The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-24
OUR FARMER-GOVERNOR

New York Evening ST.

Z iOlh Evening sun.
the farmer-Governor is usually regarded
with dfstruSt nowadays, thanks to the
vagaries OF Populism. 1t is pleasant. there
Tore, TO record the very favorable impress
sion that James "A. Mount. the farmer-Gov-
ernor of Indiana, is making upon the peo-
pie OF that State, irrespective of party.
Mr.. Mount is such a quiet. retiring. and
give him credit for force of CHARACTER and
that independence of spirit known as
backbone when he went to Indianapolis.
In fact, they passed the word round that
Mount would be an easy mark" They
began by snubbing and ignoring him. and
finished by respecting and consulting him.
The little man had a will and a mind of his
Owl and he did not yield TO pressure. He
sought advice SO in~telligently and learned
SO quickly that the politicians soon realized
er from Montgomery county. He had not
been long in office before some of their pet
measures were vetoed. and he shed abuse
as a duck sheds water. Such a man had to
be reckoned with.
An illustration of the Governors frmness
was his action on the county treasurers'
bill by which those officers were TO receive
a large sum in so-called back pay. Gov.
Mount was solemnly warned that a veto Of
this measure would be the signing of his
political death warrant. But he was not
impressed; he vetoed the oil. on another
occasion he refused to withhold a veto of
the Wolf lake harbor bill until a delegation
or Chicago and citizens could
arrive TO reason with him. He believed the
bill was wrong. and within a few minutes
after the attempt to hold him up he
vetoed IL. One of the projects which the
party leaders were bent on pushing through
the Legislature was the ousting of the
Democrats from control of the state hos
pitfalls. a bill providing that the board in
each institution should consist of two Re
publicans and one Democrat was passed
and received the Governors signature. The
politicians were elated with their success.
believing that the institutions would. with
the right kind of manipulation. become po-
litical machines. The Governor has taken
the wind out of their sails. however. by an
nouncing his intention to appoint only those
Republicans who will agree not to remove
the present superintendent. all of whom
are capable men and are indorsed by the
State Board of Charities.
In his habits and office rules this farmer
Governor has revolutionized things at In
dianapolis. He is in his office by $50 a. m.
and often remains there until late at night
His private secretary and other capitol en-
ployeS have not been able to work as long
and hard as the Governor. and he does not
insist upon their following his example.
He SAYS that being a farmer, IL Is no hard
ship for him TO get up with the birds. He
receives everybody who wants TO see him.
but shows favoritism 10 none Congressman
and state senators long since learned that
"a little note" was not an open sesame.
They have TO take their turn i'm line with
other visitors. James y. Mount is a man
of whom the farmers have ample reason to
be proud. With his good sense. gentle firm
ness and transformations democracy he is
doing much to relieve the farmer name
from the opprobrium which the crochets
of Populism ave cast upon IL.