The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-18
STATE PRESS OPINION.
Views of Republican Papers on the
Action of the Caucus.

Action of the Caucus.
Indiana Republicans are inconsistent in
taking the appointing power from the
Governor. Let them never demand that
it be put into his hands again, if they re-
move it now.-Elkhart Review.
In every way it seems better that the
Governor alone should be intrusted with
the power of appointment and be made to
bear the responsibility of seeing that the
management of the institution is what it
should be.-Richmond Palladium.
The present Legislature has so far re-
Trained from entering upon schemes Of
purely partisan legislation. but the propo-
sition now pending to take the appointing
with a board to be composed of that official
and the Secretary, Treasurer and Auditor
OF State is of an offensive partisan nature
and is mighty poor politics.-A1uncie Times.
1t has been the Republican theory for
years that the, appointing of managers of
these institutions was an executive act.
and as such was a part of the consttu-
tonal prerogative of the Governor of the
State. 1t on this theory well
the theory of civil-Service reform that they
have denounced the Democrats for taking
the power from the Observation-Disclosures
Item.
The action of the Republican legislative
caucus Wednesday in reference to the ap-
pointment of trustees for the State insti-
buttons was. as Senator Newly well ex-.
pressed it, "a violation of every pledge of
and catering to the spoils element of the
party. 1t is to be hoped that better coun-
sells will yet prevail and the proposed policy
be reversed.-New Castle Courier.
If there is any lesson to be gathered from
the political events of the past few years,
it is that the people are quick to recognize
and rebuke the reputation of pledges by
public servants. Spacious arguments and
to stem the tide of popular Indignation
which will surely submerge the betrayers
of public trust. The statesman out of
a conscience quickly becomes the states
man out of job. Party honesty is party
expediency.-Terre Haute Tribune.
The Republican legislative caucus at In
dianapolis has made serious mistake in
refusing to adopt measures to take our re-
formatory and benevolent Institutions out
of politics. as has been repeatedly demand
ed by our platforms. The caucus was COM
posed of less than majority of Republic
an members and we hope its action will be
platform that these institutions should
be taken out of politics did not mean that
they We're merely to. be changed from
Democratic to Republican politics. The
people expect something better from the
Republicans than the adoption of Dem
ocrat policies.-New Albany Tribune.
The Tribune voices the manifest truth of
the best sentiment among the Republicans
of Howard county in condemning the Re-
publican caucus decision relative to the
control of the State institutions as unwise,
impolitc and a violation of the platform
and principles of the party. The people
want to get far away as possible from
the odous spoils system in the management
of these public institutions, and the Repub-
lican party has repeatedly and specifically
promised to enact broad. busineSsl1ke,
nonpartisan system. Any failure to redeem
this important pledge will be disappointing
must not fail in this important matter.
-KOkomo Tribune.
The action Of the Republican legislative
caucus in taking from the Governor the
power to appoint the trustees of the benev-
olent and reformatory institutions will be
regarded as a serious mistake, we are sure.
The party is pledged TO nonpartisan man.
agement of these institutions by the plat
forms of all the State conventions since
1856. Granting that a board, consisting of
the State officers, might make as wise Sc
lections the Governor, the fatal objection
remains that the transfer was made for po-
litical reasons 1t is plain that if such a
change can be made by Republican Leg
islatHre for such purpose, no Republican
complain of the next Legislature II 1t
should happen to be Democratic, making
another change to secure control. So the
very end for which these Republican con-
ventions contended would be defeated by
Republican egislation.-Anderson Herald.
The Republican caucus, by close vote,
decided to place the benevolent, penal and
reformatory institutions under bipartisan
control. with the appointing power in the
hands of board composed of the Governor,
Secretary of State and Auditor of State.
This action is hardly consistent with the
pledges made by the Republican party in
its State platforms for the last dozen years
or more. The party has iterated and reiter-
ated In favor of eliminating politics en-
tirely from the control Of all our State in