Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1915 — ADMITS THE DECEPTION. [ARTICLE]

ADMITS THE DECEPTION.

Republican Reluctantly Says That Parks Did Not Write or Sign Article!. The Rensselaer Republican, whose saintly editors ‘‘never deceive its readers,” when driven into a corner, reluctantly‘admits that the ‘‘letter’’ recently appearing in its columns regarding the proposed subsidy election in Newton tp., purporting to have been written by Charles Parks, assessor of that township, was not written by, Parks at all, and that Parks never signed same, although his name was appendid to the published “letter.” This admission on the part of the Republican was made only after citizens of Newton tp., had talked with Parks and he had denied authorship of the article, and they asked The Democrat to publish the truth about it. But the Republican says Parks authorized its editors to write a letter for him. Parks says, however, so The Democrat is told, that he did not authorize but very little of tht matter in the article that appeared over his name. If the Republican had wanted to be honest jvith its readers why did it not state at the time that it was authorized to say for Mr. Parks, etc., instead of palming off a long “letter” as having been written word for word by Mr. Parks himself, and appending his name to the “letter?” And it never until now, acknowledged that Parks did not write this letter.

"The Republican does not deceive its readers.” Of course not. Perish the thought! Here is another gem from the last issue of the Republican's column-and-a-half heavy editorial urging the people of Newton tp., to follow “Bill” Rayher’s advice and support the subsidy. William Rayher lives near Forest, Ind. It is a town about like Mt. Ayr. An interurban passes through it to Frankfort and Kokomo. You will remember Bill Rayher. He lived here for many years and worked in Eger’s grocery store for a long time. He’s honest and a hustler. Getting ahead has been a hard job for Bill, but he owned a little farm in Clinton county. He went to it a few. years

ago and is making “a success on it. It used to be worth S3O per acre. The interurban made it worth $l5O. Think Bill would sooner have a S3O farm. Not on your life. Talk to Bill and see. He was here a few months ago and renewed his subscription to the Republican and he said: “Boost the interurban when ever you get the chance':They’re great things. I drive to Forest and leave my horse and take produce to Frankfort to market. It’s a great advantage.’’ Now, as a matter of fact, the interurban which “Bill” speaks of—so the Republican says—did not increase the value of “his” land from S3O to $l5O per acre, and no man of ordinary intelligence would say so. We will venture to say that it didn’t increase its value one penny. There has been no S3O an acre land in Clinton county in 35 years. If interurbans would cause any such increase in value it would pay the farmers themselves to build such roads through their community, then sell their farms at the great advance caused thereby and go to some other locality where they could buy S3O an acre land, build another interurban and sell out again at an advance of $l2O per acre, and so on. They would not have to repeat this performance many timgs until they were all rolling in wealth a la Rockefeller, Carnegie, et al. Why, over in Illinois where they haven’t even got wagon roads that can be traveled overt six months in the year, land is now worth s2\so to $350 an acre. But, just a word about following "Bill” Rayher. The writer and “Bill” are good friends and we wouldn't say an ill word of him, but “Bill,” who is now perhaps 60 years of age, never accumulated much property whatever. His wife, who is a hard working woman, as those she worked

for when the family liVed here w-ill testify, inherited the little farm they now occupy. “Bill’’ didn’t buy it and it is not his. It was clear of incumbrance when Mrs. Rayher inherited it, we are told, but has since been mortgaged, perhaps because of “Bill’s” good management and the close proximity to the interurban. Now, with all due respect to Mr. Rayher, is there a man in Rensselaer or Jasper county who knows him that would want to follow “Bill's” advice on a business proposition? We think not. But “Bill's” advice is as good any old time as that of the Republican, which advises the voters of Newton tp., to vote to give to a bunch of promotors $16,000 of their hardearned money. Perhaps we should have said “promotor,” for if there is anyone but O. L. Brown comprising Brown’s company at present they are evidently keeping in the background. If the Republican knows who are the officers of the company, will, it please enlighten the people a little on the subject by publishing the full list?