Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1898 — THE STATE NOW GETS ALL. [ARTICLE]

THE STATE NOW GETS ALL.

Here is a short story of fact of how the Republican party has done very well by a state administration. When it asked for the opportunity to cure defects in the state’s financial system, the people responded with a majority of yeas that startled political calculators, astonished the Republicans themselves aqd took the life out of Indiana Democrats for years to come. With the opportunity in hand, the Republicans made the best possible use of it by enacting laws that make it impossible for the state to divide its fees and taxes with officials. Under the old method of doing things the officials found in such division ari unfailing source of rich perquisites. It Is to the credit of the present state officials that they consented to the shutting off of this incoming of personal profit without a murmur, for it was at the very beginning of their administration that the new order of affairs went into effect. That all fees should go into the treasury was one of the conditions with which they accepted nomination and made their campaign. It is no longer personally profitable for the auditor of state to enforce laws relative to insurance fees and taxes. He does it now solely in the interest of the people, for out of the many hundred thousands of dollars paid by the insurance companies to tne state not a shadow of per cent of the money can be taken by that officer. Up to the coming into office of the present Republican auditor every one of his predecessors divided with the state all “insurance fees and taxes.” It was a method of getting rich quickly at the expense of the people, for in two terms, or four years, as an auditor of state as much as SIOO,OOO has been taken by that officer as his own. Every cent of it is now paid into the treasury, from which there is no drawing out by rebate dr auy other juggling of the laws. In this treasury the money stays until it comes out on vouchers for state expenses. The last Democratic auditor of state congratulated himself and the people that he had done better than any of his predecessors in enforcing the laws concerning fees and taxes from insurance companies. He was four years in office, and on going out reported that he had turned into the state treasury from this source $121,852.87 more than any one else who had held the office up to that time. He further set out that during the four years of his service the iusurauce fees and taxes paid into the treasury amounted to $464,249.86. However, that was not all the money from this source, for 10 per cent of the whole had been retained by the official for his services, which, added to his salary, made a very good income, somewhere' near $30,000 a year.

The present Republican auditor of state has received only a salary for his services, but he nas beeu no less diligent than his immediate predecessor in collecting fees and taxes from insurance companies. Reducing the comparison to figures it stands thus: Collected by Democratic auditor of state, over which he became quite proud, and which is net, after he had taken ont his share of the fees, $464,249.86; collected by Republican auditor of state, $716,648. That is $251,398.14 more than a Democratic officer collected even under the spur of getting 10 per cent of the collections. The Republican had no inducement of financial profit. He simply performed a duty because the law made it such without giving him a cent more than his regular salary. In this one item of Republican economy the state is gainer by more fees and taxes being collected than were ever collected before, and also by nearly SIOO,OOO that by the old way, of helping the state While helpiug yourself, would have given to the auditor of state as his “little pickings.”

The average yearly collectiou of insurance fees and taxes by the present Republican administration has been about #IBO,OOO. When the Democrats had this item of the state’s business to look alter they could collect no more than about #155,000, and 10 per cent of that was retained by theauditorof state for his own bank account. The largest sum he*paid into the treasury after deducting his per ceutage was #140,203.75. Auditor Daily last year paid in #207,351.92, or #07,088.17 more thau his Democratic predecessor ever did. He paid it, too, without keeping out a percentage for his own use and benefit. The state, therefore, profited in two ways through this Republican administration; oue by an increase of fees and taxes from insurance companies on account of better enforcement of the insurance laws, another by gettiug tho percentage that has heretofore beeu pocketed by the auditor of state. Through the Republicans tliis percentage saved to the state amouuted in 1897 alone to more thau #2O,OUU.

A great deal can be done by saving #IOO,OOO yearly in meeting the requirements of a state government. That is oue of the results of the people huving put the Republicans once more in authority in Indiana. By the Mull law, which they enacted, more thau #50,000 annually is credited to the saviugs of uu economical administration, uud fully #50.000 more is secured for the state’s benefit by that other law, also enacted by Republicans, that there shall be no perocunige on fees collected by state officers. These two wise laws socure enough to cquul oue-balf of tho interest paid by the state and to equal ul! the interest except that on the school fuud refunding bouds. In the United States prices for the necessaries of life are lower aud the wages of all who labor are higher thau in any other country. No oue can successfully challenge this assertion.—Consul Dubpis. It is in order for the Democratic speakers aud editors to explain how the interest ou the state debt was several thousand dollars greater in 1893, when the debt was less, thau in 1890.