Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 October 1874 — QUESTION> [ARTICLE]

QUESTION>

Next week we sluill not issue Tue Union* until Friday, in order to give our readers the result of the election as far as possil le. The Independents of Jasper county confidently expect to beat the King ticket by a handsome majority, and to carry the county for their candidates for Representative and State Senator. Mr. William Lakin informs us that lie attended a Grange picnic at Kenney, 111 , on the 24th of September. which was a grand affair. Twenty-five Granges were represented, ami it Mas estimated 1 1 1 a t <3,000 persons were present. The Master of the Illinois State Grange and the Lecturer of the National Grange were speakers. People over there go into Grange matters in good faith,.and a great deal of interest is manifested. Perhaps when they come to vote it may be well enough for taxpayers to recollect that Messrs Charles 31. Watson and George 11. Brown, opposing candidates tor Representative in the General Assembly, were Commissioners of Jasper county for several years and at the same time. If our memory is Tight some time in the fall of 1 SOD, not many months after 3lr. Benjamin was elected and had taken his seat as a member of the Board, *3l ajor Schermerbdrn, oCDelphi, presented a bill to them for surveying the route ol the proposed Indianapolis, Delphi tfc Chicago railroad across Jasper county, the distance being about forty miles. Mr. Benjamin, in a recent conversation, tells* us that Mr. Brown protested against paying the bill, hit that kin self and Mon, Charles M. WpUson allowed the - claim over Mr. Brown's protest, and directed the auditor to issue a warrant I for ssuo in favor of Scheruurhorn, to be paid out of the county f unds. ’This act illustrates the difference in the judgment of these gentlemen. Mr. David H. 3' roman attended a meeting of the Executive Committee of the State Grange at Indianapolis last week, and reports the Order in a prosperous condition. The State Grange will .meet on the fourth Tuesday of November—the 24th day. Each county is entitled to one delegate at large, m that meeting, one delegate for every fifteen Subordinate Granges in the county, and one for a fraction of fifteen over ten. Jasper county will be entitled to three representatives under this apportionment.— All Masters of Granges and their Wives and all Past Masters and their wives, are also entitled to seats in that body, but do not re-1 ccire compensation as delegates.— t

On account of the electionof to Guafigg being a part of the business to be transacted, it is desired to have as large an attendance as possible at the next meeting of the Jasper ' Comity-Central Association, which will be held in the Court House at Rensselaer on Saturday the 31st day of this present month. - - ---J—----1 -T-j-; 1 /; V■■ | Friends liavihg asked why we have not noticed the columns of abuse heaped aganst us in the Jusper Republican , we submit these reasons for our silence: ... t. They do not injure the Pco» pie's Movement, nor build up the , King which boasted its design to ! crush us out. While they attack us they can not hurt our friends, i ‘J. The proprietor and ostensible editor of that paper Itas bad no experience in Apolitical matters, lie is a comparative stranger in the county, and knows absolutely ! nothing about its public affairs; : hence all he says will be taken cum tjrano sails, B, He is simply a hireling, devoid of principle, who espoused the People's cause while at Remington, and is now sold to the King who pay him to do their dirty work. He is following his profess ional business, with which we have no desire to interfere. A faithful servant is an object of admiration. Reader, it you please, listen to just a word for Peter Rhoads. He has been a resident of Jasper county for nearly twenty years ; he is a worthy man, competent to perform the duties of the Sheriff’s office, has a large family to support, is a hard-working mechanic, is honest, fair and upright in all his dealings, and if elected no doubt will give satisfaction. He has been a Republican in politic*, not bitter nor violent, but consistent and conservative. 11c did not seek the nomination of the People’s Primary Election, because he preferred to be independent; he did not seek the Republican nomination for the same reason and because lie was convinced that that matter was already set up; he is a candidate upon his ow n merits alone, without of~ -either party,, running independently of all polil.ieal organizations. It is not on r object to electioneer for him in any' manner—the Independents have their candidates to vote for, and the Ring has already dictated to Republicans how they shall vote —bid ave simp 1 y propose by this U> tell our readers exactly Mr. Rhoads' position politically, and his standing in community, in as few words as possible. He is light, ing this battle by himself, without all “organ” to publish his pedigree, and our love of justice prompts us see that lie has fair play.

The legislature winter before last passed a law by which the apprais- : ed value of all property in Indiana | was increased 80 pec cent., and also increasing the rate of taxation for State purposes from five cents on SIOO io fifteen cents. To illustrate: Property which was then returned by the assessor as valued at SI,OOO, from which the State would de- ! rive a revenue of 50 cents, is now returned at BI,SOO and the tax assessed upon it is $2.70. One year ago this property would return a revenue to the.county of So, now it is made to pay $9. Then, for State and county purposes together, the tax was $5.50; now on the same property the tax is $11.70, or more titan doubled, on these two items aiont , and the same rate is good oil ail kinds of taxes. Yei there have been no public works either in the State or county. The - party now in power, and the men now holding office, are responsible fur this state of things. Are the pcSjxle satisfied with it? and will they endorse it‘2 are questions to be determined next Tuesday. Ou. the one hand in Jasper county is a King, calljug themselves Tiepublicai.s, who defend the necessity for increased taxes and high official salaries; and* ou the other side are men earnestly opposing extravagance and promising retrenchment. Whicli.wiii you have in power, Republicans and high taxes together wjth official extravagance, or Independents, low taxes and economy?; • . - . _ . ' *'■ -•