The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-05
PROVIDING FOR PARTY WORKERS.

The Sentinel has had several articles
recently warning the Legislature that it
must exercise care in the selection of
employees, both as to their character and
number. 1t has reminded members that
in times past the employees have been
much too numerous and have included
some persons who were strongly sus-
pected of corrupt and dishonest prac-
tices in connection with their positions.
In an editorial on this line, yesterday,
the Sentinel said:
Every State in the Union. and Indiana,
perhaps, as much as any, has suffered IT ON
the incompetence or the dishonesty OF legls-
latiye employees loo frequently, In all the
States, cheap rascals manage. through lob
By and other unworthy influences. to ind
legislative employ ment In clerical or otnor
capacity. They are ready, for o considera-
ton, To do any dirty work lobbyists may
ask of them, and the latter are apt to ask q
good deal. And too often the clerical force
OF a legislature includes men who, IL hon.
est. are incom petent, negligent or lazy, with
the result that there Is much bungilng In
the enrolment of bills. the preparation OF
journals. ETC.. etc. 1t is not necessary. of
course. that the employees of the Legislature
should be men of extraordinary parts. but
1t is essential that they should be honest,
of average int lligence, or decent habits
and willing to do O reasonable amount Of
work.
The Journal gives the Sentinel credit
for honest intentions in it's effort to
keep this Legislature from repeating
the error of former ones. No doubt,
also, the Sentinel understands the char
acter of its party associates, and knows
yonra ohn,f fha .noi1a raonrl nf nu,o IF
the legislative employees in past years
than it would care to tell. 1t has been
notorious for many years past that each
Democratic Legislature outdid it's pre-
decessOr in the excessive number of its
employees, and that some of the en-
p,Oyes have committed grave Offenses
by tampering with legislation, altering
bills. acting ms lobbyists, etc.
We are glad to see that the Sentinel
has at last reached the point of admit
ting the facts and warning its party
friends that it is time such practices
should cease, but it is very doubtful if
its well-meant advice will have any
effect. The tendency of Democratic
I4cGASlaluICS AL tuiS otltO n . ~ Z CO
tablished that it is hard TO change them.
Past experience proves that whatever
professions or promises of reform they
make during the campaign, when the
time for action arrives they become OBJ
livious to all such obligations and to ev-
erything except the pressing necessity of
providing places for the party workers.
We shall be very much surprised If this
Legislature proves an exception to the
established rule. We shall be agree
ably surprised if it does not make places
for a scandalously large list of employees,
embracing the usual proportion of in
competent and dishonest ones-"cheap
rascals," as the Sentinel calls them,
"who manage through lobby and other
unworthy influences, to find Legislative
employment in clerical or other capa-
CITY," When it comes to a count of
noses, no doubt the cheap rascals Will
show up rs strong as usual. 1t would be
gratifying to see one Legislature with
honesty and nerve enough to employ
only the number of employees absolutely
requisite, and with intelligence enough
to appoint competent men, SO that the
clerical work of the session might be
completed in decent form and without
any. bills being altered or stolen, and
the acts, for once, decently indexed.
But doubtless this would be expecting
too much.