The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-09-26
SOME PARTY HISTORY
How the Republicans Denounced the
New Tax law and How. When
q Its Benefits Are Too Plain
10 Be Denied, They
Claim all The
Credit.


is generally conceded that s.ate Issues
will dominate everything else. and
their record in tnis respect Is so poor
that they must needs resort to artifice
and Misrepresentation to have any
standing whatever with the people.
The most unblushing fraud which they
are now trying TO perpetrate upon the
voters OF the state is in respect TO the
benefits that have come from the new
tar Law. for II is through the assess
ment Of corporations and the accruing
taxes which they pay that the state
debt is being so rapidly paid on This
was . Democratic measure and was
enacted by Democratic Legislature In
the face of Republican opposition. and
In 1891. 1892. 1898 and 1894 IL was
administered wholly by Democrats. for.
though a Republican governor was in
ONCE in 1891 and 1892, the Democrats
had q majority on the state board OF
tax commissioners and inaugurated the
methods OF assessment which were
afterward affirmed by the state and
United States supreme court and
which are in vogue now and have been
ever since the Republicans came into
power in the state in 1895. Though
they opposed the bill while IL was
pending in the legislature and de
nounced the law after its enactment.
they have never had the courage to
change any OF its main features and
II is today being administered in &C
cordance with Democratic presidents
Here Is a sample OF the half-truth. half
lie that the Republican state central
committee 10 sending out TO the voters
OF the state:
The state debt in 1891. when the
Democrats took charge. was $3.50
els.l2: in 1895. when the Republicans
came into power. il was $7.520.s1512.
. reduction OF $4,000 or 1927 500
per year, and of this amount $123.o00
was received from the government In
payment OF the direct war tax. The
state debt on Oct 81. 1901. after seven
years Of Republican administration.
Eas $s.204.sl5-l2. or a reduction Of
"a. 33s. 900. or an average of S4T5-1A
per year This amount was further
reduced Jan ?. 1902. ssi7 900. making
the debt at present 3.ss7.s1512. The
annual interest has been reduced from
3243.125 to sI3l.5s5- One million
eighty-five thousand dollars OF az per
cent bonds cannot be paid until 1915,
not having any option feature. The
boods owing Purdue and Indiana uni.
versities amounting to $4,000 1T 5 per
cent, are perpetual The balance of
the debt. s2.313.o00. Is At the option Of
the state. and Governor Durbin will
have the honor OF paying every dollar
OF this during his administration"
The same thing Is expressed in the
Republican state platform when that
instrument declares that the party
takes especial pride in the financial
record made by its efacient ofiicers
since taking control of the executive
department" and that the state debt
has been decreased over one-half. and
the present administration will fur
Their reduce the debt more than g. 600.
900. leaving the state free from any
debt maturing prior TO 1915"
What. now. are the facts in the case
and wherein have the Republicans any
claim for credit for reducing the state
debt? As stated above, the new ia,
Law IL a Democratic measure. intro
duced by q Democrat. approved By
the Democratic majority in the legisla
ture Of 1891. opposed by the Republi
can minority. but passed in spite o.
this opposition The first board which
assembled under II was composed o.
three Democrats and two Republican,
and continued so to be constituted til
1895. when the Republicans came int
power.
The first board which assembled un
der the Law was confronted with sons
serious problems. The railroads Of tn,
state. bonded at something like $500
Il O00. 600. had been assessed for year
y for about $40 600 600. and the railroa'
masnates early indicated that the.
would contest the right of the new
board TO make any substantial In
creases in their assessments. The,
naturally felt that the Republican
party was in sympathy with them
owing 20 Its opposition to the bill II
) the legislature. and they came befor
the board in a spirit Of defiance an
with an open threat 10 appeal to tn
courts. They denied that their bond
ed Indebtedness represented the valu
OF the property. and according to thei
statements every road in the state wa
In a condition bordering on bankrupt
cy. The board ignored these plant
| and increased the railroad assessment
from SIS. 7s2.s7s Of the year before I
s1s0. sos. sis. total in excess OF $91
GOO. 600 or las per cent. This asses,
ment. made in 1891. did not becom
operative till 1892 in the collection q
taxes. and no benefit. OF course. coul
result to the state In the year in whic
the assessments were increased
In the meantime the attitude OF III
Republican leaders in the state wa
one OF animosity toward the Law
They Rad shielded the corporation
wherever possible. both in the enac
ment and In the administration OF tn