The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-01
state Affairs.

honest, caretul and CONSCIENTIOUS pnD1c oucer'
State Affairs.
RAPE OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
But 1 am compelled to say that 1 do not be-
lieEea Legislature has assembled in the State
within many years that had less reapectf m
party consistency and for the hest good of the
people, and which b epeople. witrout regard to
party, so anxiously desired should adjourn,
never again to presume the business of legisla
ton. 1t started at the very beginning with a
revolutionary and reckless spirit, and it main
tanned that spirit to the end.
/ had appointed. during the preceding Iegisla
ture, as a trustee forthe House Of Refuge forJ
nile offenders, a man whoshad once been a member
Of the Legislature and had served with credit as
a member Of the committee on benevolent insti-
tutioIIs. Heswas a man of unblemished chafacr
ter. He had been a. gallant soldier in the army.
which he had entered when very young; had
been shot through the lungs at Chickamauga,
and had lain on the'field of battle several days.
fisssufferings had been5very great. His recoy-
cry wasaso marvellous thatshis case rs mentioned
nthe United States Surgeon Generals repoFtsof
remarkable recoveries from gnnshot wounds
during the war. His appointment as a trustee
had been confirmed by a unanimous vote of the
Senatesto which he was nominated. He was the
only Republican onithe board. Yet he was not
allowed to serve outshis term, butan act was
passed by the Last Legislature TO turn him out.
When the question of his displacement was
pending In the Senate, a Republican Senator
asked what was the reason OF tins proposed
change, and a Democratic senator, from the
so~ufhesnzpartDf the State, responded, lin open
Senate: because there is a Republican over
there, and We want to kick him out
The management of the Soldiers Home" at
Knightstowp, has long been, IN some respects,
unsatisfactory After II came into Ofiee4one of
the trustees a Democrat, went to California,
and remained there seven months without re-
turning to attend a session of sthesboard. He
drew his salary as a trustee every month, claim
rag an the time that he was only temporarily abb
sent and meant soon to return. Upon my
urgent appeal5he was induced finallyito resign,
and j appointed in his 3placesa gentleman Of
qualifications that made him particularly suita-
Bile for the place; but the Legislature changed
the law to displace him, made the board wholly
Democratic and Immediately. increased the sal
aries of the trustees to twice and a half whatthsy
had ever been before. The salaries of lthettrus
tees are by law paid out of the support fund"
Of the children, which is very small. and the in
crease is thus madeto diminish the comfort Of
children who have a peculiarsclaimso the favor
of thesState. The law creating this institution
senacts fbatthetrusteeSeshallb the legalaguaRdi
ans of the children admitted to the Home.
The object of this provision. is to secure to these
children a good elementary education and a
careful supervision of their morals. yet in the
reportsof the institution made in November,
1881. itisfshoWn that three have sieloped,D and
That one eighth of the remainder have not re-
iTlrneuIPom bnGlff summer VACATION. III would
seem to beleftto the children to make choice
whether they will remain in the institution or
not.
The management of the institutions of the
Insane, the Deaf and Dumb, and the Blind,
under the trustees displaced by the
last Legislature, was much commended
for a time by the Democratic press
and speakers as evideneing great economy
IN expenditure. The Figures were pRrafed, hav
inc, been manipulated so as to make a saving
appear where there had been no saving in fact
When vacancies occurred in the boards in 1883,
NOMINATED to the Senate. which was Demo
cratic, three gentlemen of high character, to
supply thesetVacancies. But with 10 great show
of indignationsRnd party fury these nominations
were Oudlyassailed. The law was changed so
as to take the nomination from the Governor
and make the trustees elective by the 1egisla-
sture. And the Legislature then, after AN
amount Of, diekerine and bargaining sudh had
never before been Witnessed in the State, pro
.eeeded tothsplace every one oethese Democratic
trustees and TO substitute personal ~favorites in
their places. These newly chosen trustees pro-
ceeded without delay to turn out of Office many
0ffceFsswhese administration of stheirseveral of
dices had been constantly commended by the
Democratic press.
1.-THE METROPOLITAN PeITCE BILL.
a resolution passed at the late Democratic
State convention, commencing the passage by
sh ne last Legislature Of the metropolitan police
pill, boasts that IL is particularly appropriate
shat hesitate should have some voice in choos-s
8ng the police of its own capital, where the State
Treasury, public buildings and archives, and
much public property are situated anditladds
that about the greatest nuisance thar can be
inflicted ona city is q mere partisan police,
chosen by a lot of ward bummers, and low
grade politicians and adventurers.p The Demo
Gratis Of indianapolis have a feeling recollection
saf the Justice of this rehectionson a police APP
pointed by lQw1grade politicians The
last Democratic police we had in
Indianapolis was appointed in that way,
after the Democrats had come into power with
an expectation of having a long tenure of Office.
But, TO the astonishment Of all the best men of
their party, appellee was appointed much worse
in character than any that had ever been known
before. A lot of seedy, moldy, decayed old
politicians, who had been so long in hiding that
they had been most of them forgotten, were
pulled outiof their holes and made policemen,
and were 80 utterly incompetent, Rnfaithful and
disgTacefnl that the DEMOCRATS at the n~ext.city
election joyfully unith with the Repub
licans in turning them out. There has
never since been a Democratic police in
Indianapolis. The Democrats could never be
brought totdesire that. And at is 10 be NOTED to
their creditthat when the lastLegislature was ap-
pealed to to take away from the people the right
TO choose their own police, the law was care
fully frAnedto provide that at least half the pc.
iicelEen should De Republicans.
HEEpfNc THE STATE MONEY.
The Democratic convention saws, With an
audhdious coolness, tliatit warts this police ito
prateetthB estate Treasury Where Is the
Estate Treasury Why, 'there'is not enough
Ncncy in i to start Q respectable village meat