Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1894 — About the Iroquois Ditch. [ARTICLE]

About the Iroquois Ditch.

Iq regard to tile Iroquois ditch, about which such k strenuous and unprincipled attempt is being made to use them in politics—the attempt-being made both openly through the opposition papers, and still more secretly and underhandedly through false and misleading circulars,secretly printed and surreptitiously circulated, the true facts, briefly stated, are there. The petitioneis began the ditch, as was their right, under the law, and the commissioners appointed engineer and viewers, as was their duty, under the law. It was and is a greatly needed improvement, and at the beginning, everybody favored it. Republicans, Democrats, Prohibitionists and Populists. All the papers in Rensselaer favored it, and no one was found to raise a kick against it.

Had the commissioners not done their lawful part, in directing the surveys and estimates to be made, aud in paying the expense of the same, the higher courts would have compelled them to do so, and public disapprobation would have probably driven them from office. Finally, when the surveys were all made, and the benefits and damages estimated, there were so many people who believed, rightly or wrongly, that their assessments were too great few iue expected benefits, that there arose a general demand for the dismissal of the ditch.

The commissioners, ever ready to do wliat right and justice requires, to the best of their light, gave fair bearing, at the proper time, to these objections to the ditch, and then, on the showing made, they dismissed the case. In every important step of the case from first to last, the commisoners have had public opinion in their favor, and overwhelmingly in their favor. More than that, they have had the law in their favor. They are law abiding and law obeying men. What, on the other hand, can we say of those who are violating the law, both of God and man, in the infamous aud slanderous falsehoods they are secretly circulating about this matter ?