Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1889 — THE LEDGE MUST GO. [ARTICLE]

THE LEDGE MUST GO.

The Senate bill appropriating §40,000 for the removal of the rock obstruction in the Kankakee river, at Momence, 111., passed the lower house Tuesday, and will become a law. If the Jesuits of the removal of the obstruction prove to be at all commensurate with what is justly expected, the passage of this bill will be one of the most important and also one of the most fortunate events in the history of Northern Indiana. The Hon. Isaac D. Duan, of; Jasper county, will be chosen as one of the commissioners to superintend the work of removing the obstruction. All legal hangings in this state must hereafter take place in the penitentiaries. It is a most excellent law. Blaine will. s be a mighty big man in the administration, but ' Harrison will be still larger. Harrison will be at the head of the procession, however good a second he may have in Mr. Blaine, l t A bill has been wtrodnoed by Senator Thompson which, if it becomes a law, will enable the Commissioners of Benton county to accept the s3o,high school building which Moses Footer professed a desire to erect in the town of Fowler, some time since. J!J_J j It is not at all to the credit of the democratic gentlemen who were mainly instrumental in inducing the boy, Girard, to swear in his vote last fall after he had been challenged on seemingly very good grounds, that they now allow him to lie threeorfoqr months, for want of a few hundred dollars bail They got him into the trouble and ought, in honor, to stand by him until the end. Although the country now has a man for President who has amply proven himself to be deserving of

the title of a wise man, yet we must fain admit that he does not consider himself wiser than the whole country besides, nor even wiser in all particulars than the aggregated wisdom of the party which elected him. In this respect there are comparisons which will suggest themselves to every well-i“r'ir'”-<l2±L The new law reducing interest on school-fund money to 6 per cent will be a great relief to many 4 counties in the state, which have found themselves unable to loan the money at the previous rate of 8 per cent,, and were therefore compelled to themselves pay the interest on large sums lying idle in their county treasuries. In Jasper county no trouble has been experienced in. loaning all that accumulated, at 8 per cent

As utterly bad and as blindly, bitterly and rabidly partisan as are the ruling elements of the democratic party in Indiana, we still believe that there is yet a sufficient leaven of good in the organization to vindicate in this state the prophetic truth of these words in General Harrison’s inaiiguaral address: “No political party can long pursue advantage at the expense of public honor, or by rude and indecent methods without protest and fatal disaffection in its own body.” !

Governor Hovey has brought the bulldozers in the Legislature up with a short turn, in their reckless overriding all laws, precedents and the Constitution itself, to make places for Democrats. In regard to the Democratic Supreme Court Commission, especially, it is dear that the Governor’s position is impregnable. The commission is dearly unconstitutional, and ought never to be allowed to discharge the functions of the offices to which they have received their unlawful appointments.

People who want office under the new administration will do just as well by not being in too big a rush. Let them read and ponder these true* and wise words from the President’s inaugural and act accordingly : “It is entirely creditable to seek public office by proper methods and with proper motives, and all applicants will be treated with consideration. But I shall need, and the heads of the departments will need time for inquiry and deliberation. Persistent importunity will not, therefore, be the best support of an application for office.” With the description of the Inaugural exercises on our inside pages, will be found the Inaugural address, in full. It is good reading for everybody, Republicans, Democrats, Prohibitionists and even the moribund Mugwumps. It is the utterance of a patriot, a statesman, a philanthropist and a sage; of a broad-minded, progressive man. Its language iseloquen t and elegant, but so simple, withal, that a child can comprehend it. It will greatly strengthen Mr. Harrison’s already most powerful hold upon the confidence of the country. We apprehend that the true war policy of the United States should be, to keep its navy, its forts and all other fighting paraphernalia in as formidable a condition as that of any other country on earth, and then to deal justly and rightly by all nations and to take no nonsense from any; and above all not to follow the precedent established by the administration that has just closed, of weakly submitting to affronts and injuries from nations like Germany and Great Britain, and jumping onto weak nations like Hayti and Mexico, with both feet, on the first provocation. ' —— yS Four years ago the democratic legislature passed a law regulating the prices of telephone services, and forthwith, all over the state, the democratic papers set up a shout that the “telephone monopopty is busted.*’ Tne law caused

a great deal of annoyancb and inconvenience as well,. , ; aa actual financial loss to m&nyipeoplA and did no good to anyone on earth, and now another democratic Legislature has qfuietly consented to its repeal. The bill was simply a common specimen of crude,-.ill-digested, demagogic legislation, of which the present Legislature m turning opt many examples., If a democratic member of the State Legislature, who had always conducted himself in forbearing, gentlemanly manner, should be called a liar by a Republican or another democrat, and in a sudden heat of anger should smite the offending brother on, the nose; and should almost immediately thereafter make due apologies to the Legislative body and also make peace with the man whom he struck, does any sensible person believe that the democratic majority in that House would suspend that member until after the end of the session and impose upon him the exorbitant fine of $150? Most certainly they would not. At the very most nothing worse than a reprimand would have been inflicted, and if the person wh<> gave the lie and got the thump on the nose was a Republican, they would not even inflict a reprimand. The penalty imposed upon Mr. Linck was an infamous outrage.

- —— Senator Dresser, of Lafayette, has covered himself with honor, this winter, by the bold front he has constantly shown in resisting the lawless and unconstitutional acts of the Bourbon Gerrymander majority in the state senate. Especially creditable was the prompt manner in which he came to the support of Senator Johnson, of Wayne, when that boldest champion of the rights of free speech and of constitutional government, cowed the big ruffian Bulger, the great size! coward who threatened to put Johnson into his seat.

Col. Dresser’s attitude on this and many other occasions during the session has called forth the hearty commendations of Repute licans all over the state. As an example of the method some of them have adopted for expressing their approval, a copy of a testimonial sent by citizens of Carroll county is here given: Delphi, Ind., Feb. 22,1889. To Senator Dresser, Indlauapolls, Ind.

Dear Sir:—We the undersignedcitizens of Carrol I county, congratulate you on the stand you took m support of Senator Johnson. Stand firm for the right Do not allow liny more of their hellish work accomplished. If they use force meet them with [force, and “lay on McDuff and damned be he who first says hold, enough.” If you need help telegraph us. We gave them a four years’ lesson, we can give them another if necessary. Your friends and .supporters. Signed by W. B. Stewart, treas< urer Carroll county; A. N. Eldridge, chairman Republican County Central Committee; H. Dunkle, county auditor, and fifty other citzens of Carroll County.