The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-21
THE LATE LEGISLATURE.
A Review of Its Work by 81 Prominent
Member of the House.

Hon. George 3. Cardwill, in New Albany
Tribune.
In the first place, the late Legislature was
a singularly able and honest body of men.
Especially was this true of the House of
Representatives. As 1 was a member of
that branch of course I can speak with full
knowledge and freedom of the lower branch,
so called.
OF the hundred members I suppose that
seventy-five were in middle life, and nearly
all had been successful in business. Not
more than half a dozen of them could be
called fast, nearly all were family men.
The result was that all legislation was of
a conservative character. 1 think that when
the laws are published it will be found
that few of them are in any proper sense
bad laws. Some good measures failed be-
| cause the House was too conservative. Sew
| e%n-eighths of the bills offered died in the
committees.
Probably the bravest thing done by the
Republicans in the Legislature was the de-
llberate abandonment of the benevolent in
situations as a bit of party patronage. This
Republican Legislature gave up the control
of the benevolent institutions of the State
to a partisan Democratic Governor simply
because 1t was the right thing to do. The
final result Of this action will be to place
these great institutions upon a business
like and nonpartiSan basis.
The same thing ought to have been done
l Il tlS " loOitS, Dul Liz StOloiiCl III tIC
| Legislature were strong enough to force a
compromise, SO that the majority in order
to save the benevolent institutions gave up
the prisons.
Another great advance taken by this Leg
i%slature was putting the educational institu-
| tionS on a firm financial basis.
Heretofore the universities and schools
have been compelled to send a strong lobby
to beg for money each year; now a small
tax will be levied each year. The amount
raised will be substantially, the same, but
the method of raising it will be much more
| identified and business like.
In nearly every law pertaining to the
great State institutions genuine civil-service
| reform had a strong place. The whole ten
| dency of the Legislature was toward elm
mating spoilsmen and petty. place grabbers.
hibiting of any. salaries or Prerequisites to
the trustees of the benevolent institutions.
the Governor for a little party power in
fuenced him to veto the metropolitan police
politan police law, as it now stands, is in
J the main a good law. Everybody also con-
coded that 1t was too expensive, and had too
about it. So it was carefully examined and
the bill finally passed would have made
to the new law was that giving the Mayor
power to appoint the commissioning would
bring the police into politics. To this there
were several answers. First, cities should
have the right to control their own affairs.
Second. the majority of the boards ap-
pointed by the Governor were not extreme
1y political in character. but were composed
mildly. Third. the law hedged the appoint
ing and removing power OF the boards SO
a aipse fgur rea. and pat tSe Whole matter Of police
depended upon the fitness or unftness of the
members of the force.
When the secret history of the failure of
the water-works bill comes to light some Of
the citizens Of New Albany who stand in
secretly opposing a measure that was of
great interest to the city because Of per-
sonal and very mean mercenary motives.
when It comes to be fully understood. viii
sspectabie. Iaw- Il people. OF Course
those who have no regard for law or for
right living will condemn any law. Luckily,
New Albany has few of this latter class.
Perhaps no one thing interested the MEM
bers of the Legislature more than the two
voting machines that were on exhibition in
the StatehouSe for several days. AS / had
pushed this matter to the front was made
voting and, after full Investigation, reported
that machine voting was sure to come and
for the Indiana Legislature to consider the
matter at this session.
ment to the Constitution passed by both
houses permitting the Legislature to adopt
stand in the way the amendment will be
acted upon by the next General Assembly.
But three really unpleasant things hap
pened to mar the good feeling prevalent
among the members of the House, Two of
trouble at the close of the session, was as
accidental as it was unfortunate. A political
| bill had been passed aT1ectlng the employees
of the Statehouse. The Governor, of course,
prepared to veto it. Thus far all was we'll,
but, unfortunately for all concerned, the
Governors private secretary could not keep
still about a little trick that. was to be
played 50 as to defeat the will of the AS
sembly. All day long he kept Dragging to
the Republicans how ne would keep the
veto message back until five minutes before
L, when time would be too short to pass
the bill over the Governors objections.
Evidently the Governor and the Statehouse
gang were agreed to thus defeat the AS
sembly's will.
Some half dozen of the Republicans re-
solved to head off the secretary in his little
scheme by preventing him from presenting
the veto to the House: and, in pursuance of
their plan. they caught him in the elevator
and got in his road when he attempted TO
enter the hall, thus effectually shutting him
off. The whole business was a bit of child's
play and nothing more would have been
thought of it but for the fact that the Sec
rotary was seriously Injured in the rush;
his own friends. The story about pistols,
knives, etc., was made out of whole cloth
by the reporters of the Democratic papers,
to call the attention of the public from the
smallness of Governor Matthews in trying
to head off a measure he did not like.