The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-06
NOT A DOLLAR In THE FUND
Exhausting the Treasury, the Salary
Grabbers Would Like to Taketh the Safe.
The State Has Not a Cent to Pay Expenses,
but the Democratic Wreckers Continue to
Push Their Spiteful Measures.

State Treasurer Lemcke went to his
Office, yesterday morning, to find that he
had not a dollar in the general fund with
which to pay any warrants that might be
issued by the Auditor of State. The latter
officer, through his deputy. John w. Coon,
notified, after 10 o'clock, all presenting
vouchers that they would have to wait for
their money until the Legislature made
some provision for supplying the treasury.
lit has to be done mighty quick" said Mr..
Coons, with that %amiability and emphasis of
expression, which always characterize
that gentleman's demeanor when anything
is wrong with the general fund. Its no
use to talk to me. There is no money in the
fund, and | cam issue any warrant. You
get the Legislature to pass the loan bill
at once without any more foolishness, and
we will lave plenty of money" Just about
this time life becomes almost unbearable
for Mr.. Coons, when, as if to add insult to
injury. a half dozen or more Democratic
legislators, twice that many clerks of the
General Assembly and a score of door
keepers began to present to him, one after
another, vouchers for their weekly salary.
The Deputy Auditor of State generally
meets the world with a fair amount of
philosophy, but to contemplate the au-
dacity of the legislative pirates was TOO
much for Mr.. COons. 1t was suggestive of
gOphers. having emptied a safe of thou
sands Of dollars. coming back after the
safe.
There is not only recklessness, extrava-
gance and criminal negligence in the Legis-
lature taking care of itself at the sacrifice
of other interests in the present condition
of State finances, but black ingratitude.
Two years ago, when the Democratic sand
baggers pounded the life out of the COnstl-
tuition for the sake of Green Smith and
Judge urpie, they let the appropriation bills
go to the committees graveyard, because
they knew the State could be carried on I'M
der the continuous appropriation statute.
But from that statute had been omitted the
needs of the State Statistician, State GeOlO-
gist, Judges of the Supreme Court and At
time except the latter officer and
Judge Elliott, of the Supreme Bench.
When there was no money for these
officers, those among them of fiery and dis
plead for some arrangement by which they
could be cared for during the two years.
State Treasurer Lemcke told them that if
they would give him a bond to reimburse
sembly failed tomake good the expenditure,
he would give them enough money for their
salaries and office expenses. VIM. A.
Peelle, jr., State Statistician, Judges Nib
black, collars, Howk and Mitchell and
Democrats, jumped at the agreement as a
trout at a tempting fly, These gentlemen
have been sorely tried, particularly that
Mr.. Peelle, by the deficiency bill being
hung on a very high nail. They want that
passed at all hazards, or there is danger
from the bond that the State Treasurer
bholds. This embarrassing condition out of
the way. they would unite heartily on
pushing the general appropriation further
back on the flesuntil their political friends,
the legislative buccaneers, had obtained
forty days more. But both the deficiency
and appropriation bills are to be brought
out for a brief airing, possibly tomorrow,
and If, as the pirates regard them, the con-
dltions are not favorable for consideration,
in view of the demand for an extra session,
both houses will no doubt take a turn at
poses to rip the continuous appropri-
alton statute in two and leave
the State %penniless because partisan de-
mands of about the cheapest Tot of Demo-
cratic Senators and Representatives ever
gathered together are not granted.
When this gathering of political wreck
ers met on Jan. 10, with partisan measure
i after partisan measure cOncOcted and to be
put through under gag rule, brOw-beating
aud sand-bagging, there was 1892, sic. 7S in
the general fund. To-day there is not a dol
larin the treasury nor a cent in sight. With
out returning the least equivalent in honest
work therefor the General Assembly has
got $4,000 of that amount. 1t claims
81, 900 more, for it appropriated at the be-
ginning of the session S125, 900 out of the
S192, 516.7s for its own use. The salaries of
| the Democratic pirates, their door-keepers
aud clerks have been called for with unin-
corrupted regularity. Their proportion to
come out of the $4,000 If the money could
be had, is large enough to make the printer
Il -..l Al .-.l:<o,. -naaa -no, H. ~-cc.
bility of their getting anything at all out
of the appropriation. But the General
Assembly, in its raid on the general fund,
allowed to the Treasurer to use SO, 900 out
penal institutions. The Democratic leg
~islators, door-keepers, and clerks doubt
less fell into an error as to
the amount OF money in the
Fund This Or had they there sS MSsld Of tSs md 1Oeg
paid out to the institutions. They are not
at all modest in asking for their weekly
salary.
since the 10th of January, and SOL 900 for
the State institutions left only $1,000 for all
other expenses. Now that $1,000 is gone,
the Auditor of State has stopped issuing
warrants, and the Treasurer can throw his
money drawer out of the window without
losing a cent. To pass the deficiency bill,
or the general appropriation bill. will do
no good, for the Treasurer can get no
money upon them. The Legislature must
provide for a loan or the Senators
and Representatives can place themselves
among the creditors of the State. That is
not the worst of it," said State Treasurer
Lemcke. April l, the salaries of all the
State officers, their dep uties and clerks, of
the Supreme, circuit, and Superior Court
judges throughout the State, of the prose-
cutOrs in every judicial district, and the
wages ever of the men who clean out the
Capitol will be due. / have not a cent to
mo- thar, IuSf nnv- ~ r. Al chin tho =
time in the month when the benev-
client. penal and r~eformatory in
situations are to demand their
money for maintenance and repairs. The
Institution for Predetermined Youth, the
Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home and
the Reform school at Plainfield, have got
their allowances, but the trustees of the
other institutions will have to whistle for
their money. i cannot even call upon the
counties for advances. They have made
no collections for the State nor are any
due" Altogether the Democratic Legisla-
tors nave made a mess of financial legisla-
ton.