Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1902 — PARAGRAPHIC POINTERS [ARTICLE]

PARAGRAPHIC POINTERS

The latest thing out is a circus trust, formed at a meeting of several of the “greatest-on-earths” held in Detroit. The way to strike at the vitals of this conspiracy against the American people, according to the Hon. William F. Vilas, who has just entered the reorganized Democracy by the tariff reform route, is to take the tariff off of circuses. Mr. Bryan has written a letter to a Democratic leader at Valparaiso, in which he commends the resolutions adopted by the Porter county Democratic convention. It is unnecessary to add that these resolutions reaffirmed the Kansas City platform. Mr. Bryan says that he is “glad to know that so many of the people are loyal to Democratic principles.” He “would be glad to know something of the methods employed in your state convention, although I am so well acquainted with the reorganizers that I can guess what their methods were.” “You will notice,” he adds, “that I have criticized the convention. I am sorry those of our Democrats who are loyal did not make an open fight in the convention.” Mr. Bryan evidently does not understand the spirit of the Democratic state convention. It had everything reorganized out of it except the harmonious hunger for pie-counter offerings. The state tai commissionEas" been* holding sessions for the benefit of those who feel that an injustice has been done them by local officials In the matter of apraisements for taxation. For the most part these sessions have been taken up with the pleadings of representatives of large corporation. all of whom plead poverty, despite the prosperity prevalent throughout the state. Governor Durbin has been the object of some criticism because of his expressions of incredulity concerning the depressed value of corporate holdings, and the disposition he and his colleagues on the board have manifested to take these representations with a liberal allowance of salt. The Marion Chronicle expresses an opinion practically universal among tax payers when it says: “The peopla stand with Governor Durbin in his demand that the corporations of Indiana pay their share of the taxes. So long as he Is conservative, reasonable, fair and careful in guarding the people’s interests, we must stand with him and encourage him in the good work. There is a general belief that the governor is right There is a feeling that the corporations have not paid their share of taxes. They plead today for immunity for one year from a raising of valuations by the tax commissioners. Their pleas are pitiful, indeed. But Governor Durbin takes the position that the rise, which the corporations admit will be Just In a year from now, should be made at cnce. The governor has the hearty backing of a large part of the population in his fearless position. He is not only courageous and apparently right tn this instance, but he has shown In many ways a conservatism, economy and care of the state’s revenues and the people gladly admit his efficiency .and praise his policy.”