The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-12
GOV. FORAKER INAUGURATED
The Attendance at Columbus Inter-
fered with by the Cold Weather.
A Procession of Military and Political Organ
izations Comprising $500 Men-Main
Points Of Gov Foraker's Address.


Cident to the inauguration of Goyernor-elect
Foraker took place to-day. The severe weather
of yesterday and last night diminished the
1ookedfo attendance of military and political
organizations There were about $500 of mill
tary and members Of clubs who participated.
The Governors party was met at the depot and
escorted to the State-house, where the inaugural
exercises proper occurred in the rotunda of the
Capitol. Governor Hoadly, in delivering the
commission to his successor, made an expression
Of his own personal good will and congratula-
tions Governor Foraker spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Repre-
Eentatives-There is nothing more important
than the ballot 1t goes before everything else
The government rests upon it, and its character
is determined by it. We have no other sover-
eign power or expression. There is no greater
political crime than It's suppression or corrup
tion. There is but one equal crime, and that is
indifference to such outrages. Either is treason
in effect. and both ought to be in law There
never was greater need than now for this to be
remembered by the legislative body of this State.
Evil is always contagious. IL permitted to sue
coed in place. It's tendency is to quickly
spread TO all places Accordingly, the question
of free ballot and fair count until recently
unknown among US, has become living issue In
Ohio
The outrages perpetrated at our elections in
1884 were not the first of these offenses. but they
are mentioned because they had one good effect
They aroused q sense of duty that secured the
enactment of q registration law applicabls to
che cities of Cincinnati and Cleveland 1t was
hoped this measure would prevent these evils,
but we have been disappointed. The addition
al safeguards thus thrown about the elective
franchise seemed only to widen the range, in
crease the determination and quicken the
genuity of this class of criminals. AS a conse-
quence we have witnessed not only false voting
and false counting, but also false registration,
false taies, false certificates. false returns and
every other species OF falsehood, fraud and
forgery. No such bold bare-faced villiany has
ever been known in the history of our elections
as confessedly was practiced at the last October
elections in the cities Of Cincinnati and Colum-
bus II there is anything worse than the fact
that the scoundrels who perpetrated it are un-
punished and likely to remain 3d. it is that there
should appear to be no judicial power to pre-
vent the contamination of their iniquities. If
it be true that our laws are such that canvass
ing officer IS compelled, or can elect, to give
effect to evident or acknowledged fraud and
forgery in defiance of right and all the authority
of the courts, then indeed is there need to
change the laws. Such official should be
more than a mere automat0n and considerably
less than an imperious autocrat. The time has
come to put a stop to such troubles, and the
people of the State, without regard to political
differences, expect at your hands such legisla-
ton as will have this effect.
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but
only because the provisions for the registration
of voters were deemed unreasonable. The OBJ
lection is easily overcome, and it is recon-
menddd that another such law be enacted
While considering this subject, it is desired to
make another recommendation. Most of these
fraud to which attention has been called have
been committed either by the judges and clerks
of the election. or with their connivance. 1t is
notorious fact that while many Of these
officials are worthy and competent men, yet
many others are of bad character and entirely
unfit for such trusts. If only honest and intel
hgent men of known good character were al
lowed to ill these positions. such violations of
law would be impossible. They would
rarely IL at ALL be attempted. It is
recommended, therefore, that while pro-
yiding for a registration system, you
also revise our election laws as to their provi
isons for the selection of judges and clerks, and
secure the selection of only good men for these
places by providing for the appointment, by
some suitable authority, of board of election
commissioners or supervisors for all such cities
as the law, in your judgment should be ap-
9licable so, to consist Of four or six members or
any other number as you may deem best. whose
auty it shall be to appoint the judges and clerks
Tor each voting precinct Both political parties
should be represented, and equally, in this
board; and 1t should be further provided that no
person SO appointed by this board should be ex-
cused from such service, except for cause ap-
proved by the board. There is quite as much
necessity to require this duty from citizen as
there is to compel him to serve juror. This
matter must be dealt with earnestly. Unless
we can have free and fair elections, there will
come serious trouble. The citizens of Ohio will
not long quietly tolerate reign of fraud.
Inasmuch as these evils are confined almost
entirely to our large cities. their consideration
will naturally bring to your minds the general
problem Of municipal government.
How to govern our cities is different cues
ton. It's Importance is continually increasing
There has been but little satisfactory expert
ence in this country-Scarcely any in our State
We have apparently gone steadily from bad to
worse Some of our largest cities furnish strik-
ing examples of how bad city governments can
become. Their federation by their citizens shows
either a remarkable patience, almost in
credible indifference. But whether it be pa
thence or Indifference, enlightened sentiment de-
mands change for the better. This is not fit
occasion for the discussion of this matter but it
is desired to refer to one feature of the general
subject, and express the belief that it is bad pol
icy to multiply elective boards that are not re-
sponsible to. or controlled by. any higher au-
thority, and distribute among them the admin
istrative functions and powers of our municipali-
ties.
There are many objections to such system.
There is too frequently a conflict instead of har-
mony OF action. To illustrate, what board of
public works may do to improve street is quite
often straightway undone by board of water
works commissioners to Law waterpipes or nv
some other authority to do something else, all at
the expense of the taxpayers ana to the great
discomfort of the public. A further objection is
this: The more such boards there are the less
important must be their respective powers The
consequence is that the conventions that nom
mate and the people who elect the members
thereof easily fall into the belief and act upon
1t, that it makes little difference who may be Sc
lected. A member 10 but one of an unimportant
board anyhow. The result is that practically
the entire city government falls into the hands
OF men selected without that care and considera-
ton that should be exercised Another evil eff
feet of this system is in the difficulty that exists
under it of calling derelict officials to account.
When public interests are neglected. there is no
particular one TO whom blame attaches.
The shortcoming of board is lost by distribu-
ton among its members, but the aggregate of
the ills OF the several boards makes the whole
city seriously suffer- There should be fixing
Of responsibility so there may be accountability.