The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-29

QUESTION: What is the
reduction per hundred II
Washington township fol
next year?
GOVERNOR: I can't answer tina
question. I haven't the record.
EVANS WOODEN: Fifty cents OF
a hundred
GOVERNOR: Well, how abou
that Think Of a s6.0OO.OOO reduc.
tion-that is a reduction Of 80 /;
per cent in the property taxes il
this year.
QUESTION: Property has beer
deprecated so that the taxes are
down.
GOVERNOR: Wait a minute
There are TWO factors in determin-
ing taxation: the assessment and the
rate. You raise the assessment, you
can lower the rate; you lower the
assessment, you can raise the rate
What are you interested in, assess
ments or the rate or the amount
you pay? Are you interested in the
amount you pay? Isn't it the
amount you pay that counts? Well
the amount is a third less. Let's not
get phOney in your argument. You
just can't get away from that. And
that is what counts to the taxpayer
counts to me when 1 60 up to pay
my taxes.
Shouts Scandal Questions
QUESTION: Governor, I have
about four questions I would like TO
ask along the scandal line.
GOVERNOR: Shoot
QUESTION: That is, if you will
assure me that l won't be annihil-
ated like I would be in Clark county
GOVERNOR: You won't be. Go
ahead.
QUESTION: Is it true that you
bought 1000 worth Of furniture
for the state house from your polit-
ical friend. Bowman Elder?
GOVERNOR: I didn't buy any
thing from anybody. Now, let me
tell you something. The purchas-
ing departments of the state have
just one set of instructions. That is,
they take the low bid and, all things
being equal. it goes to the Indiana
bidder.
Now let me tell you something
else. DO you think that rule is not
enforced? Why should I let the con-
tract for state printing to one of
my bitterest political enemies? I did.
Why? Because they had the low bid.
I defy you to find anything wrong
with any buy that has been made
by the purchasing department!
Their books are open.
Shoot again. What is the next
one?
QUESTION: Is it true that Mr..
Elder bought this furniture from the
low bidder, delivering this same
furniture to the state at the high
bid?
GOVERNOR: The answer is mo.
Concerning Brick Paving
QUESTION: Question NO. 3 Is it
not true that you forced the using
of brick in a state road over the
protest of the highway commission,
its engineers. and over rs per cent
of the people adjoining the road?
And is it further true that your
father is attorney for the company
furnishing this brick?
GOVERNOR: All right. The an
swer is NO all the way along the
line. Now then, want to talk about
that. Indiana is the seventh state
in the Union in clay products. Brick
is a recognized paving material. The
plants in all of these towns have
been closed down. They have never
had a show under the other high
way commission. And I said this {:
AT least 8 per cent of the new roads
built should be brick, in order to
give the people of the state some
employment.
Now, let me tell you something
else. I don't belong TO the cement
trust and never will. If you want TO
go out along the national road be-
tween here and Cumberland. you
will see a new stretch we had to lay
this year. DO YOU know what we had
to do with the OLD cement road? We
buried it on either side Of the road.
Do you know how long that had
been down? Ten years. Now. I will
show you a brick road. the first
brick of which was laid by Sam Raj
ston during his first year as COVER
nor. 1t has been down twenty years,
and it was in better shape at the
end Of twenty years than that ce-
ment road that we buried was at
the end of ten.
Wants Moneys Worth
Now, nobody can tell me that We
aren't entitled 10 lay some brick
road just TO see what kind of road
is best for our money.
Now, then you talk about the
plants that got the brick. Do YOU
know who they belong TO? one Of
them belongs TO the Republican ma
tional executive committee woman
Of this state and her brother. and
the other belongs to another Re-
publican family There Is not a
Democrat connected with it. And. as
far as I know. my father has no
connection with it. I know he does
MT own any stock. o. x. Shoot
again.
QUESTION: Question No. 4: Is
it true that your family and yonr
wife's family own the inSecticide
company which sold a large amount
OF its products TO the state?
GOVERNOR: o. K. The Cantol
Wax Company was formed in 1910.
1t sells goods in every state in the
Union and most countries in the
world. II has been in business a long
time II is an Indiana corporation
I at one time was an officer. After
my election and before I took Office.
I resigned as an officer and disposed