The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-29
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Another Proposed Raid on the State Treas-
ury.

Another Proposed Raid on the State Treas
ury.
To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
i noticed in the Journal of last Saturday
some well-timed structures on the PROPOSE
ton to AVE the State Legislature donate
$4,000 to the drainage of the Kankakee
lands in Indiana, by cutting away or
lowering the rock across the stream at the
State line. While it is admitted that this
ought to be done, it is insisted that the
owners of the land to be benefited by il.
and not the State, ought to pay the ex.
pense.
Without stopping to inquire who
is right and who is wrong in this,
l desire to call public attention to
another raid on the State Treasury of
infinitely greater magnitude. which. to my
surprise, attracts much less attention. ] re-
fer to the bills pending in the Legislature
for the relief of the alleged claimants of
the bed of Beaver lake in Newton county.
| am not personally familiar with all the
facts, but as i learn them from gentlemen
who are conversant with them in all their
details they are these: The State became
the owner of the lands-s,0oO acres. worth
SsO.0O0-by grant from the United States in
1850, to which was added an
other grant in 1873 by the same.
thus making the title perfect
Inc Claimants, under n pretended title.
which they were bound to know. and did
know, was worthless, entered upon said
land and made some improvements. and for
years used the land as their own, all the
time knowing of the States ownership of
it. and that they were mere trespassers on
the land. To settle the question of owner
ship. and to establish her rights. the State,
some min years ago. employed counsel and
brought suits for the possession of tho
lands. Some of the suits were tried, and somc
are undisposed of. One was appealed to the
Supreme Court, when every question i'm
volved in each and every one of the cases
was settled in the States favor. The opin-
ion will be found in LOG Ind. Reports, page
4S5. The legal and moral title to the land
is settled in the State beyond question.
As1 have said, / don't get this from person
al knowledge, but from those who do know
and will vouch for the truth of what 1
state. These claimants, knowing these
facts. and that in the courts everything is
decided against them, for the third time
come into the Legislature with the
bill referred TO. asking that body TO deed
same lands having cost the State over S32,-
600, and being worth $4,000. This is what
these modest fellows ask the State TO do.
Was there ever such ~impudence? Was
ever the raid of these men on the treasury
equaled in audacitys OF course, the Leg
l%slature will not pass the bill. l don't
think these claimants expect it. The Leg
i~slature will not vote away eighty Thousand
dollars worth of the States lands to men
who a not the shadow of a legal OF
moral claim to tie lands or any part of II.
FAIR PLAY No. 2.
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. %.
The Civil vs.. the Railway Mail Service.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
A large number of postal clerks who lost
their position in the service. simply because
they were Republicans and were deter
mined to support Harrison and Morton. arc
daily watching the result of President
Cleveland's order placing the postal service
under the bands of the civil-service reform
act. As you are aware, for three years and
a half the Democratic administration dis
charged everything within reach that was
Republican, supplying their places-I refer
to the Panhandle system-with a lot of hay
seed farmers, butchers and questionable
pensioners. who, during their six-months'
probationary appointment. never passed an
examination where the per cent. obtained
was more than an insult TO petty ignorance.
After winking at such violations of the
postal service as this, and finding himself
defeated for a second term. Cleveland issues
an order-which If President-elect Harrison
countenances, will retain every imbecile
Democratic postal clerk in the service for
many years to come. Nay, more. They
lthe Democratic Clerks are loud in boast
ing that 'yOu good Republican clerks, fired
because you were such, will now stay out
in the cold. because our positions are guar
anteed us by the Presidents civil-service
act" Another case in point: A Republic
an postal clerk, who has been in the serv-
ice for many years, Is insultingly retired by
Dickinson, his age being over forty-fve.
Under the civil-service act this clerk can
not again apply for admission in the serv-
ice. Is this ~justices Isit right We think
not. All we ask Is justice. All we ask the
incoming administration to do is to rein
state MS to our former positions. If the
writer OF this communication is not seri-
Ously mistaken he thinks President-elect
Harrison entertains the same views.
DISCHARGED POSTAL CLERK.
INDIANAPOLIS. Jan. %.