The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-01-12
The Governors Message.


heartily commended. With single ex-
ception it is strictlya business document,
Eesling with the interests Of the state in q
plain uaStter-of fact style. AS the message
is in NseIf a condensed summary of the af-
fairs ofthe commonwealth, it would be diff
fcult TO give any synopsis of It. 1t
contains the pith of some twenty-five re-
ports, rErom various departments and from
the managers of different public institutions.
1t nae7 be we'll enough, however, to notice a
few of the opinions which the governor
hssscattered smcng the variety of facts
which he has presented.
o. the subject OF the tax levy the COVER
nOr's philosophy Is very simple. The as
sessed value OF property In the state is $685.
cSO, 900 aud there are 265.0OO persons liable to
s,poIl tax OF fifty cents each. Bymaking an
allowance OF twenty per cent. for delinquen-
oies, it is easy to set a per eentage which will
raise any given amount OF revenue. But his
.excelleDcy remarks very pithily: "A low
levy must be preceded by economy in the
appropriations" Had the legislature waited
to receive the governors message before be-
ginning the work OF reform, they would
have discovered that his advice jumped
with their inclination inregard to legisla-
tive expenditures. He says:
The appropriations must be sufficient to en-
able each department of the state government 10
exercise its functions without hlndrance or de-
20, also, the common schools, the benevolent in
situations, and the public safety must be sufii-
GENTLY provided for But the Tor
omy, and with a view 10 substantial and perma-
nent benefits. VIII you allow me TO suggest
sh uld your forms commence with a reduction
in legislative expenditures. IL would be an as
surance 10 them which would promote public
ditional moral weight. At che the session OF 1871
the mis cellaDeous expenditures exceeded the paS
of members; and at the last special and regular
sessions, that class of expenditures was still
greater, being about $3.50 per day, though IL did
been increased for the regular session. / sug-
gest the pEOpriety'0f revision of the act of De-
cemoer %, ia1Z, when prescf1oes the number
and classification Of your employees, with a
view to a further reduction.
With the same clearness and directness
the governor expresses his conviction that a
reform la the civil service of the state
should be carried out so as to adjust fees
and salaries on a more equal and moderate
basis than now exists. "As far as practical
ble." he says, "fixed salaries should be es
tablished, and all other compensation pro-
hibited."
In his review of the condition of the edu-
cstional institutions OF the state, Governor
Hendricks -evinces a warm interest in their
welfare, Gnd expresses himself satisfied
with their management. They are all, APP
parentlys prosperous, and accomplishing
good work. But In regard to
A.
trate speaks with unusual force
snd enthusiasm. There has been re-
ceived and distributed during the year, for
the supper. Of the schools, the sum OF
s., 21l ,33s 13. The enumeration of last year
shows that there were in the state 654, 364
childreE of school age. OF these ASS, 044 were
enrolled in the schools, and the average at
tendance was .3l1, 272. There were 1855
teachers employed. Everything connected
with the system has, in the opinion of his
eXcellenSy, improved in remarkable de-
gree. TIE people of the state will indorse
most heGrtily the following declaration of
the governor:
AS representatives OF th 8 people We have occa-
sion to he proud OF the high character which
pie will approve the ser timent d you give IL
expression in legislation that. in respect to the
cause Of common school education we will take
no step backwards.
With the conditions of the charitable in
stitutions. the governor ds notices. satisfied,
and without making any analysis of
his statement in regard ito each
of them, the Sentioel will merely
call the attention off readers to the recon-
mendstiOR appended to the review of the
Gtate Of the hospital cor the insane. OF the
f55 patients discharged FROM the inStitution
during the past year. 19i were considered
czLred; forty-dre wore described as inn
psoved in health, and ninety-tvo were
deemed unimproved and ikcurable 1t is
in tegard TO the disposition 70 be R1ade of
the last class. which may be described as the
chrSnic insane, that the governor appeals to
the legislature The st&temen. of tlse case
can Re best made byquoEng hiC own earn
est words:
But & large portion or shIs most .unforts.-late
class remain unPcOvided for. They. can no. be
properly taken care of in the poor houses In
nundrefs OF instances they ate terrible bur-
teen upon families-the objects Ofceaseless ar X
iety. II seems there Is ne place for them in phi
vEtelife. They become he melsss objects ofeoC1-
the capacity in many insts noes to preserve de
ceBey, they bring shame and humiliation to
IrleRdS ana nelgnDofs. Ineg can not Epeak 10
you. They do not know yos, nor do they know
hat you, the peoples Ieprese tau YES. their
guardian. They can not read the stitE tionaI
provision In 1heir behalf but you and Lean. The 4
honor of Tie state and the humantty OF |
he people will not allow these poor |
Ia fortuuates to be longer neglected. / believe |
Indiana Is TO day the must prosperous state of |
he union. her people are fiberel and generous |
n . cause like that for which plead Every |
body else has a home. These poor, start eSs,
hopeless VIZ, cks ofhumanity must also have |
home. They mNst be cared for. that they mag /
i've and die, and be buried. like our brothers l
md sisters.
Nothing need be added TO impress upon
he people their duty to provide for this class
II the insane now left without proper
are TO pass away their days In
and hopeless idiocy, not merely
eglected but often actually abused. The
eform proposed by the governor is that
rhich uresents itself at once tn whomsoever