The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-23
ECONOMY in THE STATE
REPUBLICANS WILL PAVE WAY FOR
PAYING INDIANA'S DEBT.
Outlook for the Coming Administers
observation-disclosures and Changes
in the Election Law.

Republicans of Indiana more than
satisfied that under Governor Mount they
will have an administration that will af-
ford clean and creditable page in the his
tory of the State The newly-elected Gov
ernor paid his first visit TO indianapolis
since his election last week. and after re-
naming here two or three days, he left the
numerous people asking for ONCE and the
more numerous people willing TO give adj
vice with the impression that he is thor
oughly capable of assuming the heavy re-
sponsibiities the people have placed upon
him and of running mis- administration upon
lines marked out by himself. Those who
got 'close to him. discovered that when he
under consideration for appointment
he was not seeking opinions, but informa-
ton. 1t was evident that Mr. Mount pro-
posed to make no appointments without
knowing all about the men under consid-
Grafton. and IL was clear that i'm his selec-
tons he will require that abe men possess
regulations for clean personal character.
integrity, loyalty and intelligence, as well
as wide acquaintance and political infiu-
ence. He expressed to his friends the opin-
ion that the whole character of his admin
istration would depend upon the kind of
men with whom he surrounded himself at
the start and he felt that il he got it
started right 1T could but end right.
With a Republican Legislature at his
back and all the State offices manned by
Republicans anxious to make good record
for their party. Governor Mount has an ex-
cellent opportunity to give the people the
kind of conservative and businesslike ad-
ministration he desires to. If the State
benevolent, penal and educational institu-
tons are conducted as economically they
have been during the last year, and the
revenues of the State are looked after as
closely at present. Indiana will succeed
in eight years in wiping out the last vestige
of debt that has hung over the State ever
since the great speculative era of 1897 and
which, four years ago. reached the height
of over IS. 900. 600. During the present year
something over 100000 OF this debt has
been taken up, and only about $4,000 900 now
remains. The credit of Indiana, which has
required years and years to get over the
black eye given II by the litigation which
resulted In the Butler compromise, away
back in the forties. has finally become gilt
edged. The report of the Auditor of State.
which will soon be forthcoming. will show
the most prosperous year in the history of
the States finances.
ECONOMY OF REPUBLICANS.
While there will unquestionably be a
number of very strong efforts to raid the
State treasury during the coming session
of the Legislature. the temper Of that body
is likely to be much the same as 1t was
| two years ago, when the small Republican
majority in the Senate succeeded. after a
three days struggle, in defeating the log
rolling efforts of the Democratic minority
| to load up the State with a lot of unneces-
| sary expense and passed an economical APP
| preparation bill. The biennial reports Of the
various State institutions, which are ad-
! dressed to the Governor but aimed at the
Legislature. are now coming in The Legis-
| lature Of 1895 made an almost horizontal re-
duction of 10 per cent in the maintenance
| funds of these Institutions and thus far
| all that have reported have succeeded in
| living within their appropriations and only
| one, so far as known, has contracted any
| bills. even for improvements beyond what
the Legislature authorized. This is a pc
culiarly creditable showing, for not only
| were checked short in habit they had
been following for years Of anticipating
| their appropriations.
| Shorty alter taking office Auditor Dali,
shut of this practice by declining to issue
warrants for penny in excess Of the cur
| much grumbling upon the part of superin.
| tendents and boards of trustees the fact re-
mains that almost every institution has
| taken care of more people and there has
been no suffering among them All of then
are this year asking for increased appro-
| priaticns. but they did that two years ago
reduction. 1t is the regular thing for al
! most every institution to ask for at leas
| twice what it hopes for In the way o.
| specific. appropriations for improvement.
| for maintenance. The educational institu
tions are not likely to ask for more thar
they hold on to what is now theirs Tw,
years ago the Legislature apportionet
among them direct tax and where tn,
| three State educational institutions, tn,
State University, Purdue University an,
the State Normal School formerly got II
| the aggregate about 100000 a year. this tai
| produces in the neighborhood of 100000
year.
THE APPORTIONMENT
But financial questions are not the onl
ones with which the Legislature will hav
to deal. 1t must make new Legislative
apportionment, thing that the Consttu
ton requires to be done every six years
1t will also amend the election law in sue
a way that hereafter fusions made by com
! mittees will have no legal standing.
fact no mans name will be permitted to ar
pear upon the ballot more than once, an
il there is fusion in the future. one or tn
other of the parties to the deal must Civ
up its name. Then there will be an effor
ID properly regulate building and loan as
sociations and there will be powerfI
lobby on hand to prevent such regulation
This fight was gone through in the las
Legislature and the lobby was successful
largely because the Legislature feared [
take up subject it knew so little abou
where it might by unwise legislation dan
age the interests of so many people. TIL
Gov crnor, however. was authorized to az
point "a commission of inquiry. and TIL
comm !ssion has made n very thoroug
| study of the subject and reported a measur
which will. In its judgment. prevent til
larg" number of abuses that have grow
up amcng this class of financial institl
tons. and ii is likely that the lobby wi
experience great difficulty in defeating tn
rreas;Ire.
However. but little time attention wi
be devoted to legislation of any sort unit
the overshadowing question of the senator
ship is settled. After the long campaig
for this succession by Messrs. Falrbanl
and McKeen it is somewhat remarkab
that so large a number of the member
should be noncomnittal on the subject. tt
, claims OF opposing managers in a pres
Dental election are as nothing compare
, TO the claims OF opposing managers in tn
contest. for here is a fight where claim
/ count for something If the average men
Der of the Legislature Can only be col
! | WINGED that Mr. Blank is bound to W
: | ANYHOW he will be for Blank with all h
| might in order that he may have a reserve
| seat on the band wagon with a ticket to Il
| Christmas entertainment on March 4. VIII,
| Pre- dent Mckinley will play santa Clau
3 | Thus IL is difficult to judge from the CLAIM
| of the friends of opposing candidates ju
r | how the situation stands further han TIL
| IL seems evident that the unpledsad vote