The Kokomo Tribune from Kokomo, Indiana • Page 5

Opinion Wednesday, Aug. 11,1993 Kokomo, (Ind.) Tribune 5 John C. Wiles editor Arden A. Draeger Publisher-general manager Stephen Elkins Advertising director Richard Schram Circulation director Hindsight Retroactive tax should go i jMost of our country's wealthy have earned their status the traditional Ajmerican way through intelligence, courage and luck. They will nied more of that variable now that the first two are being punished by tax package.

That legislation raises the taxes of andrabove Americans by 17.4 percent which is lamentable yet neces- si ry. What is truly regrettable is that the increase was made retroactive tc Jan. 1. Congress has promised real spending cuts when it returns in September. So let it repeal the retroactivity provision and erase the 17 llion revenue loss with spending trims.

Cbngress should do so, if only to attenuate the economic chill almost guaranteed when the new taxes make the wealthy retrench. People who rr ust cough up eight months of ex-post-facto levies are apt to suddenly lylrnuch less, which imperils existing jobs. They are likely to rush tr eirmoney into tax shelters rather than risk investment in future jobs. A11 this spells trouble for an economy as quaky as ours. A progressive tax code assumes that those who profit most in a free JS( iciety should return the most to it.

Fair enough. But the punitive new tax package actually wounds the profit motive, and retroactivity salts pie abound. Congress should remove this obnoxious provision upon its Saturn and replace the lost revenue by reducing expenditures. The man who built Kokomo RII LI rd James F. Bruff, area's premier architect, has ill-fated ride on Voodooed' car A i if a feather Sh'aron Skolnick called and ex- ffessed alarm.

i "Your column today about the art- it who was arrested for using feath- on a painting? Can the govern- nent really do that?" i Mrs. Skolnick was referring to the I wrote about a Michigan art- it who is in trouble with the federal ivemment for picking up feathers her yard and near ponds and adding em to a painting she did of a bird. And the answer is, yes, it is illegal sell the feathers of migratory birds, 'en if the birds willingly shed them your yard and you put them on a nting. i If you are unaware of the law, it is ily a misdemeanor, and you might it off with only a fine or a few inths in jail. But if you know the law and sell itray feathers, it is a felony, and you get up to two years in prison and a imum fine of a quarter of a million bucks.

"Oh, my goodness," Mrs. said, "does that mean that I uld be in i I told her I didn't know. Does she sell feathers of migratory birds? i "Maybe," she said, "I really can't Could you explain? i "Well, I'm a Native American. An I interrupted and said that I had not teen aware that Skolnick was a traditional Apache name. "Oh, no, that is my married name.

My real name is Okee-Chee. That means was impressed. I had never talked to an Apache before, as there were few in my old neighborhood. And I asked if she was related to Geronimo. always admired Geronimo, a spunky sort who always got a bad deal in the movies.

but my great-great-grandfa- tljer was Chief Loco. He was a contemporary of Geroni I'm sure that if I mo. sure that if I knew Chief Loco, nime I'id have admired him, too. A cool IB. about the Yes, why are you concerned? I have an art gallery.

The Okee- Chee Wild Horse Gallery in Chicago. And we specialize in the works of NJative they use feathers in their paintings? in paintings and other things. We have sculptures, fetishes, objects. A combination of just aty out everything in Native American art." 'Where do these artists get the feath- ere? believe they get them the way thtat lady you wrote about did. They fijid them where birds drop them and pick them up." I have bad news.

If they are the feathers of migratory birds, you be violating the wildlife-pro- "'But I don't even know what kind oq feathers they are and didn't know about the law until I read your col- uihn." Jin the eyes of the law, that's no ex- cijse. Judy Enright, the grandmother and artist, didn't know until the federal agents came to an art fair and seized her painting of a big bird that she had covered with stray feathers. Now, she is awaiting a decision by the feds as to whether she will be prosecuted. said Mrs. Little Blue Bird-Skolnick, "that is alarming." Have you ever been visited by any federal wildlife agents? "No, but I've had the animal-rights groups come in.

I had a buffalo head here and a buffalo robe. And there are other works that have furs and such. Can I be arrested for that? As far as I know, it is not illegal to possess or sell a buffalo head. But you cannot sell the feathers of an owl, a duck, a yellow-shafted flicker, a blue jay, a cardinal or just about any other kind of traveling tweetie. By the way, what did the animal-rights group say to you about the buffalo head and hide? "Oh, they told me off.

I told them that I understood their position but that it is the right of an artist to do their presentation and that we respect everything in Well, if animal-rights groups have been to your gallery, that is not a good omen. It is bad sign. "Why?" Because federal wildlife agents have told me that the animal-rights groups are among their best sources of tips on illegal feathers. They are believed to have blown the whistle on Mrs. Enright and her feathery painting.

