The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-11
"The Journal of Thursday said:

Jay. here Is one OF the arUlcloS.
"PRooF CHALLENGED.
"The Journal of Thursday said:
''WHY SHOULD THE CONTRACTORS FOR THE NEW
A Ha Be I STGE By RE,SG H
STREETSl"
''To no depth of dishonor does the Journal
hesitate to stoop. 1t lies because it loves to.
"The Journal made this charge knowing it
to be lie We challenge it to produce the
number or the name of single holder of one
of these State warrants which it says were
issued to the new insane asylum contractors.
cit owes it to the people of Indiana to prove
this statement. 1t cannot do it, for it Is abso-
lutely false-false in fact and false in infer
ence
'The Journal has been playing the part of
a counterfeit-shover in this campaign. 1t has
no disposition to treat the opponents of its
party fairly. 1t is the perjured mouthpiece of
as despicable lot of political swindlers as
ever stole a vote. It is wholly without prisi-
pie. The Republican party is the common
harlot of the time and the Journal is its
solicitor. It adopts the robes of virtue for
purposes of political prostitution, and serves
the devil because it has no soul to save"
We reproduce this article in full the more
completely to show the Sentinels shameless
evasion and confession of the truth Of the
real charges made by the journal.
What the Journal charges is this: That,
the State borrowed 81, 100, OOO upon which it
is now paying interest, for the purpose of
completing the new State house and insane
hospitals" that the last Legislature made
an appropriation for the hospitals which is
not yet exhausted by at least $50, 900; that the
contractors for the hospitals have been COM
PEELED to hypothecate their estimate allow
ances to the amount of $120, 900 to banks and
other money-lenders at a discount of or 8
per cent because the State treasury is bank
rupt. Will the Sentinel deny a single
one of these statements? We challenge
it to do so. There should be
money in the State treasury. The
Auditor of State ought to be able to draw
warrants for these estimate allowances, and
the State Treasurer ought to be able to pay
them But, instead, the contractors are
forced to submit to shave Of or per cent.
in the estimate-allowance for the work they
have done, because the Treasurer has not the
money to pay the honest debts of the State.
The word warrants upon which the Sen
tinel builds its fimsy attempt to screen the
Treasurer, was used by the Journal incorrectly
in The technical sense, but the Journal
several times made the distinction between
warrants and the estimate allowances that
have been hypothetical and discounted. The
word warrant was used by the Journal in
precisely the same manner in which it was
used by Mr.. Pierre Gray, Governor Gray's
son. the secretary of the board Of construc-
ton Of the new hospitals, in an interview
printed in the News of Saturday, which paper
seems to be chosen as the one through which
the Treasurer makes his sham "defen SEES" to
the public. Young Mr.. Gray says:
''The board approved the warrants payable
on the days named in order to let the con-
tractors 60 ahead with the work. They de-
sired to proceed with the work and were will
ing to take the vouchers approved for payment
able by the board to 60 ahead with the work
and allow the vouchers to be payable at once,
for the reason that the large expenditures for
the maintenance of the institutions and State
government and the construction of the hos
pitfalls might exceed the receipts to the treas
ury. About 800, 900 is held in this wav
now. This arrangement was made at the re-
quest of the contractors in order that they
| might continue their work without loss to
themselves or throwing out of employment
the large number of laborers they have in
their employ 1t was reserved in the contract
that the board might discontinue their work
at their option at any time"
This is a Democratic distortion of the facts.
The board is informed by the State Treasurer
that there is no money to pay the estimates
with, and rather than suffer greater loss and
cease work, the contractors and the board
agreed to go ahead with the buildings and
''shin around" for money the best they could.
But it will be observed that Mr.. Gray talks Of
warrants" Why does not the Sentinel
empty its swill barrel over Mr.. Pierre Gray?
The fact remains that the State treasury
cannot pay the honest debts of the State out
of an appropriation not yet exhausted by $780,
900.
WHERE rs THE MONEY?