Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1898 — The County Commissioners. [ARTICLE]

The County Commissioners.

Editor Democrat: One of your Correspondents speaks of a “Republican Ring” in Jasper county. I think “Gang” would be a better word. There has been more money squandered uselessly in Jasper county since Commissioners Faris and Martindale hired an architect to condemn the old court house, than in any twenty years prior to that time. The people of the county and city have had heavy debts saddled upon them by the Republican ‘Gang’ officials and as Republicans many of us intend to file a pretty vigorous protest on next election day. At the city election the ‘gang’ heard something drop and at the next county election there will be a “dull thud” that will quiet of the reckless ones.

As we see it, there is no way to stop this out and out pour but to change the men in charge of the county and city affairs. Whether there are enongh Republicans who want honest work and financiering to do this, we do not know, but we think there are. That gravel road arrangement in K eener township ought to damn the Commissioners who did it. One of them made his campaign for a re-nomination on his record in favor of the prosecution of ‘‘tax dodgers” but when you showed that he was a “tax dodger” the honest people could see the hypocrisy of the whole thing. The stone wall he put around the court house r; he could see was not according to specifications but the contractors were "friends'’ of his. Since Commissioner Waymire came in, things seem to have changed a little. Down with the “Gang.” Many Republicans.