Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1917 — TEAR DOWN THIS UNSIGHTY BILLBOARD [ARTICLE]

TEAR DOWN THIS UNSIGHTY BILLBOARD

A great many foolish and unnessary things have been done 1 over the country under the guj of "patriotism,” but perhaps u of the worst mistakes made the Jasper’ County Council of I sense is that of having a big, us billboard erected on the northwt corner of the court house groum for the purpose, it is supposed, advertising what this board h done. | When The Democrat first learne that permission had been grante by the county commissioners to ered a billboard on the court hous grounds it was our supposition tha it was to be a portable affair, lik that used in advertising the driv made last winter for the greate

Monnett school, and not that hugA posts were to be set in the ground and a big, high billboard erected. The board used for the Monnett school was a temporary affair and no posts were set in the ground. It was easily removed intact after it had served its purpose, and no particular objections were made to its location. We believe the commissioners were under the same impression as The Democrat when the request was granted. With all due respect for the motives that prompted the request of the commissioners and the erection

oif this tall and unsightly billboard —which, so far as The Democrat is able to understand can serve no useful purpose and the money used in erecting it could have imuch better been spent in some direct and useful patriotic manner or for charitable purposes—it believes that it voices the sentiment of 99 per cent of the people of Rensselaer and Jasper county in saying that the county commissioners should order the unsightly pile of lumber removed instanter.