People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1897 — Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

Well Jasper county is to be given a chance to double her court house bonded debt. The constitutional limit of 2 per cent is to be granted. The bill has already passed the senate under suspension of the rules. Governor Mount has shown his good farmer sense by insisting on a very simple inaugural ceremony. Now then let him manifest his official disapproval of such contemplated steals as the county officials salary grab. The retirement of B. O. Flower from the editorship of the Arena is a genuine loss to the cause of Populism. The spirit of the party at its best has been embodied in his own writings and those he has accepted. The stockholders refused to support Flower owing to his reform views. Dr. B. G. Crowe, populist candidate from the ninth congressional district of Albania has served notice on Underwood (dem) that he will contest the seat. Fraud is charged in every county. Dr. Crowe advocated that Gov. Kolb should be seated by force when he was elected two years ago. The State Auditor of Minn., reports to the legislature that nearly one-half of the land in that state is owned by the railroads, having been granted to them in direct violation of the law which requires that all state lines'shall be sold at public auction. He also reports that 9 per cent of the mining contracts are owned by Rockefeller and were secured by private sale. A fight on the “old line” insurance companies is to be made in Kansas, as the records show that they cleared above all expenses, and took out of the state 11,700,000 during 1896. It is proposed to require them to invest 65 per cent of their earnings in state securities, which shall be deposited with the State Treasurer, who shall have a voice in settling all disputed death claims.

An interesting People’s Party and State Reform Press meeting was held at Indianapolis during the holidays. Resolutions were passed “that all organizations of whatever name or party, having the same patriotic purposes, ought to be encouraged to the end that the people of the state may be informed in regard to the principles of righteous government.” “Support of the Reform Press and the organization of clubs without reference to party affiliations, for the study of economic questions,” was recommended. At a banquet in Baltimore, Dec., 31st., Congressman Patterson, of Tenn., in his response to the toast, “The cotton states in the recent election,” made a speech that in its endorsement of the Indianapolis platform is a very good offset to David Overmeir’s letter that was read at a banquet given in honor of W. J. Bryan, of Lincoln, Neb., about the same date. Overmeir asserted that silver alone could not win, but that some other great question, like government ownership of railroads, must b 9 taken up too by the party that looks to succeed in 1900. The insult offered Governor Altgeld in refusing to grant him the courtesy of delivering his address as the retiring executive of Illinois, at the inauguration of Governor Tanner, is being condemned by all fair minded citizens, and will reflect discredit on the republican managers, who were responsible for the outrage. Their action was a violation of precedent followed for thirty years or more, and the common custom of many Overstate. How strongly the contrast with the similar event in Indiana, where simplicity and generous magnanimity prevailed.