The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-30
hi HOUSE.

A Bill Passed Appropriatfng $4,000 TO
Purdue University-Action on Other Bills.
The House was opened with prayer by Mr..
Smith, representative from Tippecanoe county.
Mr.. McHenry's county superintendent elective
bill [H. r. 81 was read the third time.
MI French said: 'Our Of the ninety-two
county superintendent in the State. there may
be some of them that are not qualified, yet I
don't believe that any law that we could pass
would bring about better conditions in any Of the
institutions of our State. It is the fault of those
who execute the law and not the fault of the law
itself. 1 think we ought to keep the subject of
politics and our public schools apart What
would this change do? It would require every
person desiring to become county superintendent
to so through the political wire-pulling necessary
to get Office. 1t brings politics into the school
room.
Mr.. Taylor don't know that there are any
people sending petitions here asking for the pass
age Of this bill under discussion. / am a friend
of public education. My candid Judgment and
belief is that there is no necessity for a change
of this law. The further removed you have
common schools from the cess-pool of politics
the better for the educational interests of the
State.
Mr. Boyd believe it would be a bad plan to
take this matter out of the hands of the trustees.
My constituents are not demanding that the law
should be changed.
Mr.. Harrell-I don't think there ought to be a
distinction between the county superintendent
and the election of judges Of the courts and
other officers. We want to bring our offices
down as near to the people as possible. The
gentlemen arguing against this bill say it would
put the selection in politics So far as
politics are concerned, think affairs
are just as much agitated on the
election of the trustees as the election Of the
a,,af cY1p arn n non6nnfc OoYRl1 arca IL - yor1oh
more easy to corrupt one or two trustee than to
corrupt the whole county. Why do you elect
the Superintendent of Public instruction and
not elect The county superintendent | am in
favor of the election of county superintendent
by the people.
Mr.. Wilson-Under the present system of
electing our county superintendent it occurs to
me it is easier to set up a job than it would be
under the proposed change. The only argument
used against this measure is that it is dangerous
to trust the people with their own interest. The
people are the source of all power. Is it not in
partisan politics nowl / am decidedly in favor
of the passage of this bill, and letting the county
superintendent be ameanable to the whole
people, and not a few of them.
The bin was rejected by ayes So, nays GO.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY APPROPRIATION.
Mr.. Staley,s bill tH. R. l5lto appropriate $40,
600 to Purdue University, was read a third time.
MI. Staley-The trustees of this institution
were short Of money, and they borrowed enough
to carry on the institution until the presenttime
They ask that the money that ought to have
been appropriated then be appropriated now.
The State is bound by the acts of C0ngress-and
by the acts of the State-to maintain this insti-
tuition. Should the State at any time fail to
comply with the provisions of tho grant, this
donation of land, and everything pertaining to
this institution, would at once pass to the United
States. TIL State stands as the guardian of
this trust. Unless this appropriation is made, i
don't see how the institution can be carried on
for another day. 1t will have 10 close
Mr.. Williams am fully satisfied IN my mind
that Purdue rs not a State university. The
statute provides that the trustees shall not bor-
row money. Is IL necessary for them to incur
this indebtedness They got the interest or
| their loan and that ought to be sufficient There
were only 160 pupils there. This institution
; has cost TOO much money already. There has