People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1893 — What of It. [ARTICLE]

What of It.

A new industry for which the ’ arilf is not responsible—manulacturing door-keepers for the -late legislature. The officers of Jasper county -.re a brave set to let one little >ald-headed boss from Carpenter ’ownship order them around as i f they were mere puppets. Professors of Purdue will not alerate any reference to politics in Fanner's Institutes, Wonder if hey would allow anyone to discuss the brutalities of the game of football.

Judge Baldwin, who recently “toted*’ his carcass into the Democratic camp says: "I believe the Democratic party will grant all the,relief that labor demands.” We never saw such aith. No, not in all Israel. A question which has been often asked lately is, what is the use of having three members of the board of commissioners of our county when one little bald headed boss is allowed to transact all the business. Brace up, Messrs. Martindale and Faris, and assert your rights as members of the board. The statute of Indiana provides for 35 employes for the House of Representatives, including seven door-keepers, but cur reformers at Indianapolis have found places for 58 chairwarmers, 20 of whom are doorkeepers, at a salary of $5 per day. Another case of over-pro-duction.

Young McVeagh, of the notable McVeagh family, recently died of injuries received in a football contest. It is strange that professed Christians and college faculties will tolerate and encourage such brutal and inhuman sport. Something should be done to civilize and humanize those in control of our colleges. Crove rnor Chase and Auditor of State Henderson recommend that the 16 cent state school tax be reduced to 11 cents. It will be remembered that the Pilot last summer held that as the state school tax was so high, local tuition should have been reduced in Jasper county instead of being, as it was, increased 1.281.53. We were branded as ’iars. fools, assassins of character, would be embezzlers, etc., for calling for the same things these two honored state officers now recommend. It is said that never in the history of the country were

so many applicants for place as now. resulting from the change of parties. This evil, great as it now is, will grow as long as the opportunities for gain in the honest industries are less than that offered in official positions. The barnacles that are fastened on industry must be scaled off, and the salaries of officials scaled down. It is a very great misfortune to a young man to be placed in official position. It disqualifies him for ordinary pursuits.

We declare a well known fact, when we assert that bankers, bondholders and others engaged in loaning money have received more favors from the government than any other class, and while so doing have fought harder and fought more persistently to avoid even a reasonable share of taxation than any other class. We submit that it is high time for these sleek, well fed and unworked gentlemen to abide by such regulations as may be deemed best for all, without the threat, “we will withdraw our capital.” A plutocratic journal, noting the visit of a group of farmers to a board of trade assembly, said, “their clothing and wobbling gait established their identity.” When we remember that the prices of their products are forced down thirty per cent, to maintain the gold standard, and that while owning twenty per cent, of the national wealth they pay eighty per cent, of the taxes, it seems strange that they can . “wobble” at all. Farmers, do you like such flings from the plutocratic press? Assert your manhood and bury them under your ballots.

The banks, railroads, boards of trade, pools, syndicates, trusts and all the barnacles and parasites that fasten and feed upon industry, are silently, but surely, forming a more perfect union that they may the more surely keep the earnings of industry flowing into their pockets. Let us learn from our enemies, and let Knights of Labor, Prohibitionists, F. M. B. A., Alliance, People's party and Granger labor assiduously to consolidate their forces. The ultimate object of all the foreign parties is the same, and if consolidated in one body would be irresistible. Let us do it.

A correspondent of the Republican is in error about our quotation in regard to Boss Tabor. We applied nothing to Tabor, only raised a question. Read again. Again he says, he (Tabor) didn't say much. Of course he didn't. Great men never do. He only said ‘ ‘that if county officials had anything to publish and gave it to the Pilot, the board would not allow the bills.” So Tabor is the board of commissioners and reads the law to the county officials. We are astonished at the diffidence of the man, and will insure his life for a thousand years for a nickle if his modesty don’t kill him. We don’t want the post office for ourself, but we do want Tabor to have it. Give him that in connection with the bossism of the county and let him run a double-header, and he will have employment commensurate with his ability.

Mr. Tabor did not say very much to Dr. V. E. Loughridge when he was called in and questioned as to the bill presented by the Pilot for publishing notices of the state board of health. He said the Pilot had called the commissioners thieves, corruptionists and other vile names, and that hereafter if he, as county health officer, had anything to publish, to not give it to the Pilot as the board would not allow the bill.—*** in Republican. The above, presumably from the versatile pen of Charles “Efficient” Mills is a revelation even to the Pilot, We had surmised that Oliver Perry Tabor was not “dead in love” with the Pilot, but did not

know that this contemptibly, autocratic ass was trying tb compel the health department of Jasper county to bow to his edicts. Don’t get bald-headed, old man. The Pilot will present no bills that are not just and collectable, and when presented they will be paid. It is gratifying to know that the day is not remote when our state debt will be nominal, if not entirely wiped out. The increased revenues of the state during the past year amount to 1697,581.65 over the year previous, and this sum will undoubtedly be larger for the coming year. The tax law passed by the last general assembly, while not perfect in all respects, will be the means of improving our financial standing at home and abroad, and while it increases tax, yet every patriotic citizen must feel that the time has come for the state to cease borrowing money at the earliest moment possible, and in this era of prosperity no better time could be found for increasing our revenue.—Governor Chase’s Message.

