The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-02
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
What the Spells System of a Democratic
Senate Will Cost the State.
The Legislative Gerrymander EngrOsSed in
the Senate-The Insane Hospital APP
preparation Of 100000 Passed.
THE sPoILs SYSTEM.

Its Results in the Senate and Its Cost to the
People.
The report of the investigating committee re-
parding the irregularities Of the Senate officers,
which was made special order for consideration
last Saturday morning. was explained and dis
cussed, but the only result Of the investigation
up to the present time, is the resignation of AS
sistant Secretary Huffstetter, which was rendered
at the request of the Democratic caucus, though
there is no apparent reason why there should be
any discrimination between the secretary and
the assistant secretary because the investigat
ing committees report shows that they were
guilty of the same transgressions. The com
plant is made with evident good cause that
Hufstetter has been made scape-goat for all the
misdemeanors. John A. Sands, one of the clerks
who is included in the number that were en-
ployed without authority, stated before the in
vestigation began that he was given employment
under the secretary, and it is openly declared by
Senator Faulkner, who demanded that Sands
should be given a clerkship, that he has been
working under the secretary since the beginning
of the session. However, the responsibility of
employing him is thrown upon Hufsteiter.
A resolution offered on Saturday by Senator
Marvin Campbell, directing the Attorney general
10 at once proceed to collect the money paid lille
galiy to the Senate officers and employees, was
adopted. Acting under the instructions of this
resolution it will be the duty of the Attorney
general to collect all that was paid the clerks
who were employed without authority, and all
that was drawn by the members and officers of
the Senate in excess of what is due them Be
sides the secretary and assistant secre-
bers who three weeks ago. drew the
whole of their per diem in advance Among
those who will be required to refund money
which has been drawn illegally are the engross-
ing clerks, who received, contrary to the ex
plicit provisions of the law. full pay from the be-
ginning of the session. The collection of the
full amount contemplated by the resolution will
make quite sum. The corrupt condition of af
fairs revealed by the investigation is another ev-
idence of the evils which may be expected from
the INSCRIPTIONS greed of the party for spoils
The Democratic members of the Senate are
responsible for the unlawfully employed
clerks. The officers of the Senate were
forced to place upon the pay rolls
men whose services were not needed. The re-
port of the committee shows that the seven
enrolling and engIossing clerks who unlawfully
drew pay at the rate of So per day, from the be-
ginning of the session during nearly the whole
of the month OF January, engrossed only three
bills, which, under the corrupt political spoilS
system of controlling public service, made not
one full days work cost the State nearly 800.
If the Democratic members of the Senate had
not forced the employment of persons for
whom there was no work, instead of having
forty-fve persons on the pay-rolls, drawing in
the aggregate 1928 day, there might be only
the thirty.two employees authorized by the stat
utes. which would make the cost to the State
nearly 81, 600 less than it will be-