The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-25
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.

The near approach of the time to nominate
and elect township trustees suggests the i'm
portance of making wise selection of candi-
dates. The people Of Indiana, during the past
year, have had an experience with many trus-
tees that few will care to see repeated. Rev
Citations Of malfeasance and fraud were 80 fire.
quent for time that the distrust became
general, and the State suffered severely by
reason of impaired credit. For months the
perfdy of Indiana township officers was a
by-word all over the country, nor has it yet
ceased Indiana securities have suffered in
consequence, and through this all the people
have suffered. It has been made evident that
too little care has been exercised in the selec-
ton of men for this important Office. Only
too frequently the 'good fellow" with no
other recommendation has been so honored;
the man who has "helped the party" or
the man with large family and no particular
means of support, has been given the trustee
ship as though it were sinecure, easily filled
by anybody, and of no particular Importance
to the public. AS result of this careless
and unbusinesslike way Of filling this Office,
numerous townships have been run into debt,
and have been placed under heavy burden
of taxation without the corresponding benefit
that should follow. Extravaganza, corruption
and incompetency have been about equally
responsible The good fellow has turned out
has made an extravagant one, and either may
have been persuaded to become corrupt one.
The township trustee, in point of fact, is
the financial agent, and largely the business
manager, of the people. Upon him devolves
the business Of levying taxes for several very
important purposes, such as keeping
up the roads and schools. He
also acts as dispenser of important
sums which he, in his official capacity re-
ceives from the county treasurer. Annually
hundreds of thousands of dollars are paid out
by the township trustees for school-houses,
school furniture, bridges, culverts, road work
ing implements, the employment of teachers
and the keeping of township property in re-
pair From this it is apparent that ordinary
business sagacity on the part of the people
would lead them to select only good business
men, of unimpeachable integrity and of good
fame, for this very important trust The
financial interest of every man who pays
dollar in tax is involved, and the credit of the
township is likewise at stake. There cannot,
therefore, be too much care used in selecting
men for this position. The voters of the sew
eral townships should compel their respective
parties to name competent and trustworthy
men, and if, by any trickery of party machin.
cry, or the manipulation of any "ring
a candidate not fully qualified secures the
party nomination, it will be the duty of the
honest men of that organization to repudiate
it and to express their condemnation of it by
either abstaining from voting or by voting fol
the opposing candidate, if he be deemed
more competent. The time to do good work
in this important public matter is now, when
the merits of prospective candidates are be-
ing canvassed. The claims of good men
should receive hearty Endorsement, and all who
are intent on the nomination and election of
the right kind of a man should take personal
interest in the preliminary work of selecting
candidates. These should stand on their per-
sonal merits, and make the race without re-
gard to what they have or what they have not
done for the party" The people have ii
easily within their power to compel the nom
ination of just such men.