The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-22
INCREASING COST OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENT.

During the past yearf lawmakers and
newspapers in several States have called
attention to the rapidly increasing cost of
state government in many of the larger
States In Massachusetts, where state ex-
penditure has always been LIBERAL it has
been increased heavily, partly for a system
of drainage and to get rid of grade rail-
road crossings. In New York the Governor
called attention to the increasing expendi-
lure, pointing out many boards which
from a small expenditure years ago have
come to control many thousands and to
employ many people. The same tendency
appears in other States. The cost of run
ming state institutions has increased, new
institutions are created and the State is
asked to do things which would not have
been regarded as within the scope of state
government few years ago. Boards are
created whose members have schemes for
the elevation of the people, which may be
we'll if they could furnish the money. I'm
fortunately, these excellent people have but
one idea, and that is to spend money. There
has been little of this extension in Indiana,
but there would have been more if the av-
conservative and willing to receive the
abuse of the fadists for being a moss
back
If any one will look over the schemes
presented to. the Legislature and which
have failed during the past few years he
will be surprised to see what raids upon
the treasury were involved in many of
them he lie
son he will come to suspect that the in
spiration of not a few of these schemes
to bless the people is the desire of some
person to be furnished employment for him
self, if not for his sons and sons-in-law.
his cousins and his aunts, at the public ex-
pense. He will find plans for promoting
the public welfare, the cost of which, in the
aggregate would be oppressive To put
into operation the schemes of class of SCI
entists would takes hundreds of thousands
Pennsylvania is a rich State with large
revenues, but its controller has just dis
covered that the expenses have been so in
creased during the past few years that a
deficit of over $3,00O.0O0 is now shown These
increased expenditures have come from the
cost OF constructing imposing buildings and
the maintenance of official departments on
a scale of magnificence quite in contrast
with the economies which the larger part
of those who pay the taxes are compelled to
practice.
Not long ago an official who had been
visiting institutions in other States spoke of
the costly buildings and their superiority
to those in Indiana. Two of these were
Western States, in which state expenditure
has been largely increased in recent years
In this Stateit was not a matter of general
knowledge until after the Legislature had
adjourned that the compulsory education
act, having the Board of Education for it's
reputed godfather, could be charged with
being designed to create hundreds of truant
officers Fortunately, a wise enforcement
of the law will cut short the expansive
purpose of the authors Of the bill. So long
as all the people cannot be kept at the
public expense and so long those who
are in public employment are maintained at
the expense of those who pay taxes the
number so employed should be as small as
possible and their compensation or manner
of living at the public expense should not
be above that of persons in the walks of
life from which those public servants come
The greatest good for the greatest num-
ber' is the only safe rule for the man
agement of public affairs.