The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-14
A DUTY TO THE PEOPLE.

AN Al 4O SOhA Nf0 u WV
question of its constitutionality to the
last conclusion is one that the Repub-
licans of this State ought to accept with
unfeigned ~alacrity and discharge with
genuine zeal. 1t is not often that cir
cumstances devolve on a political party
the honor of representing so just a prin-
ciple and SO righteous a cause as this.
Experience has shown that it takes time
to make the mass of people realize the
Importance of such q contest. 1t is
passing strange that a people whose
free institutions and political existence
depend on q full and fair expression of
the popular will should have tolerated
so long a system which strike at the
very root Of popular government. If it
were a question of taxation. of land
titles, of farm mortgages, of dollars and
cents, the people would long ago have
risen in their might and asserted their
rights. The gerrymander involves is
sues more important than any or all of
those named, and yet the people sub
mitted to it for years and years with
scarcely more than a perfunctory pro-
test. Happily, however, there Is reason
tn believe that at last they realize the
infamy of a system which enables a de-
cided minority of the voters of the State
to rule the majority, and that they will
approve of every honest effort to de-
stroy it.
One of the worst results of the gerry
mander has been its evil influence on
legislation, and, through that. on the
prosperity and progress of the State.
It's effects in this direction are apparent
and can be read of all men. Of course,
greater crime than the enactment of q
law which enables a minority to rule a
majority, but the moral sense of the
people is not always as quick to recog-
nize crimes of this kind as it ought to
be. When it comes to concrete results
they see. and think, and reason more
clearly. A little reflection On the prac-
tical operation of the gerrymander will
show how numerous and far-reaching
are the evils it has inflicted on the State.
For years past it has emboldened one
Democratic Legislature after another in
vicious legislation by holding out to
them immunity from punishment. This
is a great incentive to crime. When q
criminal enters on the preparation of a
crime he is apt to seek the of
darkness and the friendly aid of a mask.
This is because he fears punishment. 1t
is O concession to the law. He does not
want to be dragged before the bar of
Justice. But let him be assured of i'm =
munity from punishment and he will
carry out his plans, in broad daylight,
without a mask or any effort at conceal
ment. If criminals could, by some
means, enact and put in force a law that
would give them complete protection
in the preparation of crime, thus re-
moving all fear of punishment, there
would be q great increase of crime.
The gerrymander has caused a great
increase of legislative crimes in this
State by removing the fear of punish
ment. Under it's protecting 9gis one
Democratic Legislature after another,
elected by a minority of the voters OF
the State on such a basis as to give q
large Democratic majority in each
house, has felt SO secure from popular
punishment that they have been EN-.
boldened to perpetrate all kinds of out.
RACES and crimes. Among these are the
increasing extravaganza of every
Legislature for many years past;
the growing list of salaried en-
ployes; the continual increase of sal
aried offices created for party favoritesi
the repeated enactment of new laws in.
creasing the fees and emoluments OF
public officials; the persistent refusal to
pass a satisfactory fee and salary law
the equally persistent refusal to re.
move the State institutions from politics
and partisan controls; the repeated white
ferent institutions; the reckless manage
ment of the State finances, resulting In
the present debt of SO. 600. 900 and the
largely increased taxation of the people;
the stealing of the Acknowledgements
ship and of q United States Senator,
anu many OtucI ACTS cuudiJy buDNcISlSs
of good government and popular rights.
These are the direct fruits of the gerry.
mander. But for its protection the
Democratic party would not have dared
to make such a record. Encouraged by
its success from year to year. the party
has gone from bad to worse. Immunity
from punishment has made it bold. /
has become drunk with Legislative
crimes until finally, arraying itsel
against the Supreme Court. it has def
antly asserted its right to re-enact
law that has been declared %unconstitu
tiOnal.
If there were any way of figuring on
in dollars and cents the cost to the State
of this long course of vicious Legislation
it would be possible to approximate tn
money cost of h gerrymander, bu
even that would give no adequate ldc;
of what it has cost the State by tn
breaking down of moral barriers an,
l%mplanting in the minds of younI
and old the idea that honor, honesty an,
justice are things TO be talked abo II
but not to be practiced; things to b.
praised in the abstract but to be ignore
IN Hall. lsfa Ry as nnch ~ voorol IN