The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-16

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with am empty vehicle Such Instructions
are not only an Inconvenience to the public
! but are ottentmes the cause of great loss TO
our farmers, as they cannot convey their
| products TO market III a proper manner at the
| most convenient and profitable times With
our river ana railway systems which may be
regarded as the great arteries of travel and
| transit good country roads would act as the
veins, which would give to the great body of
/ commerce the most healthy action. In the
/ states and counties where such roads have been
| constructed, farms are worth much more than
better lands in this state. where the rich CLAW.
soil and change of seasons often render our
/ roads nearly impossible. The revenue to be
derived from the sale of Intoxicating liquors
and ardent spirits. and from the dOg-tax might
| be very properly used for the construction OF
| such roads. Large sums OF money are now
under our present road system, expended and
wasted which might be OF great benefit If the
! roads could be worked under some general su-
! pervisOr who understood practical engineer
ing Bridges, cUlverts, bitches and embank-
| ments are now constructed in many localities
at great cost, which are almost worthless, and
even the earth roads are worked in many in
| Stances eXhaustlng the rOad-tax without much
| practical beneft. 1t might be worthy of your
| consideration whether convict labor. instead OF
| competing with mechanical industries
! could not be utilized In the construction of
! gravel and macadamized roads. | believe that
| il can be safely said that the farming lands of
this state, with good roads passable at all
seasons, would be worth at least 20 per cent.
| more than their present value.
Common Schools.
The enormous amount annually paid for
school books has created great dissatisfaction
| throughout the state. Some plan, if possible
should be adopted by which the price of such
! books could be brought within a reasonable
! limit. On an average the cost to each pupil
! could be safely stated to reach s. per annum.
! Our average daily attendance in 1888 was 40S-
| 775. This would show an outlay of 81 226 S25
| Two plans have been adopted by the different
| states to curb such vast expenditure for text
! books:
! First, the publication of school books by the
state
! Second, free textbooks bought BY the state
or school districts and loaned to the pupils.
The hrSt method has been condemned as i'm
! practicable and costly, while the second, where
it has been tried, has received the highest corr
| mendatlon OF state superintendent and profess
] sona teachers. By this free textbook system
the cost OF books for each pupil in Michigan is
estimated at 90 cents per annum; in Maine
/ 263{ cents per annum; IN Vermont about SO
/ cents; In WlscOnsln, not One-thlrd OF the former
/ cost The arguments made in favor of free
! textbooks may be stated as follows: The cost
! is greatly below that OF any other method yet
! adopted; more prompt attendance and regular
| ity of pupils; it makes the schools free indeed
! and equalizes the children of the rich and poor,
! as both are supplied alike; it teaches pupils
| the responsibility and care for the properly and
1 enables them 70 obtain better education. The
amount overpaid by parents aud guardians,
! under our present system, would greatly ex-
/ coed the taxes which would have TO be levied
| to purchase all the books required in our
| schools under the free textbook system. The
| people would be the gamers over the taxation
| by more than twice the sum required to pur-
| chase all the books under the proposed system,
and could well afford to pay the additional
tax that would be required for that purpose.
| The cities of New York and Philadelphia.
and the states of Massachusetts, Wisconsin,
| Michigan, Iowa, Maine and Vermont have
adopted tried this system. In New York
City it has been practically tried for forty years
/ and in Philadelphia for seventy years. Taking
a high average under this system, say 40 cents
| per pupil, the entire cost in Indiana for the
year 1883 would only have amounted to $685.
! SO, as against the probable cost 81 ,226, 3225
| which would give an actual annual gain TO the
| people OF this state of $l,o62,s15, or $3.50 TO
| every pupil.
! If the system should cost on the average 81
| to the pupil it would still leave gain to the
parents and guardians, for that year, of SSt7,-
| $50. With free textbooks a great burden
would be taken from the poor. who are often
unable to spare the amount required to pur-
! chase their books, at the very eXOrbitaut prices
they are now compelled to pay or leave their
| children uneducated. Experts and booksellers
inform me that the prices paid for school-books
in this state yield from 800 TO 600 per cent.
above the actual cost OF production. Some
| thing should be done TO reduce the cost TO a
reasonable price, and lift from parents and
/ guardians these very heavy burdens.
| The expenses OF our common-School system
| should be greatly curtailed in the future, as
nearly every county in the state Is provided
| with excellent SchoOl-hOuses now numbering
! 9,sS2. Our school property, independent of al
| funds, may be estimated at nearly $150O0000
| This condition, with the ever-increaSing fund
| derived from fines and forfeItures, viii, it is
! believed admit of the income from the license
! on the sale of ardent spirits, and from the dog
! tax, being transferred and proftably used by
! the state for the construction of gravel and
macadamized roads. ] commend the subject TO
your deliberate and mature consideration, and
/ will heartily cooperate in any measures that
! will lessen the present exorbitant prices.
Some confusion and inequality has arisen in
reporting the number of pupils in each county
! as having attended the common schools As
! the distribution OF the funds depends upon
| the number thus reported, | would suggest
| that each superintendent and teacher in re-
| porting the numbers be required 10 give the
name OF each pupil who has attended during
that period, and in no case count the name
more than once.
Supreme Court.
Our constitution provides that Justice shall
be administered freely, and without purchase;
| completely and without denial; speedily, and
without delay" Under existing laws, this
high-souuding provision is an empty boast.
Many cases are now pending in the supreme
court which were filed more than five years
/ ago and il is TO be feared that some have
/ been appealed to that court for the sole pur-
! pose of delay. This delay arises from no fault
/ of the judges of the court. but from their
| inability to fully investigate the numerous
| cases which arc brought before them. do not
| believe that the multiplication OF judges in
the supreme court would tend 10 the further
ance of Justice No case should be passed
upon without the full consideration of every
| Judge upon the bench. This would be inn
| possible if the number of judges should be
| greatly increased, and can conceive of only
| two methods by which the present evil can be
! avoided:
/ l. The creation of intermediate appellate
courts, with exclusive jurisdiction within GER
| tain limits.
2. BY assistance being literally given to each
| judge.
II each Judge could have as his assistant
records, examine the authorities, make notes
and report TO the Judge, the labor would be
! greatly lessened, and at every term more than
| twice the number of eases could be easily dis
/ posed Of Many eases which are taken to the
| court merely for delay, could be quickly acted
| upon and others could be rapidly brought for
ward. The services of such men could not be
! had without liberal salaries, and care should be
! observed in making the selection. -.-
While either mode would he decided i'm