"I wonder what I should said Mrs. Little Blue Bird-Skolnick. I advised her to stash any feather- adorned art until she knew what kind of feathers they were. If there should be even one feather of a yellow- shafted flicker well, life is not at all pleasant in a federal prison. And I suggested that she consider a different business.

Instead of art, she might sell cocaine. "What?" she asked. Sure. A lot more money in coke than in feathers, or even buffalo heads. With less risk, too.

Tons of it are pushed in this country every day, and the feds and local cops can't keep up with it. I mean, if Mrs. Enright, the grandmother-artist, had been pushing crack instead of a big, feathery bird painting, she'd be driving a Mercedes and collecting Picassos instead of picking up feathers in her back yard. "No, I will stay with art," said Mrs. Little Blue Bird-Skolnick.

And she went off to examine her feathers. I'm sure Chief Loco never thought it would come to this. First, we kill all the buffalo and steal the land. Now, his great-great-granddaughter can't sell a stray feather. Where's Geronimo when we need him? (Royko is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist at the Chicago Tribune.) By JEFF HATTON Tribune guest columnist James F.

Bruff was known by many names: J.F. Bruff, Frank Bruff, J. Frank Bruff. He was also known as Kokomo's premier architect during the town's glory days as a gas boom rapid-riser. James F.

Bruff was born in Lafayette, probably in 1868. He studied at Purdue University, graduating in 1887; one of his classmates was the playwright George Ade. Occasionally Bruff would return to Purdue or Indianapolis to see the football team's games. He spent one year in Chicago, studying in the offices of leading architects, then he located in Kokomo in September 1888. His first office was over Lea's drug store.

He was a bachelor who lived in rooms in the Lindell Hotel. In January 1890, he bought a half-interest in the Five Cent Store of W. F. Field, who then became his partner. In the ensuing years Bruff made many trips to Chicago to purchase supplies and stock for the store.

Bruff was a very good architect. He designed many buildings not only in Kokomo, but in other towns and cities in central Indiana, including the expensive Jessie Foote residence in Peru and the old Elwood High School. Letters Among the business blocks he designed in Kokomo were: Howard National Bank; Citizens Bank building; Kokomo Bank building; Kokomo Trust Co. building; the J. D.

Kennedy block on Main Street; the Jay block; the Elks Club block; the Courtland block; three blocks of W. F. Ruddell; the Davis and Williams block; the Bell and Purdum block; the Duke block; the Comestock block on the north side of the square; the Wilson block on the east side of the square; the Blacklidge block, the Tribune block and the Stewart block, all on Walnut Street; the Carter block, the Miller block, and the Bard block, all on Main Street; and the Draper and Brouse blocks on Sycamore Street. Among public buildings he designed were the Carnegie Library, Presbyterian Church, Meridian School at Apperson and Harrison streets, the Fourth Ward Columbia School and the Episcopalian Parish House. Private residences designed by Bruff were for W.

E. Blacklidge, J. C. Blacklidge, A. V.

Conradt, W. G. Coxon, John M. Leach, W. F.

Ruddell, Walter H. Davis, T. L. Jones, L. B.

Hodgen and Elmer Apperson. Of Kokomo factories it was said, (by the Kokomo Daily Tribune): "There are very few that he did not have something to do with their erection, either originally or in making additions. Bruff greatest gift was his talent for the sightly and orderly. He loved the symmetrical and simple. His taste was always quiet.

The obtrusively ornate he consistently shunned." Bruff was known to be absolutely honest and reliable, though he was lacking in diplomacy and in that suavity that makes for success in handling men." He was a man "of thorough integrity" and "those persons who knew him intimately were aware that under his distant manner and his sometimes sharp speech, there was a man of kindly heart, of rugged honesty, of generous impulses and of fine intelligence." He lived a somewhat lonely existence with no close relatives nearby. He belonged to the local Elks Lodge, the Sigma Chi college fraternity and the Episcopalian church the church of his parents. James F. Bruff was killed in a tragic street car accident at the city park on April 7,1906. On his way out to supervise work on the new Jenkins Glass Factory he was riding the 'voo- dooed' street car so-called because of the many accidents it had been involved he was standing on the rear platform talking to the conductor, James Rogers, when, the street car jumped the track.

The wheels hit a small bolt lying on the rail just after the track crossed the' Belt railway in the park. The car ca-' reened down a hill and Bruff tried to" jump clear, but with tragic luck the roof of the car fell on his head; the en-' tire weight of the car crushed his head' beyond recognition while the rest of his body fell clear of the car. Also injured were Mrs. Frank Hud-, gens, David Young, M. R.

Garard, James Rogers and motor man Charles Peery. Bruff body was extracted with great difficulty from the wreck and taken to the Rich and Dimmitt Funeral Parlor. Bruff parents were dead, and his closest relatives were brothers John R. Bruff of Salt Lake City and Charles Bruff of Denver, Colo. While they were on their way to Kokomo, the Elks officials took charge of the body.

