Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1877 — INDIANA STATE TAXES AND DEMOCRATIC CRAFTINESS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA STATE TAXES AND DEMOCRATIC CRAFTINESS.

Perhaps ho creature of the animal kingdom ia more eraity than the biped known to eoologiata ae the American demoerat. Only onp other attribute ever exceed* this one in magnitude, and that ia impudiaee. Sometitnea the two unite in nearly equal proportions, but not infrequently impudence tower* like a giant beside a pigmy above even the colossal magnitude of hi* craftinee*. David Dudley Field ia a well-developed individual ot the apeeies in whom both characters* tics exist in about equal proportions and immense quantity, but in J. Proctor Knott there ia a large excess ot impudence. Out of office, as a private citizen, the average democratic politician ia one of the most plausible-spoken of those animals which congregate about street corners or frequent drinking saloons. When in the minority his tongue is smoother than oil of olives, and his word* are sweeter than the hooey of Palestine. Then be believes ip the most liberal political action. According to his theory, in every county where there is a large republican majority, the public offices should bo divided Out to competent men irrespective of their political faith, and especial care should be taken that a goodly share of pnblie favors falls into democratic hands and pockets. But elect or appoint him to office and his views immediately undergo a remarkable transformation. He suddenly becomes one es the most bigoted zealots that breathes. Republican deputies never thrive in the shadow of a democratic officeholder. Republican trustees or road supervisors are seldom found in townships that poll large demomajorities. So intimse is the spirit of bigotry and prejudice among this class of population that where they have been elected to county offices in localities strongly republican, by the votes of liberalminded republicans,they have been known even to import democratic clerks—carpet-baggers—ralher then employ resident republicans of nnblemished character and ample qualifications whom they have knowu from childhood and are aware assisted to elevate them to the offices they occupy. Out of office these same individuals are the fiercest to denounce carpet bagisin as being littielessthan a crime. They are among the loudest to argue that republican office-holders ought to appoint democratic deputies as a matter of sacred duty, m order to counteract as much as possible the spirit of partisan rancor, and cultivate an era of .good feeling among neighbors who honestly differ in opinion. They preach eloquent sermons on brotherly love, and of neighborly kindness sugared with charity. But they practice intensified partisanship and the bitterest intolerance. Four years ago, when both branches of the legislature contained a majority of republican members, the subject of taxation tor stale purposes came up for discussion. It was found that the rate et taxation should be increased in order to provide mean* to pay off the state indebtedness, besides de fraying current expenses. The rate had been five cents on each one hnnared dollars of valuation, but was raised to fifteeu cents, and at the same session a bill was passed increasing the valuation of property on the assessment sheets, so that the burden seemed to be quite unnecessary and almost intolerable to tax-payers. This was a blunder which the democracy was not slow to take advantage of, and it proved greatly disastrous to republican ambition at the next election. Ail over the length and breadth of the state the opposition press and orators bawled along the gamnt from deepest base to shrillest treble their refrain of reform and an eoonomical reduction of taxes. They

promised, if given an opportunity, to reduce the levy for state purposes back to five cents on the hundred dollars of valuation. They triumphed. Enough democrats were eleoted to seenre a working majority in the legislature, and Governor Hendricks was ready to assist them with his advice and to approve their bills. First, they elected a democratic successor to Mr. Pratt’s seat in the United States senate and filled ail the appointed offices of the state over which they had control with demooratio incumbents; then, turning their attention to the anbject of state finances, they reduced the rate of taxation to thirteen cent* on the hundred dollars of valuation, bat not to five cents as they kad solemnly promised. Nearly two years passed, and last summer the subject of taxation agaiu became a theme of discussion before the people. Democratic orators and democratic newspapers made the most of the action of the preceding legislature, and drew comparisons favorable to democratic economy by contrasting the thirteen cents levy of thatsession with the fifteen cents levy of its republican predecessor. For some reason, however, the people were not thoroughly convinced that they had kept their promises to redace the rate to five cents, and a republican majority was returned. Now comes the auditor of state and announces in his annual report that a thirteen cents basis is insufficient to defray state expense* and supply the money for needed pub lio improvements, and recommends that it be increased to a higher figure. This statement may be true. We suspeot that it is. But at the same time democratic craftiness appears in bold relief for they sneceed in placing the republican par’.y in an awkward dilemma. If the legislature refuses to Increase the rate they stand’ready nounce the republican majority for plnnging the state into debt or neglecting to provide the means to advance the public welfare; while if it does increase it they will be heard In the next campaign denouncing republicans for their extravagance. Not onlr this, but if Mr. Henderson’s official report is true, he knew the facts when he wae engaged in canvassing the state for re-election and the democratic ticket last summer, and his frequent allmdons to democratic economy were the sheerest demagogistn, if not downright falsehoods. Thus it is forcibly illustrated that democrats arc among the most crafty and impudent creatures ot tbd animal kingdom. For a long time it has been suspected that something was wrong in the management of the affairs of the penitentiary north. Ugly rumors have floated out and been wafted abroad that convicts were furnished food of bad quality and in insufficient quantity; that they were subjected to the arbitrary caprice of drunken guards and profligate petty uader-offioers: that in certain instances and not infrequently inhumanly cruel punishments have been inflloted; besides many other stories of similar import, not to mention charges that contracts for oonvict labor have been subjected to a species of ring jobbing Arrangement, etc. Recently the prison officials and chief contractors have fallen out among themselves. since when chargee and countercharges of specific nature and ugly oharaoter have been made public through the columns of various newspapers. Chaplain Ragsdale was notified a short time since by the board of directors that his resignation would be ioeepted and its prompt tendering render dismissal superfluous. This was done directly after he bad mad* hiaanoual report wherein the management and officers of the institution were highly complimented in a paragraph especially introduced for that purpose. This action of the board evaporated a comfortable salary of S3OO -per annum and at the same time nnsealed his Ups, and he has since made very damaging charges against some of the prison officer* and prominent contractors, among the Utter being Hon. J. JJ, Winterboth-

