The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-09
NECESSITY FOR A DIVISION
Of the Work in Some Of the States Ad-
ministEative Offices.
Auditor Rice Expatiates Upon the ExtraOr-
binary Economy Practiced by the
State in Certain Directions.

"Cold enough" asked Auditor of State Rice
yesterday afternoon as the Journals minister OF
state accosted him in his office
TOO cold
Just the weather for me-"
How sol'
"Good weather fo' Rice, isn't it," said the
headcenter of the Bachelors Association, max
ing diagram of the intended pun. The re
porter tainted
In two days two tons of coal were burned in
the Offices in the State building" remarked the
Auditor after he had fully recovered from the
mental exertion imposed by this stupendous
joke There are thirty-two fires in the State
building and during the cold on Saturday and
Monday two tons of coal were consumed Yes,
sir, two tons, and these fires are kept up by two
janitors, who in addition to carrying the coal
and attending to the FIRES are required to
sweep and clean the building
'"rhe court house has five ianitors, and is
heated by steam, and there is not public build
ing in indianapolis that does not have more
service in proportion to the work required The
State of Indiana is great example of economy.
In 1867 the State offices were moved from the
block on Kentucky avenue to this building,
which cost $5S OO0 The State had been paying
a rental of $4,000 year for its Offices Since
1867, therefore, 100000 has been saved. The
number of Offices have increased with the devel
opment of the State, and more room has been
required. For the first few years the Adjutant
general had his Office in the room now occupied
by the Secretary of State and until 1873 the
only Office the Attorney general had was his hat
The building was not large enough, and the ad
dition where the Superintendent of Public
Instruction and the State-house Commits
sioners now have their Offices was
built in 1879. The State now pays a
rental of about So 400 The library building is
rented at So, 900 per annum. The State Board
of Health Offices and the rooms of the Statisti-
clan cost 5000 year Since this building was
purchased the departments of geology health
and statistics have been established With the
growth of the State and the development of her
interests new offices will have to be created and
more room will be needed
''What new offices will have to be createdW
1.-THE business of this office will, after time
have to be divided into several departments The
railroad interests of the State are growing until
it will soon be necessary to make department
specially for that business. Indiana is a great
railroad State, and all lines running east and
west have to pass through her territory There
is no way of getting around it. 1t is the same
with Illinois and Ohio A railroad department
sness.'
A Land Commissioner will have to be appointed
and a special department for the land business
will have to be created. The surveys are in bad
condition, and the records are many of them I'M
bound If this building should be destroyed by
fire it would be simply impossible to save the
records from the flames. There is endless
amount of work in Strengthening the surveys.
They are hardly in as bad condition as in Ten
nessee and Kentucky but it is a very difficult
matter to get anything Ineligible from them.
There is only one county in the State which has
any field notes, and that is Vanderburg There
ought to have been a land commissioner before
now A special department will have to be ere
ated for the insurance business"
''But haven't you an insurance department
already97
There are two men who are employed to look
after insurance matters. In most OF the other
States doing about the same amount of business
there are five men for this work. 1t will be nee
essary, to give the proper attention to the grow
ing business in this line to have an Insurance
Commissioner and make special department for
all such matters. There are other offices and
departments which will become necessary with
the growth and development of the State
''How long will it be before they are created,
do you thinkF
1T will be done just as soon as the two polti-
cal parties rise above the Cheap John idea of
running a State government They vie with
each other in reducing expenses, and the closest
economy is practiced in all departments. 1t is
not the State tax which is bearing so heavily
upon burdened taxpayers. At no time in the
last forty-fve years has the State tax exceeded
sixteen cents on the $780, It is the county tax
which runs from sixty to eighty cents. The ex7
penses of running the State government have
been reduced to the minimum. The aggregate
amount is less than 81 900, 600 per
annum There is no other State
which is proportionately maintained upon so
small sum. Our penitentiaries are self-sus-
tanning, and with the tax levy of 16 cents, all
the other benevolent and educational institutions
are supported The expenses of the State Offices
are paid from the assessments and collections of
the insurance department alone The revenue
from this source amounts to about $50, 600 year,
and all the expenses of the State Offices proper,
including salaries, win not aggregate more than
this sum"