The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-18
THE INDIANA PRESS.

BY all means let's have an investigation
of Green Smith and his office. 1t looks as
though there was a niger in the wood
pile when a man can a fortune
in four years from fees and salary.-Bluff-
ton Chronicle.
The Republican majority in the Indiana
Legislature has started out well. Let each
member stand firmly on the platform on
which he was elected, and he will not only
receive the commentator of the taxpayers,
but he will serve his party well and insure
for it a continuance of power.-Fort Wayne
Gazette.
The proposition to investigate the office
of Encouragement, while filed by Green
Smith, will meet the hearty commentator
of the people of the State. The investiga-
ton ought to be thorough If only to let the
funds was absorbed by the late Attorney
general under the head of fees and COM
Observation-Disclosures Palladium.
Legislative appropriation bills have a way
of becoming largefe at each recurring ses-
sion of the Legislature, and with the in
crease in wealth and population a necessity
seems to exist for larger expenditures. 1t is
therefore greatly to the credit of the pres
appropriation bill carries less by 5000 than
that of the last observation-disclosures Times.
The various congressional aspirants who
are attempting to arrange the congressional
apportionment law so as to keep themselves
in office should not forget that the common
people have an interest in these matters,
as well as candidates. The congressional
districts are not plantations to be farmed
out, but geographical divisions arranged to
further the ends of good government.-Ver-
non Banner-Plain Dealer.
The Legislature does well in cutting the
force of doorkeepers to about one-half the
number the Democrats employed, but it
does i'll in keeping the compensation at the
old figures per day. No doubt 5000 good
Republicans in Indiana capable of perform
would be glad to do it for 50 which would
be about right. But II no greater mistakes
ied.-Rockville Republican.
The Indianapolis Journal objects to the
indiscriminate granting of changes of venue
in criminal cases. The Tribune is with the
Journal on that proposition. A law should
be passed that would regulate the matter.
Upon the simple affidavit Of a worthless
criminal-one who very often is not believed
when he goes upon the witness stand after
ward-that he cannot obtain justice, a
change of venue is granted when every
body knows well that the change is asked
for simply to gain time and uhroW obstacles
in the path OF the prosecution.-Evansville
Tribune.
But few pssople outside Of those who
follow the legal profession ever see the
laws enacted for their government, and
therefore have no opportunity to keep adj
vised' as to the scope and meaning of
changes in the old or the provisions of the
new laws. If the people were governed by
a star chamber, they could scarcely be Kept
in profounder ignorance OF legislation than
they are under the system that now pre-
walls. The tax thai would be necessary to
lay every enactment of the General Assem-
bly, before every citizen in his favorite
home paper would be a mere bagatelle TO
the aggregate expense of litigation that
comes to citizens and State from lack of
knowledge of the aws.-Brookvile Ameri-
can.
An effort will be made in the Legislature
to investigate the condition and workings of
the various State building associations Of
this State. A year or more ago the Chron-
icle declared that the promise OF several
of these institutions could not be realized
if they treated their stockholders fairly. Now
there are complaints coming in that the
stockholders are not getting what they ex-
pected. The expense account OF some Of
these concerns is criminally extravagant.
One-tenth of one per cent of the face value
of each share Is deducted monthly from
the dues. which means a rake Off of
from 10 to Ii cents. Thus all the profits go