The Adair County news., 1907-10-02

administration raised the tax raIe To
521I cents, they provided that at the
end of their term the tax rate should
fall cents or be AK cents, under
which rate we lived for two years
when. in 1902, the general assembly
raised it to so cents, the present rate.
Consequently when we came into con-
troll in February, 1900, we found a
reduced tax rate, seriously cutting
down our revenues at critical time,
and a debt OF about $500. 600 facing
us.
What Democracy Has Accomplished.
What have we done undor. such dis
astrous conditions? With the whole
state In disorder and chaos we calmly
went to work, while our enemies bit
terly assailed and INSTRUCTED us, and
we tried to bring order out of an
archy, solvency out of bankruptcy
Whether or not we succeeded. let the
records speak.
In the place of mob rule we re-es-
tablished the authority of the courts
OF Justice Instead of plunging the
state into a bloody civil warfare, we
calmly and patiently awaited the con-
stitutional determination of our cause
before the judicial tribunals. We suf
fered much and we bore much. Hav-
ing won out in every court from the
circuit court Of Kentucky to the SUI
preme court Of the United States, we
started out In an honest and business
like way to deserve the confidence
placed in us and to- uplift Kentucky
from the fearful condition In which
Republican misrule had left her.
We wiped out the state debt We
bought up and burned. before they
were due, the million dollars of bonds
We enlarged and improved every pub
lie institution In the state, all of which
we're in a most deplorable condition
when we took charge. We placed
them upon the best basis ever before
known and equal to those in the most
progressive states in America
Kentucky is the most generous
state Of all in the appropriation of her
revenues which she gives to the cause
CT education. Out of her 90 cents tax
rate she gives 26lk cents to the pub
lie schools and normal schools, one
half cent to the state college. and 2
cents to the sinking fund to pay the
interest on schoo, bonds, making 20
cents to that cause, leaving only 81
cents for all the generaf expenses OF
The commonwealth, in all OF its
branches and its public institutions.
Many of the counties of the state have
a higher rate than that for their coun-
ty expenses In a few years, with the
present progress. if the Democratic
party is continued in power, we will
have school system equal to the best
in the country.
Can anyone point to single thing
done by the Republican administra-
ton for the benefit Of education? The
only thing it did was in 1899. when
the state campaign was on. and it
padded the figures and created large
deficit in the fund the following year,
in order to show as large per capita
as possible for the campaign.
New Capitol Fine Structure.
We have nearly finished new cap
itol building, costing for the completed
structure, one million and a quarter
Of dollars. In beauty and magnifi-
cence il is unquestionably the hand
soonest capitol to be found in any OF
the Southern states. 1t will be ex-
celled by few if any of the other cap
itol buildings in the country. 1t will
not be inferior in architecture and
beauty to the new Pennsylvania cap
itol built by Republican admins
tration at cost of $13 100000. When
compared to the cost per cubic foot
of every capitol built in the past gen.
Grafton in any state, the Kentucky
capitol has cost less than any, in fact
only about half of what the lowest in
other states have cost. 1t is pronOunc-
ed by all who have seen it as SUI
perb structure and splendidly built.
To the criticisms of our enemies we
need only answer, go and look at it. !"
The marvel is that so much could have
been done and done so well for the
money used When completed in a
few months it will be "a building
worthy of the pride of our people and
of the admiration of all who behold it..
The Republican candidates, in their
scarcity of campaign material, have
tried to revive miserable old SANDER
about the employment of an architect.
That question has been thoroughly
met and answered before the people.
The building cost $1,25O,O0O and the
site nearly $4,000, making $1,29O,O0O
cost of site and structure. We shall
pay the architect who designed and
planned, who constantly superintends
and watches its construction, 1000
for his services, or barely per cent
of the cost. Every other state paid
81 I.o4 frs n of