The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-09-28

Gov. Winfield T. Durbin delivered a
notable address at Anderson on the night
of Sept. II. 1t was devoted to State
affairs and showed that Democracy had
been incompetent and eXtravagant in
handling the States finances, while Re
publicans always have handled the pubic
funds with wisdom, ability and economy.
The Governor said in his last message to
the General Assembly: Each individual
taxpayer of Indiana is a stakeholder In
the great business affairs that so largely
form the responsible duties of State ad-
mnistration." This is the view taken by
the Republican party, and it has so en-
deavored to administer the States affairs
that the people would have cOmmenda-
ton to bestOw on the party, instead OF
censure and condemnation. The Gov
ernor said in part:
There never has been a moment dur
ing any period in the history OF the
State with the Republican party in COM
plete ascendency in the capitol at Indian
apolis when that debt was not being de-
creased. And in all the years Of Demo
cratic control of the States legislative
and financial affairs, there have been but
two years in which the State debt was
not a growing obligation Taken as
whole, every period of Democratic as
tendency in Indiana has resulted in an
increase of Indiana's bonded indebted
ness. When the Republican party first
assumed responsibility in Indiana, in
1861, it inherited a debt reaching the
enormous aggregate Of SIC, 1877, a
debt which, the population and resources
of the State considered, would be equiv
alent to an obligation Of thirty million
dollars to-day. Within the next decade
that debt was reduced more than six
million dollars, during a period through
which there was Republican control of
the States fiscal affairs. In 1870 the
Republican State platform heartily en-
dorsed the administration Of Gov. Baker
and his associate State officers and es-
pecially congratulated the people that
the time is near when the State debt will
be entirely liquidated.' 1t may be claim
ed that reference to all this is barred by
the statute of limitations. So let us get
down to recent history.
The Debt Increased.
Between the retirement of Gov. Ba-
ker and the Inauguration of Gov. Porter,
n Republican, with Republican Legisla-
ture cooperating, the State debt was in
creased million and a third. In the
two years of Republican control of every
branch of the State government which
succeeded, the debt was decreased SILL
$50. At no time between 1888 and 1895
did the people of Indiana give the Re-
publican party opportunity to continue
its debt paying policy, by investing it
with fiscal and legislative responsibility.
And during that period the State debt
was increased from four millions and a
half to more than seven millions and a
half. During the decade ending with
1890 only five States in the entire Union
increased their bonded Indebtedness. In
these five States the aggregate increase
was $1,316,425. In Indiana during seven
years of this decade the debt rose more
than four million dollars-three times
as much as the total increase of bonded
Indebtedness in all the other States COM
bined. During the same period thirty
two States decreased their bonded in
debtedness sixty million dollars.
II challenge any auditor of mine to
rise and give one sound, business reason
why the State of Indiana should not have
decreased it's debt during that period. l
want to put emphasis upon the statement
that there is no possible apology from a
business standpoint for the maintenance,
much less the increase, Of a State debt
in a commonwealth possessing Indiana s
resources and her ability to meet every
reasonable demand upon the State treas
ury by tax levy commensurate with
public expenditure. Why should a great
business corporation like the State of In
diana. with assets running into the bill
ions, be called upon to pay interest upon
money borrowed to meet public eXpendi-
lures by officials too cowardly to levy
taxes commensurate with expenditures
and seeking to secure credit for low tax
levy by saddling a debt upon posterity.'
The Governor presented an array oil
facts, conclusively proving that the Dem
ocrats, while in power had ample oppor
tunity to reduce the State debt, but had
done little toward that end in compari
son with the work of the Republican ad
ministration. Continuing, he said:
I'm order that you may be more fully
Informed of the regularity and consisten
cy characterizing the progress of oul
debt-paying policy, the following state
ment is submitted:
Reduction
Total debt for year
1898 ............... s.. 52O. 615. IL ......