The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-31
A DBBT-MaKINe AND TAx-EATINe PARTY.


$4,000 in New York with which to
make payment on the State debt, says:
This State debt, as the Sentinel has
often pointed out. is chiefly legacy
from the old Republican administra-
tions. But Democratic wisdom in legis-
lation and Democratic economy in the
administration of the States affairs are
necessary to wipe it out" We desire to
express our unfeigned admiration for
the monumental gall that inspired this
statement. If, as the Sentinel says, it
has often pointed out that the State
debt is chiefly legacy from old Repub-
lican administrations, it is charitable to
suppose that it has repeated the state
ment so often that it has come to be-
lleve 1t true; yet the gall remains, for
no other quality could evolve even On
imaginary truth out of SO barefaced a
falsehoOd.
Indiana has not been out of debt for
fifty years. In 1847 the foreign bonded
debt was S11, 04S. 600. In 1850 it had been
reduced to 6.49s. 227. and in 1856 it had
increased to 1888. 473. This was before
the birth of the Republican party. The
Republicans carried the State for the
first time in 1860, and when they
came into power they found debt
of SS,598,04 All of this had been ere
ated by the Democratic party except
what may have accrued under an Occa-
sional Wing administration half a CEN
tury ago or more. The Democratic
party had control of the State govern
ment almost continuously from 1910 to
1860. The debt was not reduced dol
lar from 1S4s to 1860. On the contrary,
it increased a little every year. The
fact that the Republican party, wh,n it
first came into power, found debt of
S6,59S,047 is a sufficient answer to the
Sentineps reckless assertion that "the
present debt is chiefly legacy from
old Republican administrations"
Notwithstanding the embarrassments
of the war and the extra expense en-
tailed upon the State by the revolution
airy course of the reasonable Demo-
cratic Legislature of 1863. the Repub-
came into power. made q large reduc-
ton of the debt. To be exact, they re-
duced it from $9.599. O47 in 1860 to
"a, 167, 507 in 1870. Here was reduction
of more than 100000 in ten years,
while the Democratic party had not re-
duced it dollar during the ten years
prior to 1860. The debt was lower in
1870 than it had been for forty years.
Between 1870 and 1880 the debt in
creased SS30,6n. The Democratic party
had control of the State government
and the Legislature nearly all of that
period, and, true to its record as debt
making party. it increased the debt. In
1880 the debt was S499S,17S. Since that
time the Democratic party has had un-
interrupted control of the Legislature
and the State finances. and the debt at
present, as stated by Auditor Hender-
son in his last report. is 9S.630.615. A
simple statement of the facts shows
where the responsibility for the State
debt belongs.
The Sentinel says democratic WIS.,
dom in legislation and Democratic econ
omy in the administration of the States
affairs are necessary to wipe the debt
out" 1t is true that after a long period
of financial Encouragement and debt
making, borrowing money to meet cur
rent expenses and pay interest, the DEM
ocratic party was at last forced by pub
lie opinion and the pressure of circum-
stances to enact law to increase the
revenue. Auditor Henderson is moved
to congratulate the people of the State
on this tardy repentance and change of
policy by his party. In his annual re-
port he says: Instead of an annual def
icit of $500. 900 under the old regime We
now have net surplus of that amount.
Instead of borrowing money to pay in
terest on the public debt, as was done
under the old order of things, we now
provide for our interest and have q
handsome surplus besides" The "old
regime and the "old order of things"
whose passing away occasions this con-
graduation were Democratic.
The State debt will be paid off by the
people, but they will not be aided there
in by Democratic economy in the ad-
ministration of the States affairs" How
little ground there is for the indulgence
of such hope is shown by the record of
the last Legislature. which, by common
consent, was one of the most extrava-
CANT and corrupt that has assembled for
many years. Instead of enforcing econ
omy in the administration of the States
affairs, it largely increased expenses and
made record of which the Sentinel it
self said, the day after the Legislature
adjourned, "The party will find the rec
ord load instead of support" There
will never be any reduction of expenses
by the Democratic party as long as it is
intrenched behind a gerrymander which
| embOldens it to do as it pleases. 1t is q
( tax-eating, as we'll as a aebt-making,
party.