Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1898 — DO NOT TRUST THEM [ARTICLE]

DO NOT TRUST THEM

DEMOCRATS FAILED TO DO ALL THAT COULD BE DONE WITH INCREASED REVENUES. In Comparison With Republican Reform Methods Their Financial Record Is the Poor Showing of a Big Bluff. ■ ' - i " The Democratic party asks the people of Indiana to restore to it the charge of state finances. Why that should not be done can be learned from its own record of failure when it was in power, from its record of fee grabbing, from the offioers it elected serving their own and party interests at the expense of the public treasury. It should not be done because the Republicans have been faithful to their trust in every instanoe. The publio has been benefited by their legislation and the state treasury has received fees amounting to many thousands of dollars annually that Democratic officials pock* eted.

It should not be done because an admirable, patriotic and progressive national administration by Republicans expects Indiana Republicans to sustain it. To do otherwise would mean that they want Democrats in 1900 to assume the buTden of power with dangerous theories of government as to finance, social economy and commercial methods. Since Democrats did not govern the state well, they can not govern the nation well. Why did they not govern the state well? Because, /or many years their financial legislation was such as to force their state officers to borrow money to meet the state’s current expenses. What was tho state debt previous to the incoming of Democratic financial officers? Eight million fifty-six thousand six hundred and fifteen dollars and twelve cents. What was it after the Democrats had been two years in offico ? Eight pailHou three hundred and fortv-siv thousand six hundred and fifteen dollars and twelve cents. What was it when they went out of office?

Seven million four huudred and thirty-six thousand six huudred and fifteen dollars and twelve cents. They reduced it then by $910,000? Yes, and paid s4oo,ooo'more in Jannary, 1895, just before the Republicans took charge. Making it all $1,310,000. The democrats had the use of a largely increased revenue? Yes, but they used money for the most part paid by the general government to reduce the state debt. Much of the increased reveuue that could have been applied to the debt found its way toward increasing current expenditures. Had it not been for the general government’s money, the Democrats would have been compelled to reduce current expeuditures and pay on the debt, or borrow money therefor in the face of increased revenues aud thereby increase the state debt. What has been done by the Republicans ? Under the administration of Auditor Daily, there has been paid up to Sept. 1, $1,700,000 cu the state debt. There has also been paid the extraordinary war expense in connection with the present trouble with Spain, amounting to nears2oo,ooo, and before Jan. 1, there will be paid $300,000 additional on the debt, making $2,000,000 in all. Should the United States government reimburse the state for its expense in oonneotiou with the Spanish war, there will be paid upon the debt by the present Republican administration $500,000 additional, before tho expiration of the present year. What other benefit has been derived from Republicaa financiering and legislation ? Under the Democratic administration the state officers, in addltiou to salaries, had the very rich perquisite of certain foes. The compensation of state officers in at loast two iustauces, from fees alone, reached the magnificent amount of $26,000 each per aunum. The Republican legislature of 1895 euaoted a new fee and salary law, placing all the Htate offices upon a purely salary basis. Under the provisions of (his Republioan fee and salary law, there is saved to tho taxpayers of the tne salary of state offioers alone, nearly SIOO,OOO per annum. What of the - Mull law ? The policy of the Republican party iu legislation has been to cut off sinecures and perquisites. It enacted in 1897 the Moil law, which requires an itemization of aooonuts aud the filing of receipted bills. What was the practice of Democrats? Under the old Democratic regime but little attention was paid to the appro • priations by fiscal years, and the result was that state institutions in a number of instauoes were allowed to uso the appropriation of a succeeding fiscal year to meet the extravagant expenses that occasioned deficits in preceding fiscal years. Under the provisions of the enforcement of the appropriation laws by the present Republican administration, the state institutions are compelled to live within their incomes, and the appropriations for fiscal years are not robbed to make up deficits. The record of the Republican administration of the state, iu short, is one that has incorporated into its praotioe the same strictness of business accountings that characterize the best conducted institutions of private pursuits. The state debt is rapidly being reduced and will soon be a thing of the past. The ReKublioan financial management is savlg $2,000 per month ih interest charges alone, and for every dollar of expenditures there is required an aooouuting of 100 cents in receipts.