The Indianapolis journal., 1899-01-17

The time is ripe for action, and as ! said,
the State"
Speaker Littleton said: 'I think there is
necessity for some reform legislation where
by county and township officers can pc held
down and not be allowed to levy sucn large
taxes. In these county and township offices
Is the fountain head of the abuses that ex-
ist in our system Of government and the
large and unwarranted expenditures that
are burdening the people"
Byron X. Elliott, ex-judge OF the supreme
Court, and one Of the best lawyers IN the
State, said: Il am heartily in favor Of some
reform legislation affecting county and
township matters, and one element IN the
reform, believe, should be the widest pub
hclty 70 all matters connected with those
These are samples of expressions that are
heard and the indications are that there is
going to be very general demand from all
over the State for the passage of the bills
township reform.
one of the illustrations Of the present sys-
tenn OF township government has been exem-
pinned this week in a letter of inquiry re-
ceived by the State Board of Charities from
c. A. Bowman, trustee of Madison town
snip, jefferson county, who had to write
for information as to what he had himself
expended the last three years for the relief
OF the poor. The board was enabled to give
the information required, as Mr. Bowman
had carefully complied with the boards in
qu1r1es for information at the end OF each
fiscal year since the law was passed requir-
ing each township to care for it's own poor.
me ngures sent to Mr.. Bowman are rather
hattering to him, as they show very
marked improvement in the amount of ex-
penditures: In the year ending Aug. 81,
1895, out of 900 population, relief was CIV
en- to 1,525 at a cost of 81, 11466; in 1897 to
l94 at cost OF $32l7, and IN 1893 to only
1893 at cost of but 81 ,242. This was re-
duction OF aid furnished from one person
in every eight in 1856 to one person in every
thirty nine in 1898 Amos w. Butler, sec
retary of the board wrote Mr.. Bowman
that the number aided this year was 1872
less than two years ago and SCI less than
last year. with a saving of $2871.69 over
we feel, wrote Mr.. Butler, that you
have made a very cgeditable showing
While there was a big reduction of relief
given in this one township Of Jefferson
county, there was Improvement all along
the line, the number of persons aided be-
ing reduced from one in thirteen in 1896 to
one in forty-five in 1898.
Mr.. Bowman in a letter to the board
states that while he has been reducing the
number of persons relieved, he is satisfied
that no injustice has been done to any one.
Mr.. Bowman was of those who at first op
posed the new law, informing Mr. Butler
that he would have to make a 16-cent levy
one case that the board cites as an illus
traton of the good effects OF the law passed
two years ago. Before that trustees 81 I'M
ply put their hands into the countyS pocket
and took out much more than they do now,
when each township must pay It's own re-
lief charges. The new law proposed by the
reform commission provides for the keep
ing of a uniform system OF accounts. II
that were done, no one would find 1t neces-
sary to write to the state board for infor
nation as to what he himself had spent in
q given time.