The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-07
WELL DONE.
HONOR TO WHOM HONOR.
TRIBUTE TO A FAITHFUL srArE'oFF1cE,

efficient services of Mr.. Shoemaker in the
auditors Office, the press of the state have
rendered uniform and cheerful testimony
at all times. But the Ledger Standard don't |
propose to allow any foolishness on this /
point, and responds TO the News in this |
fashion,: The indianapolis News has the |
follo wing: mo fault can be found with the |
ticket nominated by the republican conven- |
ton yesterday. The present officers have
nearly one term of work to show in their
favor, and it has, with the auditor and secre-
tary OF state, been better and more thorough
work than their predecessor have ever
DONE" The opinion OF the News, it Is true,
does not amount to much, yet we are not
disposed to pass by without contradiction so
glaring an assumption in favor 1.-THE present
audi or and secretary or state, to the dis |
arrangement of their predecessors in Office on
the democratic side of the house. but on the |
contrary, claim 70 the late Col. Nor
man Eddy and the Hon. John G.. Shoemaker
the immediate predecessors of the present
incumbents, that they did better and more
thorough work than all the republican Off
Gals that ever filled these positions, the
present incumbents included. Col. Eddy was
model officer, and during the brief term of
service brought the chaotic mass of matter in
that Office into shape, and inaugurated a
system in the business that left to his sue
cessor an easy field into which he might en-
ter and reap golden opinions from the people
| No officer was ever more popular and cour-
/ t6OuS, and OIL O1Qclal duties ne lett nothing
und0ne that he ought to have done. Every
democrat in the state will resent with indig-
nation any reflection upon his capacity or
1 faithfulneSs, and the well-earned confidence
of the people of the whole state is not to be
dissipated by the fulsome enconlums that
seem cheap with the News about this
time. We do not propose here to make war
upon the official record OF Messrs. Wildman
| and Curry. They may have performed their
duties in way to meet the appreciation OF
| the people of the state. We have heard no
complaints from those having official deal
ings with them. Their reports to the legis
lature this fall may or may not prove them
to be capable and efficient, but so far as the
general public is now informed, their labors
have been merely clerical, while those of
their immediate predecessors in these offices
comprised a work for the state that will re-
main as monuments to their own fame, and
a lasting honor to the party that elected
them. We take special pride in referring to
the services of Mr.. Shoemaker, and boldly
challenge comparison, as we claim to have
furnished him from our own section Of the
state. We do this more readily as we be-
ieve that we can discover in his well earned
reputation ground for that political jeal-
ousy Fiat by any means, fair or foul, would
uisparage his service in the estimation OF the
public. OF this we may have more to say
hereafter. But Mr.. Shoemaker is not can
didate for any position in the gift of the peo-
, pie ana past services must De larry
judged by the record. The
RECORD Is PROUD ONE
for Mr. Shoemaker and the democracy. He
had no sooner entered upon the duties of his
office than he was found overhaulino
: infinitely the condition of the various funds
under the management Of that office, and
r providing methods of consolidation that
; would greatly simplify the accounts of the
. 4 i
! of making suggestions to the legislature
touching the revenue, hitherto generally ig-
nored by. his predecessors, and set himself
about examining the best and most compre-
hensive systems in the United States, his
r labors resulted in suggestions and actual
, drafts of laws, which were adopted by leg
I islature opposed to him in political senti-
! ment, and which has already proven of vast
benefit to the state. The general and sup
! Elemental revenue bills prepared by Mr.
Shoemaker, have secured a large revenue
, from vast amount of property in this state
that has hitherto escaped taxation. Those
wholesome provisions for the more
general distribution of the burdens OF
: taxation, were conceived by Mr.. Shoemaker
, and their enactment secured chiefly by bis
personal efforts with legislative committees
. at time when corporate associations and
4 money rings had far too much influence in
/ shaping legislation and general organized de-
feat whenever such legislation was attempted
as secured the proper listing of their capital
stOcks-at a time when the present warfare
! against monopolies was not heard of. He
! studied economy in the administration of
; the finances of the state as well as in the
) general expense He advised the abolition
, of the Office OF agent of state at New York,
) and it was done. He wound up the sinking
fund OF his office, saving the state the expense
! of another salary. He set forth in a clear
and perspcuous manner the frauds COM
mtted on the state by reason of the defec-
tive laws relative to the state printing and a
nually thousands of dollars to the treasury.
Auditor Wiidman presented, through the
, press in April last, a table showing the bust
ness of home and foreign insurance compa-
MES, and the revenue paid to the state
: thereon at the rate of S54, 900 per annum.
: Should Mr.. Wildman have the credit OF Sc
! curing this large amount of additional rev.
! enue? In this same way, by the enactment
/ of laws suggested by Mr.. Shoemaker, the
general revenue of the state is increased by
the tax now laid on the incorporate associa-
, tons. Add together the income from ex-
press companies. telegraph companies, fast
freight lines, Pullman cars and other COR
: | porate stock associations, and we have a
. large amount to tighten the general taxa
, ton. Then add to the amount secured TO
| cities and towns in the local taxation OF ma
tional banks-amountng to hundreds of
thOusands-and we may arrive at something
like an estimate of the work which Mr..
Shoemaker did for the state. The meagre
report of docket fees, that item in the
treasury account that for years has suggested
extreme carelessness if not dishonesty all
over the state, will be also augmented. An
other credit for Mr.. Shoemaker. The state
is thus already
REAPING THE BENEFIT
of Mr. Shoemaker's labors, and the very
reports upon which the Indianapolis papers
base their high encomiums upon Mr.. Wild
man, are simply the carrying out of the
wise measures secured by the labors of his
predecessor. The annual report published
last winter contained much matter not
heretofore found in the reports from that
II office, and when it appeared, the Sentinel
ascrihad To Mr. Whitman special credit for