The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-10


or, at least, to honestly attempt it, is
faithless to its trust, and unfit to exist.
Not all of our General Assemblies have
shown this spirit. Some have con-
spicuOusly and disgracefully failed. 1t
is to be hoped the present one will have
proper appreciation of its relations and
duty to the people. =
Some matters of unusual Importance
will demand the attention of the Legis-
lature. Among these are, first, the State
finances. 1t will take good fnanciering
and business management to place these
in satisfactory condition. For several
years past the State has been living from
hand to mouth, and runningsiR debt be-
Asidess The failure of the last Legisla-
ture to pass the regular appropriations
was productive of embarrassment and
loss in the financial operations of the
State. Among other things, it COM
PEELED the borrowing of money
at interest to meet current ex-
penses of the State government. This
is reckless financiering and disgraceful
Y l.
State debt, now over $6,5Oo,OOO, was
considerably increased in 1887 and 1888.
1t is much larger than it should be, and
the State is paying much more interest
than it ought to. The debt should be
funded at a lower rate of interest and
reduced as rapidly as possible. Lastyear
the State borrowed money at interest TO
pay interest. For this state of affairs
the Democrats in the last Legislature
are responsible. The State has been
running into debt ever since the Demo-
Gratis came into power in 1888. Their
policy was to reduce the revenue, de-
plete the treasury, discount future re-
sources, draw on one fund to replenish
another, borrow money for current ex
penses, pile up debt and let the future
take care of itself The result to-day is.
an Insufficient revenue, large debt, an
empty treasury and numerous accruing
obligations without any visible means
of meeting them. The actual resources
and credit of the State are unimpaired,
but it's finances are in bad shape. Mean
while the increasing expenses of the
State government, the new hos
pitfalls, the orphans home, the SOL
diers' monument and other mat
tiers call for an outlay quite
beyond the limits of our prospect
i've revenue. The situation is one that
calls for good financiering and careful
legislation. II
The Legislature will be asked to pass
a new election law. Public sentiment is
ripe for such legislation, and the people
demand it. Our present law is by no
means the worst, but we ought to have
much better one. There is no reason
why we should not have an election law
that will place Indiana in the front rank
of States in this regard. We know the
Republicans will favor the enactment of
such law, and there are some indica-
tiOns that the Democrats are ready for
it. The main points to be embraced in
any law on the subject are first, registra-
ton in all the cities and towns of 10000
the ballot, including the printing and
distribution of ballots by the State; third,
voting precincts to be made much small
er; fourth, exclusion of all persons but
voters from within fifty or one hundred
feet of the polls; fifth, severe punish
ment for offering or taking bride, and
for intimidation; sixth, stringent regula-
lions concerning the counting and
custody Of the ballots, and canvassing
the returns. These are the main points
to be covered, though not all. Some of
them are embraced in the so-called Aus
tralian system, and others in the laws
of different States. A bill which fails to
embrace any of them will be intention
ally defective.
The best election in the world would
be a mockery and fraud with the pres
ent outrageous gerrymander. To talk of
honest elections while that exists is a
bowling farce. There cannot be an hon.
est election under the present legislative
and congressional apportionment. 1t
was intended to prevent honest cleo
tions, and does so very effectually. 1t
was intended to disfranchise and does
disfranchise large proportion of the le-
gal voters of the State. Under its oper-
alton in the recent election, although
the Republicans cast 264,55 votes, they
only elected three congressman, while
the Democrats, with 259,9S5 votes, elect
ed ten. The apportionment for the Leg
islature is equally outrageous, the effect
being to give every Democratic vote in
the State an enormous advantage over
every Republican vote. This apportion-
ment is monument of partisan infamy.
The pretense on the part of Democrats
of desiring honest elections while the
gerrymander exists is an insult to popu-
lar intelligence. Nevertheless, it will he
the duty of Republicans to do all in their
| power to secure the passage of new
election law, such as we have indicated.
Amajority ofthe people ofthe State de-
sire more stringent legislation in
regard to the liquor traffic. Recog-
nizing it as beyond comparison the
most prolific source of vice, crime and
pauperism, and contributing very largo