The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-02
WORE oPPosIrIoN no REFoRM.

MORE OPPOSITION TO REFORM.
Evidence accumulates that there will be
organized opposition to the movement for
reform in township and county government.
A few days ago it was the State Associa-
ton of Township Trustees. represented by
about 400 persons. but speaking for the as
ISOLATION. Now it is a county attorney,
speaking in behalf of his brother officials.
The following letter has been sent to
various county attorneys throughout the
State:
Lafayette Ond) Dec. 10, 1895.
Dear Sir-As you are aware, there is quite
an agitation going on in Indianapolis
headed by the Commercial Club, for tom dd
snip and county reform. l have followed
this matter very closely and have come TO
the conclusion that unless those fellows
over there are checked, they may be sue
cessful in passing law that will practical
~: If not entirely, abolish the board of COM
misstoners
The board of commissioners in this county
have been very kind to me, as perhaps your
board has been to you; and / feel that the
county attorneys of the various counties IN
Indiana should unite in q concerted effort
backed up by their respective boards of
commissioners. to see to ii that, if a law is
passed, that the boards of commissioners
be taken care of and not abolished nor left
IN condition that the Office will be such
that no one will desire il.
/ have discussed Gle matter with the
board here, and we feel that we ought, in
the near future, have a meeting of the
county attorneys and representatives of the
boards of commissioners, to consist of one
member of each board .(the respective
boards to select their representatives. and
that the meeting be held at some convenient
place in Indianapolis If we undertake TO
make this fight, it will take some money
to defray legitimate expenses, and 1T cannot
be done unless there is some organization,
and we cannot have any organization unless
have meeting If would have this
meeting at Indianapolis during the holidays,
we would get cut rates, and 1t would not be
so expensive for us.
Please give this letter to your board and
see what they think of the matter and write
me at once. l deem this matter. one of the
greatest importance. If they will all go into
will be light
have talked with a number of senators
and representatives about this, and they are
not very much in favor of foisting upon the
public a system that would necessitate the
election of fifty or sixty, and as high as
seventy-five officials, whereas, the work is
now done with one-third of that number.
Hoping to hear from you soon, am sim
: DANIEL E. STORMS. County Attorney.
The animus of this letter is plain. Like the
resolutions adopted by the township trus-
tees it seeks to discredit the movement by
intimatng that it emanates from Indian
apolis and is headed by the Commercial
Club If the writer of the letter will read
the platform declarations of the Republic
and Democratic state conventions he
will discover that the demand for reform
originated with the people and was voiced
by their delegates The committee which has
the matter i'll charge includes representative
from various parts of the State, we'll
distributed and of both political parties,
and their action is as far removed as pos
sible from any suspicion of local or per-
sonal interest
The publication of this letter ought to
help the movement for reform. 1t certainly
shows the need of it, The tone of the letter
indicates that the writer fears some of his
perquisites and allowances may be inter-
fered with. The board of commissioners in
this county" he says, "have been very kind
to me-" That is the case in many counties,
and, in the language of the street, That's
what's the matter" At least it is one of
the things. There is not county in the
State in which the records will not show
that for years past the commissioners have
been very kind to some county attorney
at the expense of the people VINO pay taxes
III return lot THIS hlnuneSS the writer or
the letter has discussed the matter with
the board here" and has convinced them
that their sacred prerogative of arbitrary
and unchecked action is in danger of being
interfered with for the benefit of the peo-
pie, and that their interest and the interest
of county attorneys calls for an alliance,
offensive and defensive, against those who
represent the interests of the taxpayers.
UNLESS those fellows over there are
checked" says the writer of the letter.
meaning "the fellows" who propose to give
practical form to the resolutions of the two
state conventions, they may be success
full in passing a law that will practically if
not entirely abolish the board of commits
sioners." Therefore. county commissioners
and county attorneys are appealed to for
money to defray legitimate expenses in
the effort to defeat reform demanded by
the people and designed to give them better
and cheaper local government. The letter
furnishes strong evidence of the need of re-
form. especially in the relations between
county boards and county attorneys.