Services were held in the lodge room, officiated by the Rev. Henry R. Neely. Then the body was transported to Lafayette for burial. Joseph Coppage, an apprentice in Bruff office, took over the work on hand; and thus came to a close the talented but singular life of one of Kokomo's best architects, James F.

Gruff. (Hatton is a Greentown resident and a frequent contributor to the Kokomo Tribune.) They went that-a-way! I first want to express my sincere appreciation to the city and people of Kokomo for their outstanding hospitality during my visit July 1. Our family had a reunion that weekend and we had a great time. What I want to bring to the attention of someone is our experience of attempting to travel from 1-65 via SR 26 on July 30. We were traveling this route on the recommendation of AAA.

As we were enjoying our trip through the corn fields, we were suddenly stopped in the middle of the road with a "ROAD CLOSED LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY." No detour signs! Not only was I surprised, but a commercial tractor trailer and two other automobiles also were. I couldn't believe that this situation could exist! We were all totally baffled that there were no signs! We turned around and proceeded west to the first state route. I was upset and unsure of our location. We finally came to the town of Rockford and asked an employee of a small store how to get to SR 28. She was very helpful in sending us in the proper direction.

I estimated we traveled 30 miles out of our way. But I can't believe that a public works department would do this in this day and time! Please tell me that myself and the two other vehicles did not miss any signs indicating the road would be closed. If a public works department did fail to mark the road, their leadership needs to investigate why this happened. If I missed the signs, then forgive me for my stupidity, and I apologize for this letter. Danny Evans Trussville, Ala.

(Editor's note After numerous complaints, the Indiana State Patrol has put up the correct detour signs on SRJ6 east of Lafayette.) Doing less with less The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is at a turning point. The budget passed by state legislators over Governor Bayh's veto leaves IDEM with an unprecedented deficit and the 1994 General Assembly with a clear choice. Indiana can continue to make progress in environmental protection, or IDEM can become a weak, underfunded agency that must rely on help from the federal government to effectively serve Indiana citizens. The General Assembly's budget prevents us from collecting fees for our wastewater, hazardous waste and solid waste programs. That action withheld $4.76 million that we need to pay employees and run these programs each year.

In addition, IDEM like other state agencies must find additional cuts in its budget to prevent the state from going in the red. These cuts force us to begin the process of returning our permitting authority to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in our wastewater and hazardous waste programs. In addition, we must reduce our solid waste permitting. These cuts will force us to lay off at least 80 temporary employees.

However, no permanent, full-time employees will lose their jobs. This was a decision of last resort. The Bayh Administration strongly believes, and the business community agrees, that IDEM should be responsible for environmental policy and protection in Indiana not the U.S. EPA. We also deeply regret the loss of any of our highly skilled and dedicated staff.

However, the legislature's budget left us with no other choice. IDEM has been funded inadequately since its inception in 1986. This is due to a combination of fac- tors, including cuts in federal funding and Indiana's reluctance in the 1970s and '80s to create and fund an independent environmental agency. When other state agencies had long been up and running, IDEM was struggling to meet its first mandates and expectations during a national recession. IDEM addressed this economic reality in 1991 by increasing fees to cover the costs of reviewing environmental permit applications, writing permits and monitoring compliance.

This mirrored what other states were doing, and was meant to ensure that the regulated community paid for the costs of regulation. We can no longer ask IDEM staff to do "more with less." Since 1989 IDEM has improved its efficiency and productivity significantly, making 93 percent more decisions on hazardous waste permits, 77 percent more decisions on air construction permits and cutting the enforcement review process in half. In addition, we have embraced the principles of Total Quality Management and intend to integrate continuous improvement throughout the agency. We are finalizing a strategic plan to direct scarce resources toward the greatest benefit to the citizens of Indiana and our environment. But those who believe that we can save 30 percent of our general fund budget by becoming "more efficient" are wrong.

IDEM cannot remain a viable environmental protection agency by simply scaling back a few programs. In the short term, we must reorganize. For the first time, we must do less with less. Ultimately, however, my agency remains committed to obtaining an equitable and permanent permit fee structure for IDEM, and resuming responsibility for these programs. We will work with the General Assembly, the regulated community and environmental activists to find a fair solution to thjfse problems.

I hope all Indiana citizens will support us in this effort. KathyProsser Commissioner, IDEM Indianapolis, Ind. Bad decisions part of life As a concerned citizen I will agree with our Kokomo fire chief that our firefighters did make a mistake, but we are all human. These firefighters are our dependable source of service when needed and are all hero's in their daily deeds for our community. At one time or another we have all experienced bad judgment in life.

I. know I have experienced it and it doesn't feel very good. Betty Graham, Sharpsville.Ind" Letter guidelines Letters is your space to comment on nearly any topic of general interest to the public. The shorter the letter, the sooner it can be published. The best guideline is one, double-spaced, typed page.

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