The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-09-20

hard earnings of the people. for 1t is the
productive industry that fills the public
treasury, to cultivate the present party
power. They will understand that II there
Is change In the government they must
let go of the public reat and earn their
living by honest labor. 1t Is these power
ful influence that the party of retreuch-
ment aud reform have got to meet In the
coming elections, and only an uprising of
the p9Ople who have no other interest In
public affairs than to secure good gov
ernment and its honest and economical
administration, that will brin' about the
change necessary TO secure these desirable
ends.
STATE POLITICS AND STATE AFFAIRS.
But, my friends, / have wan
dered from the text upon which
I intended to make few
remarks, end my apology Is, that
where there is so much that can be said,
1t is difficult to leave unssid the many
things that suggest themselves when you
give reasons for a change in the admins
ira ion OF the gDvernment-in fac, they
are countless as the grains of sands on the
SEA shore, innumerable as the myrisds
OF stars la the armament. IL was my in
tention to speak to you mainly upon state
politic aud stsse affairs. Two years ago,
y
ing farther back, the Democracy promised
you retrenchment in the expenses of the
state If they we're placed in power. The
p ople gave them the opportunity, and
nobly have they redeemed that pledge.
venture the assertion that the history OF
the state government. will show that
the Democrats, when in. power.
have always a iminist, red the state
governments more economically
than hsvs their political opponents when
thev have b sd the control of It. And as 1
go along, will sllude to the subject for
which tue Republicans claim the sole
championship. 1 refer to our educational
system. Indiana has a magnificent school
fund, the largest OF soy state In the U MON.
the creation of that fund, so far as state
policy is Concerned, was upon Inc sugges-
ton of Governor Whitcomb, one OF the
leaders OF the Democracy. when be was a
member of the 8 ate Senate. And the con-
st.jutioa OF Indians, which is a Democratic
pro iuc ion provided for our pr sent sys-
tenn OF public SCHOOLS, free from the con-
troll or iufluelce of any religious denom-
in alton. Democratic legislatures, too, set
ia operation and put into effect
THE MANDATE OF OUR CONSTITUTION
In regard to comm IN schools. How
ridiculous. then, is the charge
of the Republican leaders that
tnst the Democracy oppose education and
the public schools. Their work bsst gives
tina lie to These miserable ISLANDERS. An
othsr point In this connection. Lst US see
about the great interest our r publican
friends manifest In our school system. A
large amount OF Dney belonging to the
school fund, $3.50 900, was kept by the Rs
publican party SIX years away fro N where
1t should have gone-to the support and
IN maintenance OF the pubic SCHOOLS.
Had this money bean at In
fuud would have been S24O, 900 better of.
In 1866 the sinking iund board was abol-
ished. aud the school fund, in care of the
sinking fund commissioners, was trans
fered 20 the custody of ths auditor OF
state by Rspu blican legislature. This
sacred fund, which our Republican friends
shout 80 much ABOUT, remained under the
control of ths auditor OF state during 1865
20 lS71-six years in all. Now, why wa
not that sacred fund placed at interest or
the bene6i OF the common schools which
our radical friends say they love so much
II sd this large amount of money been
loaned out at interest,". as IL Is to-day, L.
would nave placed in the treasury, for the
support of the public schools in the six
years named, nearly S250,OO But no, it
was lett for the Democratic legislature Of
ducsd by the Hon. James d. Williams
your candidate for governor, directing the
distribution Of this fund among the coun-
ties according to poDul alton, to b9 put at n
terest at the rate of s per cant. When this,
tund was about TO be distributed accord
ing to law by the then Democratic
tate Off ,eSs, they were enjoined from s
doing upon the application OF the Repub-
cans of Marion county, and
.
sustained the application. The Democratic
state officers appealed from that decision.
and upon bearing the Democratic Supreme
@ Durt reversed the decision of the Marion
County Court. This little Leaf of history
SHOWS no v much Interest the Rspu olica Is
feel ia the public schools. Attsr this de-
cision by the Suprems Court, the fund was
rromp,ly distri outed through the counties
OF the state aud placed at interest by the
act OF Democratic legislature, and is now
bringing to the sonDol Children Of the ate
more thsn $4,000 year or $3.50, 900 In five
years inc luiing 1876. Had our Rspub lean
law makers control of the le Zisls ure in
1871 no Dubt tust large am unt or money
woul still b9 tied up In the auditors offics
bringing not one cent OF In crest TO the sup
port OF the free sc lools, and or such stuff are
your Repu blicsn reform legislatures made.
[ will no. 60 back but few years 70 co.,
tra4t the expenditures OF the Democracy
an the Republicans while controlling the
state government, and VIII show by the
contrast that the Dem cratic party fulfilled
its pledge to reduce the public ex penses.
1t Is not necessary or me to give you in
detail tina annual EXPENSES for the years
1871. 1872 aud 1873. but 1 will give
YOU the aggregates shown
by the Off lal statements, aud
Iehallenge any one to prove the q cures
inc ,rrecs or misststed. In 1871 the net
exoen.ss Including tho legislature, were
1853, IA 80. Ia 1872. the net expenses, no
legisls ure. were S646 800 3s. In 1873 the
nes exp AnsAs. including legislature, were
SLAP 1874 ", Now b re we have a con-
trast of two years of Dem cratic admin