The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-20
COLOSSAL STEALAGE.

The Republican papers are raising quite a
hubbuD over two or three trifing defective
appointments made by the administration.
We call their attention to a colossal stealage
by Republican officials amounting to nearly
ST., 500, 900, which dwarfs into insignifcance
any and all of the mistakes of the present
Democratic administration. The enormous
amount of defalcations alluded to in the fore
going were the result of stealings on the part
of the federal officials in Louisiana, or their
employees.
Passing over the "trifing defective appoint
ments" made from men in jail and others who
have done service in penitentia1ies, it may be
admitted that the colossal stealing mentioned
by the Sentinel is deplorable. But an exam
nation shows that, according to the Sentinels
figures, about 81, 200, 900 of this amount was
stolen Immediately after the war, when
the affairs of Louisiana, in COM
mon with all Southern States, were
in an unsettled state and men
of bad character were enabled to slip into
positions of trust in the confusion attendant
upon the settling up of the war. The loss of
a million and half in fourteen years is to be
regretted. But greater offenses have been
committed since in time Of peace, and by men
whom Democracy has delighted to honor. The
New York Sun has dispatch from Galveston
exposing a swindle of 81, $50, 900 in extent
perpetrated by Democratic State officials now
in Office. Here is something fresh.
Instead of going back twenty-four
years, to 1864, and the turbulent times imme-
diately succeeding the war; we invite the Sen
tinel to turn over the leaves only to 1884
The Galveston News shows that last year the
Texas land board, by its neglect and misman-
agement, lost to the school fund of the State
the sum of 1,75O, OO0 which should have
been collected from cattle men under the law
during the past eighteen months. The News,
with very stringent libel law before its eyes
one That gags the press almost-says: "The
loss of $1,75O,O00 was not accidental,
and, not being accidental, it is presum-
ably the result of intelligent design"
In other words, some one has been ''whacking
up with the cattle men who have thus escaped
taxation through the studied neglect of State
officials. The blame must rest on such good
Democrats as Governor John Ireland State
Treasurer Z. Il. Lubbock, Land Commission
err ". C. Walsh, Comptroller w. J. Swain
and Attorney general John D. Templeton,
who constitute the board. They are among
the most distinguished politicians in Texas,
and are Democrats to a man, with everything
their own way and Democratic majority be-
hind them as large as they choose to make it.
Here is something fresh and entertaining for
the Sentinel to draw a moral from
The Democratic officials of Democratic
Texas have stolen or gotten away
with nearly $1,000 900 in the last
past eighteen months. No portion of this
rascality can be laid at the feet of carpet bag
gers or Republicans. 1t is part of the Dem
ocrat record, and as such should be kept in
mind by the Sentinel and such Democratic
papers as would like to divert attention from
the scandalous appointments that have been
made by the ''reform' administration To do
this it had to go back twenty four years. It
now appears that there are much richer fields
nearer at hand.