Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1902 — PARAGRAPHIC POINTERS [ARTICLE]

PARAGRAPHIC POINTERS

The Madison Democrat declares that congress could, in a single day, raise the wages of American workingmen by lowering the tariff. Congress tried that method In 1893 and raised something In this country other than wages. “There is one Industry that the tariff promotes always, and that is smuggling,” says a tartff-for-revenue journal. The tariff promotes smuggling In the same way that the law against thievery prevents stealing. That Is to say, If there were no law against stealing, taking what diu not belong to you would not be legally a crime. “The Oregon election comes as a message of good cheer to Democrats everywhere,” remarks the Indianapolis Sentinel. In view of the fact that the combined majorities of the two Republican candidates for congress in that state exceeded that given to McKinley two years ago, it is apparent that it is taking very little to coax a crow out of the Democratic rooster this year. The Democratic state platform of 1892 pledged the party “to remedy the costs growing out of legislation for the rich and powerful and in the interests of corporate wealth,” and declared that “trusts, combines and monopolies” were “the result of Republican legislation.” On such pledges and pronouncements the Democratic party won in the state and nation in 1892. Did it make any effort to fulfill the pledges it now repeats? The Democratic state platform declares that the Democratic party placed the penal and benevolent institutions of the state under humane and non-partisan laws, and that the present administration has viciously prostituted these institutions to partisan ends. The author of that plank would probably fall dead oi surprise if he ever came face to face with anything so unfamiliar as the truth. Under Governor Hovey a Democratc legislature seized the authority to appoint the officers of state charitable and penal institutions, and the result was a carnival of debauchery which caused, the state organ of the Democratic party to hold Its nose and cry for help. As the result of succession of Republican legislature, partisan control of the state institutions has become a thing of the past. Only one state institution is without Democratic representation upon its board of control. Three of the four state insane hospitals are under the superintendency of Democratic appointees of unquestioned efficiency. Contracts for supplies are let and subordinate appointments are made, honestly and on busines*? principles. The first platform pronouncement in favor of the erection of a state soldiers’ and sailors’ monument was that of the Republican state "onvention of 1884, which declared: “We favor an appropriation by the legislature for the erection of a suitable monument to the memory of the loyal and brave sens of Indiana who gave their lives to save the republic.” That desire has been fulfilled in the dedication of the most beautiful military memorial structure in the world.