The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-07

New system of plumbing at the work
house $3.50
heDulldlng county asylum. ............ 400
New copper roof on courthouse..... $50
cutting courthouse yard and reitting
basement 24.5O
Building Marion county cottage, La
fayette 400
Purchase of grounds and building
and furnishing home for Board of
Guardians, Irvington ................. $500
Remooellhg county treasurer's office. 1906
FurchaSe or farm, building and fur
nlshlng home for insane at Julietta. 127, OU
New heating. lighting and water
plant at the courthouse, including
new power house contract for DOW
er house, tunnel and carpenter
work In eourthouse...-."...-.: $685.
Boilers, engines, steam fitting and
electric lighting 1,SSI
Plumbing, draining and water supply i9,1ss
NtCnheects ices $3.50
New metallic book and file cases in
courthouse $500
AO'oi 1855, Ool
L same Republican Board of Commits
sioners has reduced the Indebtedness of the
county SlS7,0 and so refunded the COUNT
Indebtedness as to save the county each
year the sum Of 2 1900 In interest. The new
heating and lighting plant recently in
year. WV" "
WHAT DEMOCRATS DID.
Now, let us see what the Democrats did
while they managed county affairs. as
shown while they were in power, something
ike nine years previous to the year 1879
In all that time the total amount thew
spent for bridges was only about 500. 900.
III they made any other permanent
public improvements we would he
glad to have them pointed ont
we don't know where it is, unless it is
the new jail. The jail cost $50, 600. 1t is
r they built 1t, but they did not nav for
II; tney went to the Legislature and got
Permission to issue and sell $4,000 of
same act of the Legislature authorized
them to make a special tax levy of 5 cents
with which to pay this $3.50, 900 in bonds.
Ihey issued the bonds. then made the
D cent levy, and collected that levy for
Two years and one-half, which amounted to
about $4,000. enough to pay the bonds, and
cOntrary 10 the very letter of the law au-
tnorizing them TO collect this money. they
ala not pay one cent on the bonds. but
used the $500 O for current expenses Thev
pullt the Jail. collected the money to pay
Ior IL ana used 1t in another way, and left
the Republican Board of County Commits
sioners to pay the Sl5O,OOO for the new iaiI
Our democratic friends are wonderfully
exercised over the very small allowances
made by the Republican Board of Commits
sioners to Colonel Smith, auditor of the
county. Colonel Smith succeeded Thomas
Iaggart, who was auditor eight years pre-
vfous 10 Colonel Smiths selection. A COM
par1son of the records will show that since
the Republican auditor was elected the
az auo tbe once mas been run at a saving
other words, Colonel Smith has run the
once $4,000 a year cheaper than Mr.. Tag
gaTt SO In this item alone in eight years
under Republican rule the taxpayers will
save 100000. When the Republican auditor
TOOK MS ONCE he found that the Demo-
cratic Board Of Commissioners had al
lowed Mr.. Taggart, for making certain in
dexes, the sum of 81, 100. Mr.. Taggart- AL
though he received the 81, 100, had not done
one particle of the work. The Republican
contract with the auditor, by which the
work was done for 5000. BY a blunder of
the Democratic Board of Commissioners
the taxpayers paid the sum of LOO for
work which was all performed for $500.
PAID WHAT WORK COST.
I'm every allowance made by the Repub-
lican board to the Republican auditor. II
only paid what the work actually cost.
Take the item of election expenses: the
auditor had the work done, paid the money
out of his own pocket, produced the voucb-
ers to the board, and the board reimbursed
him.
And for the item of indexing the board
simply paid Colonel Smith for the men he
employed at the rate Of s. per dav. and
no more. The time of each man was kent
while ne was performing the work. and IN
was produced before the board. and the
actually done.
1T occurs to me that the Democrats are
hard pushed for campaign material when
they resort to a republication of the AL
made by the County Commission
ers TO the various county officers II is
simply a rehashing of old charges of ex-
These matters were nlainIy
stated to the public both in the camnaigI
1898 and 1900, and the verdict of The
people Is well known. The County Com
have reduced the Indebtedness
or the county $3.50 DO and have refunded tho
county debt, saving the taxpayers the SIM
N4OW each year in interest. They have
expended for permanent imnrovemant
over Noo.Vc In six years without increasinp
the tax levy. There is nor a n,hIic ;ns.t
luton IN Marion county to-day that Is NOT
InSlhlalneu better at a less cost to the
IaNPaSers than ever before in the history
OF the county. In view of these facts II is
very apparent that our local onnonen
IN a bad way for issues when they resort
10 publication Of the stuff that has on
peared In the Sentinel from day TO dav in
the last few weeks. !"
II the people OF Marion county will .c-
qualht themselves with the manner i'm
Whcn the public affairs have been admir-
lstered, that knowledge will unquestionahlv
TO their wishes for a continuance ~
sooo, economical government. T cerfof,Ir
tnat every citizen and taxnaver is
In these affairs and We soi,cit
Ln'ssusation OF the management dur
probable to me that the people OF this com.
" wish 10 return to the old extrayasan.
management that we experienced u95ns
democratic administrations. / believe ~.
the record or the Republican County Com.
shown by the statements 80.
have been made. will appeal To eve~,, 20
zen of this county who believes in gond
government" !" sood