Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1917 — YES, THEY’RE STILL LOOKING AFTER ’EM [ARTICLE]

YES, THEY’RE STILL LOOKING AFTER ’EM

Well, it is here allright, allright, "but we had not expected the demands to be quite treble at this session. Here it is: H. B. 241. Gentry. To appropriate $28,000 for use of Indiana battleflag commission to use in encasing and preserving flags. Ways and means. No doubt the H. of L. is responsible for the extra large sum wanted this time. But, ,as a Democrat senator wrote The Democrat two years ago, when we protested to him regarding the large sums appropriated for Jhis “battle flag commission” at every session of late years, each member, no doubt, will say as did this senator to The Democrat: “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. but I heartily agree with you that it is nothing but a graft; on the other hand I cannot afford to oppose, it.” If this $28,000 is granted—and of course it will be— it will make a total of about $05,000 for this alleged purpose when a very few hundreds or thousands should have been more than sufficient. But it is too."good a thing to let loose of and, unless the people enter a vigorous protest it will continue for years to come, with increasing amounts each session. Following are the amounts appropriated at past sessionsp 1909 ...........$12,000 1911 .. . ..< ...... 10,000 1913 ... .• • 10,000 1915 7,000 Total to date ~..539,000 Two years ago your representative, W. L. Wood, voted for and publicly defended this appropriation. Will he do so again? Is he, too, afraid of it and “cannot afford to oppose it?’ The people of Indiana need more men in their legislature who have the moral backbone to oppose what they know to be wrong, and it is hoped that Logan Wood has at last got his eyes opened to such species of graft as the' above and will “sfrhack” every one that comes up.