, 1872-12-07
The Tndfana Legislature.

The Indiana Legislature.
... INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Dec 4, 1870.
TO the Editor qr The Chicago TRIBUNE:
SIR: The present special session Of the Gen
eral Assembly is
TIE MOST ExTRAyAnANT
in its expenses Of any legislative body eve.
assembled in this State. The recent triumph, By
which the Radicals hare secured control Of tht
State, has been construed as q general license
to q most ruinous prodigality. The Sen
ate, composed Of fifty members, have sup
piled themselves with 81 official assistants
in their work, to each Of whom are paid 1egislar
tive wages. Tho House has manifested like ex-
trayagance. They voted themselves $50 worth
OF stationery to supply their wants for &c
days session. The Assembly had scarcely
been in Bession two weeks before
they adjourned four days for Thanksgiving, in
volving the State in an expense Of s, 500 per
day, OF 81, 900, for which the State receives ab-
solutely nothing. At the Bame time they arc do
ing this, the Committee on Finance are devising
3 measure to pay debt incurred for the Blind
Asylum Of 5000, among other debts, by inyad-
ing the sacred School Fund, making some moro
non.aego1ables bonds for the people to pay in
5000 in the State Treasury, ard already in
clpient measures have been put On foot that
may wipe out the entire sum. If the spirit now
rampant ram rules , during the present ena
VIII VIII BE- % sosshing fGs0o fs that the Of f'ias ths
carpet-baE legislation Of the Southern States.
There is some talk OF tho Legislature increes-
ing the pay Of the members, but it is doubtful
whether they will do this
But, amid this wild extravagance, there are
islation. The present Auditor Of State, the Hon.
John G. Shoemaker. has been diligently follow
ing out the direction OF the statistics requiring
him to make suggestions relative to
THE EPRovEHENT OF THE REVENUES
OF the State and his dilgent researches are
embodied in several measures, drafts OF which
have been sent to the House and Senate in &C.
cordance With their request. These bills have
reference to the Sinking Fund, the raising OF
revenue, and the regulation Of insurance by the
creation Of the new office Of Insurance
Commissioner. These measures are emiuently
wise, and, il adopted By the Assembly, will work
greatly to the interest Of the masses Of tax
payers Of the State, though the large moneycd
corporations, railroad, express, telegraph, and
insurance companies, which have hitherto en-
joyed much immunity from taxation will feel
the change most sensibly. It will be in order,
Per consequence, for lobbying rings from these
bills come up for action; but it is believed that
the Assembly, however e1travagant they may be
with the peoples money, will not refuse to adopt
such just and proper remedies for increasing the
revenues OF the State.
One OF the special points made in the pro-
posed legislation OF the Auditor Of State is to
secure judicious assessments upon tho
CAPITAL STOCK OF CORPORATIONS.
Heretofore, 1t ls believed that the corrupt use
Of money by these corporations has always SUD-
pressed every attempt at the passage Of law
that would secure their proper taxation. It
cannot longer be delayed as the necessity OF rev
enuo, and The Justice OF the MEASURE are made
perfectly plain by. the earnest and pointed
reasoning Of the Auditor Of State. In some
States, there is q greater revenue from these
sources, from which Indiana receives no reye-
nue., than the whole income OF this State from
all sources.
The annual report Of the Auditor Of State Will
show that that officer has been industrious in
calking up the leaks in the Treasury during past
years. His showing up concerning the matter Of
sTATE PRINTING
must result in the abolition of the office Of State
Printer, OF in the passage Of some very stringent
law on the subject. Extracts from the report,
embracing this subject, have been before both
Houses for some days, but neither Of our Lead
ing papers here seems to know it, or they have
not deigned to notice it IN their columns. It il.
doubtleBs, q tender point with them.