The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-28

O6DI three years previous. I,zo5V0O
Increase in three years.. $9S 600
While the debt increasing at this rate
i'm three years, the tax rate was also on
the increase. The levy for 1892 was &c cents
on the 800 of taxable property. In 1895 it
had been increased to - 5-6 cents While
the county's income from taxes was in
creasing the Democrats were also collecting
special levy on the new Jail fund, as here
tofore shown. From June 80, 1893. to May,
1885, they collected on the jail levy 1852 81 SO.
OF this amount, after deducting the inter-
est, there should have been available about
600 to pay on the debt. The law pro-
vided in so many words that this money
should be placed in sinking fund and held
sacredly intact for the payment of the Jail
bonds, included in the above table. This
provision of the law totally disre-
garded. The $4,000 that should have been
placed in a sinking fund, applied on the
bonded debt, was dissipated. 1t was COW
cred into the general fund with the money
collected on the increasing tax levy, and
the money from the increasing floating
debt. When they went out in 1885, instead
of having increased the debt $9S,0OO the
Democrats should have decreased it $l40 900,
or should have left that much money in a
sinking fund for their successors to reduce
the debt. But here. as in all other things
that have been looked into. Taggartism
cried: Don't leave any money behind.
Spend it ALL"
'''' : - THE CONTRAST.
Here follows the contrast. Under three
years of Republicanism there has been a
decrease of $751; coo in the debt. If the Dem
ocrats who preceded them had done their
duty and had left $4,000 in the jail sink
ing fund the present commissioners would
have been able to decrease the debt 1922 900.
Here is how the debt account now stands:
October 1898, bonded debt........... 100000
October, 1898, temporary debt........ 10000
Present total debt 81, POS 900
Debt left by Democrats when they
retired, December, 1895. 81 1851 900
Present total debt ,205 900
Decrease by Republicans in years. $152OO
Increase by Democrats in years.. $4,000
Saving to county taxpayers in 8
years ................. -.......-..... $zoUOuO
1t is only fair to arrive at the last item,
s25O.OOO saved, by adding the actual Repub
lican decrease in the debt to what the DEM
ocrats increased ii the last three years of
their reign, as it is fair to presume that
they would have increased the debt at a
corresponding If not greater, ratio had
their administration continued The tax
payers saved, at any rate, what they would
have spent.
And while the Republicans were reducing
the debt they were making vastly more per-
manent and lasting Improvements, on a de-
creasing tax levy, than the Democrats had
made on an increasing levy. The levy for
1928 was 81 1-3 cents on the $500, as COM
pared with 80 SO cents the last Democratic
year. In the three years of Democratic rule
the total spent for bridges and public build
ings was $15OOO0, contrasted with $4,000 ex-
pended by the Republicans, as shown by the
following table:
Replumbing and refitting workhouse,
january, 1895 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SJUUU
Rebuilding county asylum, July, 1896. 1000
New copper roof on courthouse, No
Vember. 1895 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. i,oUO
airy, 1887 Observation-Disclosures. 1850
Cutting down courthouse yard and re-
March, 1897 ..,..................... 2i,5OO
Purchase of grounds and buildings,
Children's Guardians Home at Irv-
ington ................ ..-............. 4,oUV
Indiana ............. ................ 1850
Cost of thirty-six steel bridges. ...... 1250oO
Total ............... ........ .$2l2,O5O
Expended by the Democrats in three
years .s................. ............... lou,V1v