Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1898 — Introduction. [ARTICLE]

Introduction.

In introducing this, the first issue of the Rensselaer Democrat to the public, hut few words are necessary. In politics the paper will be Democratic, and the Chicago platform, its code of principles. We shall advocate economy and retrenchment in our local affairs.. We believe the local government of Jasper county costs to much and will advocate a general reduction of expenditures and lower tax levies. We believe the people of the county should know how the publicmoney is expended and shall endeavor to keep our readers informed by publishing from time to time, a list of the allowances made by the Board of commissioners. Recent improvements as well as proposed improvements will receive their share of attention. On all public questions we shall try to he mil l and fair avoiding as much as possible anything in the nature of abuse. We shall publish the general news of the county, and it is our aim to make the fhper a good general newspaper and upon these statements ask the support of the public. Yours truly, Shields & Dilley. Abe Halleek’s new Court House clock still stands still. It has been charged that the new Court House is mostly steal and stone, even to the hardware and the-doors. Ben Wallace’s side show is’nt a circumstance compared with the show Sim Dowell will go to see November, next. The wicked Democrats will not be permitted to drink all the whiskey in Jasper county this year. A large contingent of the Republican candidates will insist that their rightsin this particular shall be respected.

Compare your tax receipt with those of last year and the year before. Then find out what you would have had to pay during those years if your property had been located in an adjoining county. Then don’t swear. Its wicked. The Democratic state convention will make no mistake by nominating Allen W. Clark of Greensburg as its candidate for Secretary of State. Mr. Clark is a thorough democrat, an excellent organize! - , and would add great strength to the ticket. { ■ ■ ■ —- Shortly before the last election the section men on the Monon at this place were promised $1.35 instead ~of sl.lO in the event of McKinley’s election. Some of them who had always voted the Democratic ticket were induced by these presentations to vote for McKinley, prosperity, protection, and honest money. Some of these same men are now holding down the same job at 97 b* cents per day. The allowances made by the board of commissioners at its February session furnish some startling figures. The allowance for work on the item of ditches amount to over five hundred dollars, of which the county surveyor teceived more than half. It appears that the county surveyor has succeeded in making this one of the best paying offices in the county. The commissioners were dissatisfied, so we are informed, With the size of some of the bills and allowed much less than was asked for.

Charles E. Mills has blossomed out as a full fledged candidate for the Republican nomination for Joint Representative from the counties of Lake and Jasper. Charley seems to forget that this is a Democratic year. In the recent election the Democratic party captured every tiling in sight in the municipal elections in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. These results iH but a forerunner of what will happen in November.

The last republican county convention declared in favor of the present gold standard, and gold bonds as the basis of all banks of issue.

The resolution was introduced by the Honest Money Apostle C. E. Mills and on motion was declared carried although the opponents of the measure insist that they were in the majority.

The Democratic party favors free coinage of silver and gold, at present legal ratio of 16 to 1 as primary money, anil contend that all other money should be issued by the government and not by the banks.

The capitalists of the east have generously offered to supply the government with all the money needed incase of war with Spain in exchange for interest bearing gold bond-. Very patriotic indeed. However we believe that a free coinage act coining gold and silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 and the issue of noninterest bearing legal tender government notes, would be a!L that would be required to furnish sufficent means, to prosecute the war and be prefered by the people who would eventually have to pay the debt.

Taxes in the city of Rensselaer aeg three dollars and forty-nine cents on the hundred . dollars. This is in the face of the fact that the’Republican management in this city promised the people that if they would vote a city government, the taxes would not be increased. A portion of the City Council who subscribed 6 these pledges will be ca; delates for re-election. It rests with tlu voters to either endorse the cours' of the Council by re-electing the present hoard, or one who endorses their administration oi condemns their course by electing the Democratic candidates.

In the history of Jasper county there has never been a condition of affairs that called for so wise and economical management of affairs as thfe present time. The county’s bonded indebtedness is now far beyond the constitutional limit. The same is true of the City of Rensselaer. Taxes are of course quite exorbitant and excessively burdensome to the taxpayer. Dissatisfaction with the management of public affairs is widespread, and as the time approaches for the payment of taxes will become moreso. Now, what relief can be expectedfrom the election of candidates for county and city offices, who are members of the party directly responsible for these conditions? Defeat the candidates of the party resposille and elect the Democratic ticket and defeat the ring.

Each of the Democratic candidates for commissioner must be a man who knows the needs of the county, and who has proven bimselfcapable of attending to business for other people by having administered his )wn business affairs judiciously. Such men, if nominated, would receive the solid democratic support, and the support of many republicans and independents who have become disgusted with the management of affairs by the jpresent board. No man who is a financial failure should be allowed to have charge of or participate in an official capacity, in the management of our financial affairs. Spendthrifts, hobby riders, or u man with a string tied to him by any ring cr clique, is not wanted. Honest, energetic, capable men are wanted anff the voters are looking to the Democrat party to furnish them for those positions.