We have been derided and denounced, belied and berated by the Republican for showing up the abuse of the tax law in this county; have been called “Peo-po-Demo,” because we have contended that our local tax increase, last year and this, is not chargeable to the new tax law. In the above, Governor Chase has said ten times more in praise of the Democrat tax law than ever the Pilot has said. Cuss him, Marshall, Mills & Co.

In comparing the treasurer’s statements of tax levies for the year’s ’92-’93 we find that the general average, for the thirteen townships, this year, is a fraction over t 1.54 on the 1100, a deduction, from last year, of four cents and a fraction. In some toWships less taxes will be collected this year than last; in some the levies are unchanged and in two the tax is even higher than the high rate of last year. In Gillam, Jordan and Keener there is no change. In Hanging Grove we find a reduction of 15 cents, in Walker 5 cents, in Kankakee 5 cents, in Newton 5 cents, in Wheatfield 5 cents, in Carpenter 20 cents, in Milroy 5 cents and in Union 15 cents. Marion has raised her tax 5 cents and Barkley her’s 15 cents, though there is, on a general average for the thirteen townships, a reduction of a little over 4 cents, yet with the increase in Marion, the wealthiest township in the county, and the big increase in Barkley, the 3rd township of the county, and with Gillam, Jordan and Keener taxing at the old rate there will, in all probability, be more money paid into our county treasury this year than last.

The expenses of the late election are not all “in”’ and yet what are in amount to 11,523. Qf this amount The sheriff got .2123 50 Ooufity clerk 50 85 Wm. B. Burford, (printing) 24 10 18 inspectors 244 15 34 Jud res IM 00 34 clerks IM 00 34 election sheriffs 132 25 M. F. Ohilcote. (qualifying two boards) 250 Chappell, J. P„ same 125 4 rooms in which to hold elections...... 24 00 Jas. W. McEwen, printing 286 50 G.E. Marshall 313 50 J. F. Iliff, grub bill 17 25 Hans Paulson, same 9 50 It seems that everybody had a huge spell of charges on when he made out his bill for election expenses. W. O. Roadifer, of Carpenter township, wanted $39 and got $20.90. His grub bill

seems to have been included in the first named amount. Grub bills are not included in the above except Barkley and Kankakee townships. In Kankakee grub comes high, but we must have it, you know. Hans possibly set up quail on toast, ox-tail soup, frog legs, etc. Sow belly and beans, corn bread and coffee seem to cost piles of cash in Barkley township. The matter calls for reform and we are glad to see steps in this direction taken in the state legislature. Bills to abolish printing ballots in newspapers and to limit pay of inspectors and other officers connected with elections have besn introduced and will no

: doubt be pushed to-a vote. The bald headed statesman from Carpenter township should have examined these bills a little closer and a goodly slice should have been cut off from them.

Observant persons have not failed to note unusual activity in the matterof organization among railroad employes during the past year, organization that has now well nigh brought all men engaged in operating our railroads into one compact body. To the superficial observer this is nothing more than is seen in the general trend toward organization, and that is seen in every business and craft, and is so characteristic of our age. But to the thoughtful, those who look into causes, it has a meaning that may not be only of national but international concern. It may not be accepted, but nevertheless it is true, that the shopkeepers, hotel men of Chicago, and the railroads, have, without let or hindrance, planned one of the most extensive skinning arrangements known to modern times. To say that fifty millions will visit the Columbian Exposition and that each visitor will expend fifteen dollars, is, we believe, a conservative estimate. This sum must be divided among the shopkeepers and hotel men of Chicago the railroads—they alone arflihe beneficiaries. This is pre-emi-nently an age of competition and grab, and railway employes, seeing the rich plunder ready to be scooped into the transporter’s platter, have determined to divert a share of it into their own pockets. Suppose we have correctly indicated the situation on the first day of May next, when the city of Chicago is full of visitors, when every train headed for the exposition city is loaded down with passengers, that engineer, conductor, baggageman, brakeman, switchman, station agents and telegraph operators should go on a strike. They would have it in their power to compel a division of this contemplated steal-, or make the fair a stupendous failure. But the railways, feeling that the plunder so nearly within their grasp is their own, will not surrender without a bitter and prolonged fight. The situation is not pleasant to contemplate, the contestants holding on with dogged persistency, visitors imprisoned in Chicago, foreigners on their way to our shores by invitation of our government, thousands of enterprises that depend upon an uninterrupted attendance for success will be imperiled if not wrecked. But what of the public and government while this fight to a finish goes on? The railroads have rights, the employes have rights, the public has rights, and the government has rights and duties and may be forced to act vigorously or become the contempt of the vast number of foreigners who will be likely to be in our midst at that time. But where is the wisdom to be found that will bring a peaceable adjustment of all these conflicting interests. Oh! we have it. The Democrats will be in power and will reduce the tariff and that will settle the whole thing.