The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-19
BANQUET TENDERED BY LOCAL
COMMERCIAL BODIES.
TOasts by the Governor and Others
-Desirabiiity of Securing
Good Immigrants.

bodies of the State came in. The day was
devoted to o discussion of various i'm
pOrtant questions relative to municipal,
county and township government, as well
as with regard to the relations between mu-
nicipal and private monopoIies. In the even
ing banquet was rendered the visiting
delegates by representatives of the Com
merciaI Club and Board of Trade of this
city.
Routine work was considered at the fore
noon session. Messrs. c. A. Kenyon and
Frank A. Maus, of this city, and w. S.
French of Evansville, were appointed a
committee credentials. c. j. Murphy.
secretary of the state board, reported the
receipts of the year to have been $lS3 20 and
the expenditures $1l425. His report showed
that four local organizations were admitted
TO membership in the state board during the
year. IL. II. Hanna, chairman of the None
tary Commission, sent a letter to the presi-
dent requesting that three delegates be sent
to the conference that is to be held next
week. The Invitation was accepted and
President Fortune was directed TO appoint
the delegates
A general discussion on the extension of
the organization then began. A. l.. Mason,
of this city, chairman of the committee on
municipal affairs, spoke of the necessity of
the commercial bodies of the State CO.
operating with the State Board of Com
merce. He suggested that there ought to be
a periodical devoted to the interests of the
commercial organizations Ex-Secretary
Woollen thought there was necessity for
a permanent secretary and some particular
means OF creating interest were suggested.
w. S. French, OF evansville, expressed sur
prise that every city in the State OF 2,OJO
or more inhabitants was not represented.
ment organizations in this State like those
in the last where committees OF men and
women interest themselves in beautifyIng
their homes
OBTAINING DESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.
1--WE in southern Indiana said Mr..
French, feel great interest in this move
ment to organize societies of commercial
character AT recent visit to New York
/ took occasion to inquire into the subject
of immigration. The question of desirable
immigration into this State is one that
should be handled by this organization.
There are a great many good farmers COM
ing to this country. The number last year
was over 5000 of well-to-do farmers, some
of them having in their possession from
81. 500 to $50 900 to invest in farms. | was
surprised to find that Minnesota got the
greater number of these, probably through
some unity of action. L should IKE 10 nave
this matter taken up by THIS organization.
c. A. kenyon, of this city, followed up
Mr.. Frencn's statement by telIng now an
h,nglish noble had been SO impressed with
Illinois that he sent 2O,OO0 emlgrantS 10 the
State.
w. A. Fortune, president of the board,
spoke in congratuiatory terms on the
growth of the organization the last year,
and Secretary Murphy urged the necessity
of inducing the smaller cities to become
identified y it'll the association. A. l.. Ma
son, of this city, submitted the report or
the committee on municipal aHalrs at the
opening of the afternoon meeting.
MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.
In part. he said: Your committee on
municipal affairs, pursuant to its instruc-
tions, presented to the last Legislature
hill authorizing the Governor to appoint a
commission of three members to consider
tile revision of the laws governing towns,
cities, counties, civil and school townships
in this State. The bill was introduced by
our member, Mr.. John w. Linck, of Mad
ison, and passed the House at an early
day. but was quickly and with great una
nimity killed in the Senate. The measure
was not noticed by the public press and
excited little or no interest. 1t is believed
that the interest of the people IN TINS State
on the subject of reform in our local gov
ernmental institutions can only be aroused
by the production and presentation to the
public Of suitable literature on the queS-
ton The new spapeIS OF the State, now so
apathetic to any general measure of re-
form, are not necessarily opposed to it. But
there must be a general campaign of edu-
cation. The best informed men in various
counties of this State are we'll aware of the
inefficiency of the present system of local
government. They recognize the extrava-
CANT expenditure and poor returns which
result in many instances from our system of
township trustees and county boards. But
there is no general undcrS landing or ap-
probation of the fact that there is q better
system Of local institutions which could be
adopted hero in Indiana without any
amendment to our Constitution. What is
needed is a programme If we had at our
disposal a single magazine or newspaper
of general circulation throughout the State
devoted to this particular work of laying
down the programme OF reform and of sup
plying the arguments in it's behalf we could
await the meeting of the Legislature with
more hope
Mr. Mason cited instances to illustrate
the apathy of the press to movements start
ed by the board. Continuing, Mr.. Mason
said:
our local governmental system as being
rudimental and imperfect Prof George e.
Howard of the University of Nebraska in
his work on Local Constitutional History
examines the local institutions of the vari-
Gus states. and has occasion to point out
the inferiority of Indiana institutions and
| laws.
at is now established by the best scfol-
arship that most of the States of the Union
including Indiana, have adopted. with more
or less notifications, what is known as the
pennsylvania plan of local government. OF
TINS system the county DOar0 or three men,
bers. elected by the county at large, is the
characteristic feature. On the other hand.
there is to be found what is called the New
York plan of local government. which has
also been adopted by the States of Michi-
gan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Nebraska In
fact. in the State of Illinois, both systems
of the government exist side by side. some
counties having the Pennsylvania system of
government. others the New York system,
the matter being left to popular vote.
TOWN PLAN IN NEW YORK.
Under the New York plan the town
meeting of voters, once a year, not only
elects township officers, but also fixes the
tax rates. and by direct vote of the people
determines the more important matters of
township business. Special meetings of the
voters are also provided for In this way
the people directly participate In their own
local government. The township supervisor
or trustee. elected by this meeting in addi-
ton to his local duties. is a member of the
county board. The county board is thus a
representative body consisting of one dele
gate from each township and charged with
the administration OF all affairs which are
of general interest throughout the county.
1t is q sort OF local legislature for the cOun-
| ty and may also be charged with executive
or administrative duties. The town meeting
/ also elects board of school trustees for the
! township. The board has general charge
of prODerfV 1pot1irQd q ( "A mart If fha Schoal