The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-06

'HSS@N aEN e@Asks S1E WSVRRDS
ties in granting and refusing the legislative
halls to organizations requesting their use
Primary Election Law.
The safety and perpetuity of a free gov
eminent is in the keeping of the people If
corrupt men are selected to make laws, and
if incompetent men are chosen to fill official
positions, then evil results are certain to
! follow The nomination of candidates for
! office should be far removed as possible
| from the dominance of political leaders and
! ring politicians, giving TO all voters an
equal, free and untrammeed right to be
heard in the selection of candidates. l
therefore recommend the enactment OF
strict primary election law.
NOnpartisan Institutions.
Never in the history of the benevolent in
stitutions of the State has the management
been more efficient or so free from scandal.
The per capita cost of maintenance is less
than ever before The highest efficiency can
only be maintained through the most compe-
tent and experienced management. Partisan
control caVnot assure either Competency
grows with experience. Partisan manage
ment of state institutions means a change
in the government of the same with each
transfer of political power in the State. If
the management of these institutions is to
be given as reward to politicians, then, as
a logical sequence, the larger the salary the
better the reward; the more places provided
| the more workers rewarded extravaganza
and incompetency result, scandal follows,
! and the people at the polls rebuke the de-
basing system by defeating the party re-
! sponsibe for it.
Criminal Insane.
There are now four insane convicts in the
Indiana Reformatory and fifteen in the
state prison. The law now makes provision
for an insanity inquest and the removal of
the insane convicts to the insane hospitals
This cannot be carried out for lack of room.
! 1t Is unWise. even if there should be room.
| recommend that place be provided for
| one of the insane hospitals, where they can
! be cared for and kept separate from other
! prisoners and away from the inmates of
| the insane hospitals.
Lobbyists.
| The lobbyist who seeks to dominate legis-
! lation adversely to public veal is an enemy
J to public good Hired lobbyists are menace
! to free government. The time is rapidly APP
! preaching when the hired tools of corporate
| greed will be excluded from the halls of
! legislation The just law that commends it
! self needs no schemer. with doubtful
| methods, TO secure its enactment Labor is
| the creative power of wealth Workingmen
! from the farm, the mines and the shops
cannot become lobbyists They have not the
! means to this end. Business men and the
! common people have not the time 1t be-
! comes, therefore, the sacred duty of law
| makers to look after tho interests of the
! people and to see to it that no inroads are
! made upon their rights.
Trusts.
! The report of the labor commissioners of
! this State reveals that mo proposition in
! volving settlements of labor controversies
present as great obstacles as those in which
/ trusts are parties to agreements In every
encounter with labor the worl1ingmen, how
! ever just their cause, emerge from the con-
fiict the greater sufferers. The opportunities
! of trusts in regard to wage reductions are
/ exceptional. and their desires are always
equal to their opportunities. They are rot
! trammeled by state laws and they defy
/ federal authority
Not only is the trust potent in controlling
! wages, but in lobbying their interests in
| law-making bodies and in controlling the
| price Of their products. Any combination or
! trust formed for the purpose of arbitrarily
| controlling the price of any product or article
ance combination. by which a compact or
! organization, or conspiracy or confederation,
/ Is entered into for the purpose of controlling
and determining the rate of insurance, should
! be prohibited and severely punished as a
conspiracy against the law of supply and
| demand and as antagonistic to fair COMPETE
| ton.
The law enacted two years ago is not suftl-
| Gent. and the attorney general of the state
! did not feel justified in attempting 20 prose-
cute trusts under its provisions.
| | would urge upon this Legislature the reed
1 of a law drastic enough to prevent these
! cOnspiracies against fair competition and
| just wages.
State EntOmOIOgist.
The appearance in the orchards of this
! State of the San Jose scale and other dam
gerous insects. and also of fungus growths,
| thus endangering the horticultural interests
made it necessary. in obedience to the de-
mands of many men, to appoint, in the abb
! sence of law q state entomologist Nursery
! men could not, in some instances. ship their
! stock without the State unless ACCOMPANIED
! by certificate from a state entomoogist
I fnrl xrra- fpAn 10, TA->
| scale. Necessity having thus become a law
! appointed Prof James Troop. of Purdue
/ University to this, office for the time. l
| therefore recommend the passage of a law
| creating such an office and defining the duties
and powers of such official.
Imported Orphan Children.
For many years Indiana has been the
dumping ground for the dependent children
| of other States. Within few years sew
eral thousand of these have been placed
within our borders. They occupy the places
that should be filled by the children we are
supporting in orphans homes In addition
certain part of them become dependent
ana some IN prisons, insane hospitals and
/ other institutions remain a lifetime burden
on the state Indiana children are certain
| ~ as desirable rs those from elsewhere.
We should provide for them. Only persons
or organizations duly authorized by the
Board or State Charities should be per-
mltted 10 place children from without the
state in families within our borders and a
sutheient bond should be required to in
demnify the state against any expense by
reason of any such child becoming de-
pendent. The work Of the Board of State
Charities. through the state agency in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the So
called dependent childrens law in relieving
the public of expense and placing children
in family homes Is commended
Indiana state Soldiers Home.
The report of the board Of trustees of the
Indiana State Soldiers Home has been
printed and put upon your desks. | would
recommend that the Legislature authorize
the selling of fifty acres Of ground belong
Ing TO but not adjacent 10 the home. The
disconrection with the home makes the land
Of but little value 10 the same, except tiss
small income from rent. The proceeds from
such sale may be properly used in needed