The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-15

goes out from all cities. It's government and
social life are OF much moment. and patri-
QUO people ought TO be concerned about the
laws which rule il.
This city, he thought has much of which
TO be proud. The public schools are among
the best I'm the country. the streets are
broad and clean and il has an excellent
form of municis al government. " hich PAGES
the responsibility in the hands of one man.
who can be reached at election time Said
he: I'm the main the laws have been exc
cuted here better than in almost any city in
the country. / know there is a good deal
said about the violation of law in this
city. but as compared with Chicago ST
Louis and other large cities it is head and
shoulders above them in this respect. Only
in one respect has the enforcement OF the
law been neglected and that is with regard
to saloons. brothels and places of the kind.
These have indeed been allowed TO operate
in violation of the law.
What is needed now in Indianapolis is 4
broad patriotic policy on the part OF the
authorities which Will contemplate plans
for advancement during the next hundred
years In speaking of the lines along which
tins policy ought to oe carries ,id op to,, hS
be adopted which would keep pace with the
growth of population and would not IN
closely collected and economically man.
aged, the streets further improved, per-
feet system OF sewerage adopted shade
trees planted along the streets and the
Park Commission should be allowed TO pur-
chase now suitable grounds for future de-
veopment into beautiful parks.
QUESTION OF FRANCHISES.
The question of franchises he thought an
other of the problems which face the city
fathers. Said he: "A corporation which de-
sires the use of our highways ought to be
made to pay for it. Indianapolis has given
away enough privileges of this kind" He
thought the city itself should own many of
these plants. but where the streets are
leased to corporations the people should
reap the benefit.
Some people," said he, do not recognize
the difference between a street-railway cor
poration and a railroad. and ! have been
lately surprised TO see that the leading cit
iZen of Indianapolis and one of the foremost
men of the Nation himself fails to make
this distinction A railroad buys and pays
for the land it uses, while the Street-railway
company merely leases 1t.
All these improvements he thought
would operate in the interest of culture as
well as of material bfnefit for the family
life is purer and more refined when freed
from the environment of saloons, filthy
streets. the smoke nuisance and bad SANTA
ton. The public schools need attention also.
he thought. The schools are overcrowded.
More money expended would overcome this
evil. Though the city schools are of the
best. they might be made still better by the
hiring of better teachers and the doing
away with much of the nonsense and many
of the silly rules now in vogue There are
too many branches taught in school, he
thought, and to this cause attributed much
of the nervousness and sickness among
children.
AS the last and most important adjunct
to perfect city he suggested the absolute
enforcement of all laws. even those which
apply TO the saloon and brothel. We are
approaching the time of election" said he,
and there will be two candidates for may
or. Ii one of them will stand squarely on
the enforcement of the law, no matter
what his politics, you ought 10 vote for
him..
An earnest striving among Christian cit
i1oy, Tlt ain hot &c hos for thaip itN
and for the individuals in ii would oon
bring about an improved condition.