Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-04

he would appoint another secretary
that would.
He did not tell the country why he
refused to appoint ex-army officers
and officers from the retired list Of the
army, and gave the appointments to
the worthless scfons of rich and pow
erful fathers.
He was as silent as the grave on an
other very important point. We
looked anxiously for him to announce
that American soldiers should never
be used to collect taxes from the poor
Cubans and Filipinos to reimburse
Spain for money spent to purchase
guns. powder and bullets to shoot down
the patriots of those islands in their
struggle for liberty. In fact, he seems
to have forgotten nearly all things Of
interest to the American people and to
have remembered the one thing that is
uppermost in his mind at the present
time. namely. that he wants votes for
the Republican ticket.
~--.~~-~-o~-~~-~~-~-~~~
for the purpose OF economy. It was
turned back into the treasury.
Ihe Aftgeld surplus.
For the last two years of that ad-
ministration there was again a sur
plus. That surplus ran as follows:
The Insane Hospital at Jacksonville
$45.0 900, the Institution for the Deaf
and Dumb at Jacksonville $4,000, the
Institution for the Blind at Jackson
vile $4,000. Soldiers and Sailors
Home at Quincy $40, 900, making again
100000 OF a su plus that they had
over and above what they needed.
That, added to what was turned into
the treasury two years ago, made $780,
600 Of monev mat had been appropri-
ated for these in titutions and which
they did not need because of the bust
ness methods that were pursued of
buying supplies OF the lowest bidder
To this was ao1ed $50, that the
Chicago and Michigan Canal turned
back into the treasury. 1t had, in the
whole history of the state, not turned
one cent back into the treasury, but at
this time it turned $4,000 in and had
$25, 900 OF a surplus left even after do
ing this. Now. my friends, I insist
that there is the key to the last Demo-
cratic administration of Illinois. Cap
plause). 1t is easy to make accusa-
tons and to talk, but when you find
that twenty institutions of the state
have more money than they needed.
and instead of spending 1t by swell
ing pay rolls and raising salaries or
buying goods OF favorites at big profit.
when you find that instead OF doing
that they are all bringing it back and
pouring It into the state treasury, you
at least know one thing certain, and
that Is there is no stealing going on
there. (Aprlause.) You get right here
the key and spirit OF the whole thing.
after getting these things recognized
then you know exactly what to ex-
pect everywhere else, and you find II
so. Bear in mind that the number OF
patients in the institutions kept in
creasing all the time. AS a matter OF
fact the total savings amounted to be-
tween six and seven hundred thousand
dollars, but owing to the fact that the
appropriations for the first two years
had not been increased, while the
number OF inmates in the institutions
had been greatly increased, we had to
use a part of this saving the first two
years in the institution for keeping
them. and still these sums that 1
have read to you. were turned over
into the treasury. Nearly half a mil
lion OF dollars. gentlemen, was in that
way turned back into the state treas
ury.
Crime of n Republican Legislators.
Now, the legislature in session in
1s95-a Republican legislature-made
the most extravaganza appropria-
lions that was in its power. 1t
appropriated altogether little
over ten millions of dollars for
the two years-as near as now rec
oIlect IL II was about ten million four
hundred thousand dollars. Now the
law requires that before the legislature
adjourns ii shall pass an act author
izing the governor. the auditor and the
treasurer to levy a tax sufficient to
meet the appropriations which the leg
islature has made. This is usually
done. But in this instance the Iegis-
lature seemed to. think 1t would be
good politics to cripple this Demo
cratic administration and. while they
had made appropriations amounting
to ten million four hundred thousand.
they turned around and refused to
permit a tax levy. which when added
to the other income that the state had.
would raise over eight millions Of dol
lars. That left dIHerence Of twenty
four hundred thousand dollars between
the bills that this legislature had made
and the money that was raised
Called y Special session 10 Right IT
Well. reconvened them In special
session and asked them to warrant a
tax levy that would be equal to or