral stamina is not strong enough to do what he knows to be right in such cases as this. Unfortunately he has a great deal of company—too much, in fact—and rr. is "for this reason that, hundreds of such measures get through to the great expense of the taxpayers of Indiana. The following clipping from the legislative proceedings published in an Indianapolis paper, shows how Ibis thing is worked for “The Old flag and An Appropriation.” The McCullough bill providing for an appropriation to defray the expenses of a commission to determine and mark the route taken by the family of Abraham Lincoln when h removed from Indiana to Illinois in 1 830 passed the house with little opposition. The bill, at a former hearing, was the subject of much oratory, and was saved from death at the hands of a committee by the supporters of the- bill, who called upon the patriotism of the body. The house passed the bill by a vote of 62 to 22. Those voting against the hill explained, on the ground of economy. Now this thing of appealing to the patriotism of law-makers is not new by any means, and the smooth parties who get through these grafts 4cnow that the average politician will not dare to vote; against them, as his conscience dictates. Hence the tax-eaters wax fat at the expense of the taxpayer. What we need is more law-mak-ers with stronger vertebras.