The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-01-28
AFARMER SPEAKS OUT.
Fee md Salary R-form, the Road Law
and Other 9Iattera

Fee and Salary R-form, the Road Laws
and Other Natters-
To THE EDIToR-Sir: If you will pardon
the effort of an ignorant democratic farm
er | will try 10 give my views on a few of
the leading questions now agitating the
people of Indiana. 1t seems that the
present legislature is TO prepare balm
that will heal all ills that the farming COM
munity is heir to. have little doubt
that a majority of our representatives
have entered the capital city fully pre-
pared with spigots TO plug all tie gimlet
holes in the public treasury. But my
guess is that while the gimlet holes are
being stopped a few shrewd chaps
will be using two-inch augers to tap the
public crib In new places. Fee and salary
reform has been the cry. Farmers had
faith and voted accord nglv. Now the
cry is that it must not affect any one that
was elected last fall. That Is a droll idea.
What would give for cushion seat in a
church if l had TO stand up all the time?
Ii the present system is a gouge why
tolerate 1t four years more?
Ny an is his; men who were elected
to twO-year Offices let reform apply TO the
last year, or one-half the time, -FOUR and
siX-year offices to be governed by th~ same
III e. The farmers ar, as We think, Just
now experiencing hard times. We were
promised relief, and now we are told that
we must hold on for four years. If | WAS
sick and sent for doctor and he should
tell me that he had Just what needed for
my ailment and at the same time tell
me that | must wait four years before
IL I frc1f,oI 70 nh I
woula send for another doctor. | am not
much of politician, but my observation
has been this, that lightning hardly ever
strikes both sides of tree during the
same Thunderstorm. If / am to believe
what | read this is to be the great reform
legislature" But that little move that
proposes to put us off four years has run
my pulse down 10 forty. If have to go
to the poor-house to await results | sup
pose l can have one consolation at least.
to-wit. that the farmers will be visited in
1892 and furnished a brand new program.
Promises are cheap, but it takes money to
pay taxes.
| apprehend that some things will be
overdOne while others will be white
washed and given new names, but will be
the same inside. | see that some one has
proposed to put our dirt rlads under the
supervision OF a civil engineer, at a big
salary. The idea oil reducing our dirt
road system to point that we can pay n
man of function" larga salary is PREF os-
ferrous. Our present system is good enough
so far as dirt roads are concerned. What
we want is our gravel road laws reduced
to practical working basis.
We, as farmers, are interested in this
subject perhaps as much as any other at
this time, and | hope the Legislature will
give it careful investigation and enact
some law to lessen the cost of construc-
ton and at the same time leave the money
in the hands of the farmers
A few words In regard to the election of
county superintendent. AS a farmer
am inclined to favor the present system
1t gives each rural district a representa-
tive, while if the people are TO elect the
towns would pick the candidates, and nine
times ont of ten some old broken down
pc itician would be given the place to keep
him from whining. Trustees are inter-
ested and teachers are interested, and the
patrons OF our common schools are inter
ested. Under the present system, as a
rule, competent young men are sci cted-
men who make teaching profession ;
men who are fully up with the times.
Again, the selections, when made by the
trustees, are made at time when politics
is out OF the way. Men can give the matter
careful consideration. Men of experience
are what We want for the office of county
superintendent, not broken down poll
ticians. JOHN J. New.
Northfeld, Boone county, Jan. 10.