The Indianapolis journal., 1899-02-27
THE REFORM BILLS.


The people want a reduction of taxation
and the worth of their money and will not
look to the origin but the merits of the bills
enacted into law.-Madison Courier.
The bipartisan support given the county
and township reform bills, and the united
opposition of the ofice-holders are two
pretty good proofs that the measures are
good for the taxpayer and bad for the tax
eater.-Elkhart Review.
The efforts of the lobby to defeat the
county reform bill will not be relaxed until
the Governor has affixed his signature. The
men VINO nave been robbing the taxpayers
rave not secured all their greedy natures
0emand.-Seymour Republican.
The people are demanding a reform in the
administration Of local affairs, and that de-
mand is getting more and more pronounced
every day. Let retrenchment and reform
De the %atcnword OF every taxpayer until it
Is brought about.-Plainfield Progress.
The county officers lobby in the Legis-
lature still continues to prevent reform leg
islation in the House to the discomfort of
Republican leaders in the State who feel
that the party Is in honor bound to accom-
plish something in that direction this ses-
sion.-New Castle Courier.
The very fact that a fight is being made
against reform measures proposed in this
State is a good reason why they should be
owe it to the people as we'll as their parties
to pass the measures. They are pledged
TO reform, and should carry out pledges
made.-Hartford City Times.
The attitude of some newspapers on the
question of township and county reform in
view of the position of the people at large
on the question is rather significant of per-
sonal interest in the present mixed way of
doing business. The party is pledged to
reform certain abuses and eXtraVagances
and it is the duty of the General Assembly
to see that the pledge is carried out.-Ply-
mouth Republican.
The township reform law, which passed
the present Legislature, is growing more
popular with the trustees as they under
stand the law better Some of them had
relied upon the statements of supply men
and others who were interested in defeat
ing the law for selfish and unlawful pur-
poses. Now that the trustees have learned
tie exact facts they understand that the
law is one that will benefit the people and
yet not injure interests of the honest
trustees.-Greenfield Republican.
The township reform bill has passed the
House and the Senate and is now in the
hands OF the Governor for his signature
which it will receive. The county bill will
also become law. After these bills be-
come laws the taxpayers of the State will
have the opportunity to protect themselves,
which they will not be slow to take ad-
vantage of. Plenty of men will be found
to take the new places created by the laws
They can afford to take them for the
amount of tax they will ave.-Shelbyville
Republican.
There is a powerful lobby which attends
every session of the State Legislature whose
sole object is to defeat any measure looking
to reform in the matter of fees and salaries
of county officers. This lobby is officered
and the members are assessed a certain
amount annually to defray expenses. The
secretary thereof is J. B. Workman, of
Spencer, Ind. If these men can afford to
give literally of their salaries to defeat leg
slation in the interest of the people, the
the manliness and courage to arise in their
might and hurl from power and place these
robbers of their NpocketbOoks.-Plai Plainfield
Progress.
Time out of mind the State has been in
the grasp of the county officials, and when
an honest effort is made to bring about re-
form in the conduct of county affairs the
attempt Us resented by a lobby Of cormorants
whose appetite would demand more if the
entire State treasury was thrown open to
them. This is the kind Of people to be
found in the lobby now engaged in the
work of defeating honest legislation There
is not a member of the Legislature but
knows them all, and knows them well. Yet
the corridors of the Capitol, but are fire.
qUently given the liberty of the floors
--Terre Haute Mail.
The principal lameness of our existing
laws governing our local affairs is in the
statute prescribing the duties and powers
of county commissioners. Under the pres
ent laws county commissioners have almost
unlimited powers. They make the tax levy
and spend the money collected for taxes.
They almost unlimited in the matter of
executing contracts and can spend the peo-
pies hard-earned cash by making contracts
either in private or public at their own
sweet will. II is the humble opinion of
this paper that If just and equitable laws
are enacted, properly limiting and prescrib-
ing the powers and authority Of county COM
missioners, good, sound economical govern
ment, both county and township, will be
secured. We wish to go on record as be-
ing most heartily in favor of such reform.
Columbia City Mail.
There seems to be little question about
the opinion throughout the State on the SUBJ
ject of township and county reform. The
opponents of the Senate reform bills are
wholly in the Legislature. Now what possi-
BILE advantage to the State can these anti
reformists sincerely claim for the present
loose system as over against the proposed
reform? We should underestimate their in
teligence by intimatng that they would at
tempt to claim any, for that is not the phase
of the question which these crumb-plcking
legislators are interested in viewing. They
are interested in their own future welfare,
and the more waste that is thrown about
the fatter they will feed if they can get at
It. We hope that they will resist the bills
only long enough to make themselves de-
servedly unpopular, thus defeating their own
purposes of personal gain.-Muncie Times.
1t is the deliberate opinion of able men-a
large number of able men-of Indiana who
have closely studied the question for years
that our system of local government is need
lessly expensive, and, in addition to that,
that the machinery is too complicated and
too far removed from the inspection Of the
people. The people Of Indiana are not mig
gardly in paying public expenses. They know
that good government and necessary public
improvements cannot be obtained without
cost. They know that peace. security, and
all the favorable conditions OF life under
which they live are worth all that they may
legitimately cost. But they want an over
sight I'm these matters and should have it.
1t is their affair. and the public servants VINO
attempt to deny the people the right to
manage their own affairs are liable 70 get
injured by the car Of progress,-BrooSviile
American.
Whut Killed Him.