Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1900 — KERN IS RESPONSIBLE [ARTICLE]

KERN IS RESPONSIBLE

Adviser to Debt-Making Indianapolis Administration. HIS AID IN TYING UP THE CITY .1 Capital Made Practically Bankrupt by Peculiar Practices. In Opposition to the Democratic Failure In That City tfie Republicans Point With Pride to the Republican Record In Handiing State Finances Determination to Head Off Democratic Raid—Workingmen Satisfied With McKinley and Prosperity— The Railroad Vote. (Special Correspondence. ] Indianapolis, Aug. 21.—The Republicans Lore are watching with considerable interest the efforts of Mayor Taggart and his Democratic officers to bolster up the condition of the city treasury. They are'Satisfied that the city has made practically bankrupt by the peculiar financiering of the Democratic city administration, ami they, know that fur political purposes the smooth .Mr. Taggart'will make a desperate attempt to cover up the shortages made by reckless management. in hopes that all will appear well uutil after the election. But tlie Republican members of Uie_ council are determined that the truth shall be known and wUI not appropriate-money at the request of the city administration until they are satisfied what it is to be used for. . Tlie opinion is that under the plea that tlie fire department needs improvements the money will be used to carry on the general business of the administration, and they are watching everything carefully. All over the state there is great interest taken in the developments in Indianapolis, for it is recognized that if the state should go Democratic the same kind of financial administration could be expected in county affairs as has been made in city affairs, and there is no telling where it would stop, for it is well known that Taggart and his machine would dominate state affairs as ft does the affairs of the city. In opposition to the manner in which business affairs are managed by the Democrats in thi wealthy city of Icdianapolis, It is pointed with pride to the excellent management of state affairs as conducted by the Republicans. There is always money in the state treasury to meet ail bills, make improvements, pay th© state employes and, more than that, the Republicans have been cutting down the state debt, stopping the paying of large sums in interests, making extensive improvements at some of the state institutions and in evbry way making a creditable showing. It is a fact well known by those who are intimately acquainted with Mayor Taggart that he is not a business man in the meaning of the term. He is only a politician, and though he has a number of private business affairs all of them are looked after by managers. John W. Kern’s Responsibility. It is known also that John W. Kern, the Democratic nominee for governor, is Mr. Taggart’s right-hand man, his city attorney and confidential adviser. Mr. Kern as city attorney is just as much to blame for the present deplorable condition in which Indianapolis finds itself as is Mr. Taggart, for Mr. Taggart has made no moves in his city administration without consulting Mr. Kern, and if Kern would give Taggart advice that would tie up the city in such a manner there is no telling what would happen if he should be elected governor. Of course there is not much possibility of such a thing happening, but the Republicans are on their guard and do not propose to turn over the state affairs to men who have almost ruined the city of Indianapolis. A great many Democrats in this county will not vote for Mr. Kern because of the facts set out here, and they will use their Influence to keep their friends in different parts of the state from voting for him for the same reason.

So far as Marion county is concerned there is not much doubt but the Republicans will carry it without trouble, though of course they admit that they must fight for IL The Democrats say that they are going to win, and Have started the old thread-bare story that there are dissensions in the ranks of the Republicans in this county. There Is absolutely no truth in that .report. The Republicans of this counity are in better fighting shape than they have been for years, and every S ember of the party is determined win and put away the Democracy tof this county for all time to come. !The managers are working night and Ifiay, and though the campaign opened yet they are doing a great heal of work on the side and will be ready to charge from the skirmish line when the real battle opens. Encouraged by Prosperity. 'Another thing that gives the Republicans here great encouragement is that the working men are in shape for McKinley and prosperity. They are getting better wages, making longer time and getting their money, and they say they arc not going to trade off a certainty for an Uncertainty. The railroad men, who cut such an important figure in the election of 1890, are Just as good Republicans now as they were in that year, and any talk that there will be a falling away from the Republican ticket by the rallrogd man la nonsense. There are over 20,000 railroad votes in Indiana, atad the greater portion of them voted tfor McKinley four years ago. .They gay they ivlU do the same this year. The Dem-

oerats are trying hard to capture the railroad vote, but the men working for niilroads rwtiize that whatever is to the interest of their employer is to their own- interest,:in(i they will vote in the same line as four years ago. They are not making a great deal of fuss it. In fact, the railroad men and other workmen of Indianapolis are so busy, making money, living welt and buying houses that they have no lime to stand around and argue polities with Democrats who make that a specialty. So whatever may be said by Democratic papers, Marion comity is all right and will elect the full Republican ticket. Congressman Overstreet, who has labored very faithfully for his constituency, will bo triumphantly reelected, the,, best observers say, by a larger plurality tha u lie had two years ago. Reports received from all parts of Indiana by the members of the state committee are very encouraging. The Republicans are alert and active and they will put up a fight that resolves itself only into a question of the size of the majorities. *** .