The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-03-09

ana government thereof, is creating
considerable discussion. The Senate
passed the measure over the veto.
while the House sustained the cover
nor's course. Before any partisan or reli-
eious feeling is ehkindled on this subject it
will be well for all thoughtful people to con-
slider the character OF the bill and the grounds
OF the governors opposition to it. With the
view OF affording an opportunity for getting
at this knowledge the Sentinel publishes this
morning the fall text of the veto message.
1t is brief, but clear and cogent document
and after a few minutes devoted to the peru
sal OF it, there can be bat one opinion as to
the business of the governors action. The
preliminary observations of the message,
touching the folly of allowing corpora
tons TO acquire land in unlimited GUAM
titles In perpetuity, as permitted by the bill.
are founded on the long struggle of the
English ecclesiastical corporations against
the common law. That struggle gave shape
and meaning to parliamentary enactments
and judicial decisions for ages. and
while few people in this country. at the
present day, contemplate religious corpora
tons with the jealousy with which
our ancestors regarded them, yet the polit-
ical events of the last two or three wears.
more especially the railroad war, have
taught US all lesson in regard to the danger
Gus faculties which corporations have for
acquiring property and power. They
never squander their gains. Their heritsge il
never divided among heirs. They keep on
QrrO yirrr frOr 10
and fall to decay. The "dead hand' holds
a firm grip. Whether this defect in the
good policy of the bill would have earned or
warranted the governors official condem-
nation may be doubted; but the serious de-
fects in the structure of the law
and the strange and unusual nature
of the powers conferred rendered hest
tation impossible. The clause which
it contained in regard 10 the construction
of wills, the grant to each association
formed under the law of the right to
amend its articles Of association from
time to time, the declaration of enler-
gency and like faults, need only
be mentioned TO be censured; but the
chief blot in the whole measure
is the provision OF section five, that
"such corporation may elect such officers
or agents as may be necessary to carry into
operation the objects of its organization.
1t may prescribe and adopt rules and regu-
lations for the direction of its officers and
members, and shall have all the powers and
authority given to incorporated cities
in regulating, maintaining and preserving
order on their camp grounds by the
selection of officers for that pur-
pose, who shall be- clothed with all the
authority of like officers in incorporated
cities, and the appointment of such officers
by said corporation shall be their sufficient
authority to ACT in the capacity designated,
and be sufficient protection to such off,
GERS acting in such capacity" The argu-
ment Of the governor on this pro-.
vision is conclusive. Here are pow
ers executive, municipal and judiciary
conferred upon indefinite parties. Each
camp ground is made city with its sanitary
and peace regulations, and Its police and
magistrates to enforce them To quote the
words of the message, "Within the limits
of the camp grounds, the bill pro-
6 vides for a government in respect to
conduct like that of an Incorporated city,
with authority over all persons coming
within that jurisdiction, with local laws to
be declared by the directors and enforced
by judicial and ministerial officers, by
them to be appointed. Unlike other acts
amendments, and that action was reported
in the Senate, and in the evening session a
conference committee was asked for and met
at ten o'clock. That committee took into
consideration the general appropriation
bill and the tax levy, upon which
the great party contest had been carried on
and an agreement was effected; but when
senators from the conference committee
reported the compromise measure TO the
Senate, and Harvey, of Montgomery, moved
its acceptance, Lieutenant. Governor Sex
and refused to consider any further bust
ness. The technical excuse for this action
was that the hour of midnight had arrived
a pretense that has never been made use of
at any previous session. The whole desisn of |
the Senate in defeating these two important |
measures was to force the House to make |
tax levy of from fifteen to twenty cents
on the 300, in order to cause violation of |
the party pledges of the democracy, and |
rather than lose an opportunity TO |
make political point the republicans were
willing to destroy the work of the whole
session. The plan was also to refuse to the
present stale officers right to make ten- !
porary loans, and thus force the payment /
of republican debts by the democratic adj /
A visit to both houses late in the evening
showed the purpose which actuated each |
body. The House was orderly and quiet, |
each member in his seat and the
whole assemblage attending to its
duties. The Senate, on the contrary, was
noisy and disorderly. There was no at