The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-18
FaIsity of the Papers Conclusions
Pointed Out by a Statement from
Ii. +. Johnson's Ofice.
MORTGAGES HAVE DECREASED
PEOPLE HAVE PAID DEBTS SINCE
DEMOCRATIC DAYS.
Accurate Figures which Show In
crease of satfsfac tfons and Real
Significance of Record.

lie HlOSl IeIHdThdUle CdSc VI yuS6hh6
with figures in recent years was the table
printed by the Sentinel yesterday morning
purporting to show that the mortgage debt
of Indiana has increased the sum of $780,
5H,3S9 in two years. The statement Is
made fatty that the records in the office
OF State Statistician b. +. Johnson plainly
show that these figures are correct. AS
matter of fact their accuracy is denied
altogether by the state statistician, who
points out irrefutably where the Sentinel
departed from truth in juggling the table.
Deputy r. d. Machan, at the instance of
Statistician Johnson. has prepared state
ment and tables showing not only the I'M
reliability and falsehood of the Sentiners
figures, but also that during two years of
Republican administration, compared to
two years OF Democratic administration,
mortgages In Indiana have really decreased
more than $2o,0O0,O0O, a statement which is
so strongly at variance with the queer
statistics of the Sentinel as TO be startling.
This statement and the tables have been
prepared by the statistician's Office. not
for the purpose SO much Of refuting po-
litical argument, but simply that the peo-
pie Of Indiana should not be msled by I'M
reliable figures purporting to come from
the statistician himself
The statistician states that the table as
presented in the Sentinel, with the excep-
ton of the heading above and the sum-
mary of items below, both of which were
prepared In the Sentinel Office is a correct
copy of his record; but that these figures,
innocent enough in themselves, have been
twisted out Of all semblance of truth and
accuracy. The principal point is that,
through its garbled presentation of facts,
the Sentinel has endeavored to make peo-
pie believe that the mortgage debt in In
diana has increased $30,0O0.OOO and more.
when. as a matter OF fact. Ii has really de-
creased over $4,000 O0 The inaccuracy
amounts to about $50.000,O00 Rather large
result, the statistician thinks, even for such
barefaced juggling.
THE JUGGLED FIGURES
The Sentinel starts out to show that the
mortgage debt of Indiana has increased
$50 574. 3s9 in the two years, 1901 and 1902.
This astonishing result was obtained in the
main by the device of using mortgage items
twice in making up summaries. On this
point, the statisticians statement says
sheriffs' deeds should not be taken into
consideration in computing the mortgage
debt, as every deed executed by a sheriff
on a foreclosure mortgage represents the
same transaction as previously recorded
under the head of mortgages filed. For in
stance, In Juggling the record, the items OF
sheriffs' deeds for 1901 and 1902 made a total
of $2,787,641. This total was included how
ever, already In the items of farms, city
and town mortgages set out in the record.
IN other words, they used the same figures
twice-which would be perfectly apparent
to anybody familiar with the status of af-
fairs
THE Sentinel states that this $4,000, 900
and more is increase in mortgage debt
in Indiana I'm 1901 and 1902, but it does not
state with what years they have compared
1901 and 1902. The casual reader would nat
urally think that each year would be COM
pared with the year just preceding II. That
would be the natural basis of comparison.
Realizing, however. that such a comparison
would not show the result desired, the SEN
tiDel used other bases Figuring even on
their comparison, however, the increase of
farm mortgages filed in 1901 as compared
with 1900 was s., 069. 539. The increase in
town and city mortgages filed in 1901
compared with 1900 was 81, 650934. There
was no increase in chattel mortgages. The
pared with 1900 was s144, total in
crease in all items over 1900 of g, SOS, 49,
The decrease, however, in chattel mort
cages in 1901 as compared with 1900 was
1862 450-leaving a total net increase In 1901
of s.. 1896 669. So much for the year 1901.
1.-The increase in farm mortgages in 1902
compared with 1901 was s5.399,944. There
was no increase in chattel mortgages or
sheriffs' deeds as compared with 1901. leav-
ing a total increase in 1902 over 1901 of
S., 399, 9A. The decrease in 1902 of town and
city mortgages filed, compared with 1901
was 5,130, 323; of chattel mortgages, S8,5
and OF sheriffs' deeds, $685., 0S7-a total de-
crease OF IS, $50, leaving a net decrease
of all in 1902 over 1901 of S405, 046. This
would be the correct basis of comparison.
1.-The summary which follows shows in
itself how the record obtained by the SEN
tinel was jugsled:"
SUMMARY.
Increase in 1901 over 1900 ..... s. 395 66e
Decrease in 1902 over 1901. .......... 4O5 046
Grand total net increase In farm,
town and city, chattel mort
cages and sheriffs' deeds in
years 1901 and 1906. ............... 81. 99O. 623
Sentinel nsures. ..............-.-.-..$ 1905 3S9
True figures. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 800 623
Misrepresented and false. SOS $50 766
MORTGAGES DECREASED.
In order TO show that mortgages have
really decreased in times of Republican
administration as compared to times when
Democrats were in power the state sta
tistician presents the following figures. He
compares the years 1902 and 1901 with 1895
and 1896. The total farm mortgages filed
in 1895 and 1896 amount to s5l, sol, 461 The
total in 1901 and 1902 was $50, 973 49o-an in
crease of s5,1I2,029. These figures, however,
when taken into consideration, do not mean
so much when the fact is considered that
real estate has appreciated greatly in yalria