The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-25
A CONSPIRACY AGAINST TAXPAYERS.

In 1890, in obedience to a popular de-
mand, both parties pledged themselves
to enact law which would establish
fair salaries for county officers and do
away with the much abused fee system.
The Democrats came, into power, and.
after long delioeration, passed the pres
ent law, which did not affect those
holding office ut the time. The Journal
is warranted in asserting that some of
those who supported the bill in 1891 did
so in the belief that it was unconstitu-
tional, and would be SO declared when
taken to the courts. At the beginning
of the late session of the Legislature
large number of county officers came
here to attack the law. but, after con-
sultatiOn with the chairman of the
Democratic State committee and other
magnates. and upon the opinion of five
able lawyers that the law would be de-
clared unconstitutional a case was made
up and taken to the Supreme Court, they
Withdrew. Even the sheriff of this county,
who had been filling the newspapers
with his lamentations. suddenly became
silent. While the Legislature was in
session prominent Republicans and sew
eral Democrats did what they could to
amend the law SO as to place salaries
upon the basis of population, but moth
ing could be done. One member de-
clared that the reason the majority
would take no action was that there was
conspiracy to have the present law
declared unconstitutional, which would
leave the people to the mercies of the
Ubiquitous fee system. Now, less than
amonth after the Legislature adjourned.
this prediction is made good by meet
ing of county officers to devise a plan to
bring the law to the Supreme Court to
test it's constitutionality. They assume
that the people who were 80 emphatic
in their demand for the abolition of the
extortionate fee system have forgotten
all about the matter and will not protest.
Under the fee system large number
of county offices have become sources of
wealth for those who are so fortunateas
to hold them. Four years in some of
these Offices make men comparatively
wealthy, and large part of them pay
twice or three times as much as the
vate parties upon intelligent business
principles. To secure such positions
aspirants frequently expend large
amounts in conducting canvasses. If
they succeed they reimburse themselves
by charging the people extorticnate
fees. If they fail they are frequently
embarrassed financially, and business
disaster is sometimes the result of such
failures. The whole system is bad and
demoralizing, IA we'll as burden upon
sufficient to insure intelligent serv-
ice, and should be definitely fixed,
without fees. they should not be
so large as to incite cupidity or
to be regarded as capital prizes
in a political lottery. There is no equity
in system which enables the auditor
of Marion county to obtain as much
compensation as is paid to three Cabinet
officers, or O coroner to take $4,000 in
fees in n year out of the pockets of tho
people. In many States the evil has
been suppressed. but in Indiana the
favored few are determined to perpetu-
ateit. Emboldened by the gerrymander
iniquity, the majority party expect to be
able to revive and continue the de-
nounced and unjust fee system. The
people have not forgotten. and they will
convince the men who are scheming to
restore the fee system that they have
not forgotten, il they succeed in over
throwing the present law. The people
of Indiana are coming to the conclusion
that they have an extravagant and
wnsteful system OF government. Some
day they will say so. and so emphatically
that a gerrymander will not be bull
wark strong enough to protect the con-
SPRAY of taxeaters against the people.