am who now represents Lsporte county in the state senate. These retort severely and accuse the cross-eyed man of God of the grossest sensual immorality. Ragsdale returns vigorously to the coflict and promise* blood-curdling revelations if the legislature will appoint a committee to listen to them. Taken all in all, it is an interesting quarrel broken out in s branch of the democratic family, and promises, as Mr. Ragsdale is connected with a newspaper establishment, to drag oat a hideous skeleton from a dark closet and expoae its awful deformity to public gaze. It was entirely gratuitous for Mr. Carpenter to say in his argument fbr Mr, Tilden before the arbitrating commission that hj (Carpenter) was a republican and had voted for Mr. Rayas for president. These frets bad on bearing Upon the case then under comfideration. It was ho part of the duties of the com mission to enquire how Mr. Carpenter bad voted, or what political frith he professed as A citizen. The statement was simply a lawyer’s trick, intended for outside popular effect. He may have been a fair-minded, concieutSoua gentlemans and a patriotic citizen last November, and for aught known to ihe contrary is all es this yet; but it is none jtjhelesr true that a modifying condition prevailed, probaably, while be was advocating Mr. Tilden’s case before the commission that did not exist when he deposited his ballot in the state of Wisconsin for presidential electors, and that condition is the fret of hia being one of Mr. Tilden’s feed attorneys. Posribly this circumstance may not’be potent to change Mr. Carpenter's party affiliation, neither may it iuflaence his voting in the future; bat it certainly did inspire his conduct and speech before the commission of arbitration. Those who read that speech should bear this fact in mind and make the proper allowances; for it is no unfrequent occurrence for the pleadings of a paid attorney mid the convictions of an unofficial gentleman to he utterly at variance, even when spoken by one and the same person. . mij ' Now suppose we were to misquote scripture to the same extent and call The Usioir Calkin*’ child, wouldn’t brother Jamee quickly impugn our motives!— Dtnweralie Sentinel, No, indeed; far from it. Democratic ignorance of the Scriptures is proverbial; bow can they be expected to quote correitly from them? Tity, we might; but to impugn would he ungenerous. Call at The Union office and take choice of two Christian Bibles we have been reading for many years, that there shall be no excuse for your misquoting holy truths in future. Excerpts of value to ytfur party friends, that undoubtedly would be news to many of them, might be taken from its sacred pages to adorn the columns of the Democratic Sentinel. They do say now,; those ultra northern democratic war howlers do, that Mra. Bradley is boss and compels Joseph to vote solid with the repubficans. Perhaps some of them might possibly muster up courage enough to make war on MrsBradley, if they found her alone and were sure of the solid south to back them Thomas A. Hendricks, Esq., is said to be booked for an European tour next summer. Jeff Davis found s visit of that kind quite beneficial to liis shattered nerves, after his political hopes wert blasted. Bon voyage, Mr. Hendricks. in m tii '' Wont some nouhern democratic journal be kind enough to preach a sermon from thp text Let ns shake bands across the bloody ehasm, let by gones be bygones, and ftrgive oar erring southern brethren? - ..I'n - 11. It looks as if the democratic party would be cleft in twain by the interest dissensions arising out of the decision of the arbitrating commission. Let her split. There will be no war over d ® fbek of Mr. Tilden. Lamar, HiH vad all of the fighting democracy say so, and the other kind are aft aid. A reconstructed rebel is more patriotic and a better citizen thau * northern onpperhoad. , T"’l ' IWl'jNßEfeaAiff.rgXfl E*ht to «.«„». Mr ro* U «*» "»•> ;r. 7"nf