Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-10-25
THE EXPENSE QUESTION AGAIN.

THE EXPENSE QUESTION AGAIN.
When we submitted statement of
expenses last week, showing the rela-
tive amounts expended by the Populist
andirepublican administrations, we did
1t for two reasons. Our first reason
was to show the taxpayers how useless
ly extravaganza the republican admins
tration is and our second reason was to
see what kind of an excuse aud apollo
gy the ''organ" would put up.
We have read many weak statements
from the editor of the Cresset, but this
one IS the weakest we have yet seen.
AS an explanation that makes things
worse for the republican party it is a
success. In other respects it is fail
ure. The Cresset says that if it had
not been for the expense in repairing
few bridges, putting In the Patterson
system and paying big sum for sex
porting" former republican experts %
and settling up with a former republi-
can official, it would not have been so
bad. We suppose not. but We have no
time for dog stories and ifs" Now
what are the facts. There were no
new bridges built during the republic
can administration in 1898. There was
some repairing done just as there
was repairing done under the
Populist administration the previous
year. On that score both administra-
tiOns are even, barring, of course, The
incompetence connected with those
employed in 1898. AS we stated last
week, the salaries in 1898 were much
lower than they were in 1897, on ac-
count of the wisdom of the Populist
legislature, and more than $4,000 was
saved in that item alone. The INDEX
did the county printing below cost that
year and saved something over thous-
and dollars there. Yet with all these
things in their favor the republicans ex-
pended So, 24l.76 more than thePopulists
who did not have them in their favor.
What about the Patterson and Hill
accounts. We admit that they were
unreasonable and Commissioner Walk
er did all he could to knock them out but
he was powerless. Hill was republi-
can, bear in mind, and he stuck" the
county under technicality. Patterson
was paid for doing the same work that
home republican experts" we're paid
for doing before.
What about the tax levies? Right
here is where the Cresset editor gave
his case away, and it convinces us that
the remarks made of the gentleman
by a republican candidate at Klowa
last Thursday were well taken. The
Cresset says that the levy on the gener-
al fund in 1898 was lower than in '97
That ID true. Why? Because the Pop
ulist practice OF economy had gotten
the treasury in such good shape that g
large levy was no longer necessary. &C
back to '96 and you will find that re-
publican extravaganza had sunk the
general fund so that it was necessary
to make levy of mills to meet the
current expenses. One year Of Popu
| ism reduced the expense so that a levy
of two mills less was all that was nee
essary and the economy of that yea
reduced it to three mllls-all done
during the Populist administration
bear in mind. But 1t must be remem
bered that this state of affairs can NJ
longer exist if the republican,
are retained in power. The casl
accumulated by Populist econOm,
IS nearly run down and absorbed by re
publican red tape and we think the lev,
next year will prove our assertion
| Wait and see.
In this discussion the INDEX doe
not include the large bridge expense t,
be paid in January. We know that i
was republican Board that accepte,
these inferior bridges when they wert
put up and we know that the count,
paid twice as much as they were worth
but lest we be accused of unfalrness, w
leave this large expense out and credl
it up to the elements. We have show
where the republicans had every advan
tage over the POpulists and yet go
away with $3,2i1.76 Of the taxpayer
money unnecessarily. We have deal
fairly in this matter and invited a de
NAL from the opposition but we hay
so far seen nothing but statements t
corroborate us.
Query: Why is the Cresset withhold
Ing publication Of the October allow
!, ances until after the election?