The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-04-21
CORPORATION Matters.

THE Republican, of last week, begs
the corporation question and whines
piteously on account of the alleged op-
position which the present board of
trustees have met with from Demo-
Gratis, in all their great undertakings
for the public good. Will that sheet
please inform the public when and
where the authorities have been inter
fered with in the disc barge of their du-
ties? Have the Democrats prevented
the proper levy and collection of the
taxes-or INSTRUCTED the enforcement
of the ordinances for the preservation of
the public peace-or the maintenance
of the financial credit of the corporation?
No single instance can be cited
where the Democrats of this town have
interfered to prevent the proper en-
forcement of the corporation laws.
That plea is put forth merely to excuse
the ignominious failure of the present
mongrel town government. They went
into power enc year ago promising to
collect the taxes without regard to per
sons and to G. force all the ordinances,
or repeal hem They have done
neither. The side walks throughout
the town are in the most rickety con-
dition of which it is possible to mag
inc !; but few cross-walks have been
built, and fewer of the old ones repair
ed no attempt has been made to en-
force the ordinance against stock run
ming at large within the corporation linn
it's while more money has been spent
in useless litigation and for worthless
legal advice than has been spent before
in FIVE years. And yet with all these
failures prominently before the people,
they have the face to Say that wherein
they have failed to meet the public ex-
pectation. is attributable to the oppo-
sition Of the Democrats. Precisely
the opposite Of this charge is true. The
Democrats were generally of the opin-
ion that if the town board were permit
It'd to 90 ahead in their own way they
would bring about their own discom6t-
ure quicker than by any other method.
And now, after having failed TO do
those things which they ought to have
DONE" in their desperate struggles 10
find an excuse for their numerous fail
ures in attempting to bring about the
great reforms which they promised the
people, they attempt to cast the odium
upon the Democrats The truth Is,
they promised great reforms, when
there was but little or nothing upon
which TO make them. The administra-
ton preceding them had been as vigilant
and economical in the discharge Of
their duties as could reasonably be
expected Of them, and were far more
successful in the enforcement of the or
dinances than the present administra-
ton has been which came into power
covered all over with pledges ofretrcnch-
ment and reform. Under former adj
ministrations there were no four or five
hundred dollars spent in useless disas-
trous litigation, merely to cater to the
vanity, and crafty the spleen; and put
money into the purse of corporation
attorney; yet this has been done by the
present board oftrustces. We ask the
tax PAYERS Of this town to 90 to the
town clerk, (they will find him an ac-
commodating, efficient officer and ex-
anime the bill filed by the counsel for
the corporation in December last, and
allowed by the board, amounting to
Sl75.S0 IN seren months and then
look at the bills flied by former attor-
neys for the corporation, for the same
length OF time, and see if more than
$50 per year can anywhere be foand
for attorneys services Would it not
have been far better to have expended
the four or FIVE hundred dollars spent
in useless litigation, in paying the debt
of the town, or in improving the streets
and walks?
These are questions which every tax
payer and citizen should investigate be-
fore he again votes to place in power
men who have refused to make appro-
priatioDs for needed improvements, and
voted the peoples money to objects
which could in no event result to the
public good.
A letter from Germany was Il years
~ che way here.