The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-31
COMING SPRING ELECTIONS
Acknowledgement Prepares Digest of
Recent Laws Affecting Them.
McBugh Municipal Act and Thornton Town.
ship Act-lnsane Hospital Superin-
tendency-Haughville Primaries.

laws affecting these elections passed at the
recent Legislature. In order that all may
be answered at once. Attorney general
Smith has prepared a reply TO one OF the
inquiries general digest of the election
law amendments of 1893 ga follows:
would respectfully say that know OF no law
passed by the late General Assembly which
changes the time OF holding elections In incor-
porated towns of this state. Bill No. 70, usually
referred TO "a the McHugh bill, Is an amend
ment TO section 3043 of the Revised Statutes OF
1851 AMI only affects officers OF Incorporated
cities. This section is section eight of the
general law for the incorporation OF cities passed
In 1867. That act authorized incorporated
towns and cities operating under special charters
or other laws then in existance, by onethird
vote OF their population. To incorporate under
was t ass there m ~ sssr rss
thousand inhabitants of the town. But by an
amendment passed in 1869, which still remains
In force. the population of the town or city de-
string to take advantage OF the general act of
1867, governing cities. was cut down To twenty
five hundred. The McHugh bill is an amend
ment OF Section cf this general law OF 1857
governing Cities and applies to no towns or cities
not Incorporated under that law. and would not
which mas always operated under a special
charter, unless IL be on account of an act passed
by the recent General Assembly known as the
Evansville charter act which is highly improb-
able.
CELEBRATED MHUGH ACT.
The McHugh bill provides that the officers OF
such cities referring to those cities Incorporated
under or by election having accepted the terms
OF the act OF 1861 shall consist OF Mayor. two
c0uDcilmen from each ward, q city clerk,
treasurer, civil engineer. street commissioner.
chief OF the fire department., health officer,
marshal, aud iii the Common Council deem 1t
expedient, city attorney and city judge. The
city attorney, the street commissioner. the civil
engineer the chief engineer of the fire depart
by the Common Council. Provided, that the
Common Council may dispense with the street
commissioners and require the marshal 70 Der
form his duties. Ali such officers shall
hold their respective offices for four years.
appointed and qualified. The law further
provides that the Mayor clerk, treasurer. civil
engineer, street commissioners, marshal, city at
torney, city judge chief engineer of the fire de-
partment and health officer in office. and
whose terms expire IN May and September. 1898.
or at any other time. shall hold their respective
September, 1884. IL is also provided that all
officers who are not specifically named herein
which date the first eloction under this amended
law Is to be held, are by this law continued In
Office until said time and until their successors
are elected and qualified.
School trustees, as heretofore, are elected by
the Common Council of said cities land in towns
by the Town Board Of Trustces) as provided by
the act OF March IL, 1875, ,see acts OF 1875,
page 1875. or Section 4439 X. s. 1881 and they
are not affected by or embraced within the pro-
trolled by the law particularly governing the
subject OF school trustees. The principal effect
of this law is Ia extend the length OF the terms
or said of1cers OF such municipalities from two to
four years, including members Of the Council.
Said officers whose terms expire in May aud
September, 1898, hold their offices until the first
Monday III the month or September. 1894
Councilmen are elected by the legal voters
OF their respective wards, and those
are continued in office until May, 1894, and
councilmen whose terms would expire May.
1894, are continued in office until May. 1896.
and thereafter when two c0uncilmen are chosen
at the same time IL shall be determined by lot,
at the first meeting of the Council. who shall
niaiiy thereafter one councilman shall be elected
"A each ward for four years.
TOWNSHIP ELECTIONS.
By an act OF 1898 tHouss bill No. 1851 the time
of holding the election for township trustees,
justices OF the peace assessors, constablos, road
supervisors and such other officers of the town.
ship as may be provided for by law, Is changed
from April and all such officers aret to be elected
at the general election to be held on
the first Tuesday after the first Monday
In November. 1894, and every four years there
after. These elections must be conducted under
the provisions OF the law governing general cleo
tons. Township trustees and assessors now in
office will hold until the first Monday in August,
1895. although their successors as above stated,
will be elected on the first Tuesday after the first
Monday in November, 1894. All other township
officers, except trustees and assessors, Will take
their offices immediately after their election in
November, 1894.
nations, as required by Section Of The act OF
1891, was repealed by House bill No. 8, intro
duced by Mr.. Williams This does way with the
publication OF sample ballots. and inasmuch as
the law IL provided with an emergency clause. it
is now in operation and will apply to all elections
hereafter held.
The section repealed by the Williams law re-
CURED that at least seven days before an cleo
ton to I'LL any public office at which electors OF
any county are entitled to vote. the county clerk
of such county should cause to be published the
nominations to Office Certified TO him by the
Governor of the state and also those filed with
the county clerk. He was required To make two
publications in two weekly newspapers before
the election so that one OF the publications in
upon which such Newspaper WAS Was printed o prior
TO the day CT election. He was re-
CURED also .,., to publish such notices
two largest political parties. This constituted
the only notice to be given in advance of an
now wholly done away with, SO that so far as
appears there Is no provision whatever for Civ
ing any election notices by the county clerk in
general elections. or by the city or towD clerks
In city or town elections. The repeal OF Section
4 OF the amendatory act of 1891 (which was Sec
ton % OF the original election law OF 1880 does
not, however, dispense with the necessity of pub
fishing any changes which are made in precinct
boundaries at least thirty days before any cleo
two newspapers published In said county.
representing the two political parties which
cast the nlgDeSt NUMBER OF votes In the state at
the last preceding general election. and by
posters put up in four of the most public places
IN each precinct. Nor does 1t dispense with the
necessity of posting sample ballots at the polls
OF election days. In short, the only part OF the
election law relating To the publication, or Civ
ing OF notices, repealed. Is Section A. OF the act
of 1891. which Is amendatory or section %. OF
the act of 1sS9.
Section %, of the election Law of 1885, re-
| quires that any proposed constitutional amend
ment shall be embraced In the publication pro-
vtded for in Section %, but inasmuch a. section
| % has now been repealed as the law stands to-
| ment 10 be voted IN. there is no provision any
| where for its official publication.
BY the act OF 1891 road supervisors are elected
| for four years at the same time that township
| officers elected. and they hold until their
| Successors are elected and qualified. Under the
| provisions of House bill No. l6S. above cited,
the election of road supervisors, we'll as other
| township officers, is changed from April to No
| ycmber, but by still further enactment Senate
| bill No. 354. introduced by Mr. Barnes), road SUI
| pervisors instead OF being elected. are appointed
| by township trustees, but their terms OF office
| are the same as provided by law; SO that
supervisors heretofore elected Will continue until
/ the trustees of their respective townships are
succeeded by persons chosen at the next cleo
| ton. Thereafter road supervisors, instead Of
being elected at the same time as township trus-
tees will be appointed by them, and hold for and
during the same period.
Insane Hospital superintendent.
The three trustees of the hospital met yes
! terday afternoon at the office OF Mr. Oster-
| man, in the Board of Trade. Messrs. Carson