The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-30
VIEWS OF INDIANA EDITORS.

There is no question but some bill will be
passed by our lawmakers looking to county
and township reform. There is popular de-
mand for it and that demand is no refiec
ton on trustees or commissioners, either. 1t
Is the law that should be changed.-Greens-
burg Standard.
The Republican party is pledged to county
and township reform and to fail to enact re-
form laws is to weaken the party. Whole
some reform bills are now before the Lebis-
lature, and to pass them and make them
laws is to make the party strong.-Shelby
vile Republican.
We trust that this Legislature will do
what it can to get rid of the Roby gamblers.
The State is certainly not altogether impo-
tent, and there ought to be some means of
abolishing this nuisance We have enough
of the disgraceful of our own without i'm
porting anything of the kind from Chicago.
Marion Chronicle.
A bill has been introduced in the Legis-
lature encouraging suits to break wills by
abolishing the bond for plaintiff The State
certainly cannot afford to encourage litga-
ton in that way. People are eager enough
to break wills without any unnecessary en-
enlargement. If people are not, lawyers are,
and that makes it frequent enough.-Elkhart
Review.
The last Legislature provided for twelve
extra meetings a year for the county COM
missioners. which is a good thing for the
commissioners: but so far as Steuben coun-
ty is concerned, these extra meetings are
useless expense. for the trustees of this
county don't require the scrutiny of
auditing board to make them hOnest.-An-
COLA Magnet
The beet sugar bounty bill recently in
PRODUCED in the State Legislature was
worthy better treatment than it received at
the hands of the Senate. If no beet sugar
Is produced in the State there will be no
bounty to pay. If such measure causes
the development of new industry in the
State 1t will be worth many times the
bounty that will be paid.-Middletown News.
The House discussed the bill yesterday to
prevent lynching in this State. The best
point made during the discussion was that
by Mr.. Huff. who declared that 1.-The only
law that can prevent lynching is civliza-
ton. Compelling counties TO pay indem
nifty where lynchings occur will have no eff
rect Whatever. such a law would not be
founded in justice and 1t would not accom-
plish the end in view.-I2chmond Palladium.
The Legislature of Indiana is doing work
in a thoroughly commendable manner. No
foolishness is INDUCED in and every one
seems to realize that business and not poll
tics or buncombe is their present profess
sion. The Democratic minority deserve great
credit for not attempting the role of fill
buster, but concurring in all good measures.
1t promises to be one of the most profit
able Legislatures Indiana has had for some
time.-Richmond Item.
Propositions in the Legislature to require
druggists to secure a county license, and
providing that payment of the special rev.
enue tax to the United States shall be prima
facie evidence that the druggist is a COM
mon liquor seller, are worthy of no encour-
agement. The drug store is not legitimately
to be reduced to the level of the saloon, and
disintereSted judgment will not so class il.
very large proportion of druggists are
faithful adherents to the present law regu-
lot hAf~
are some which are competitors with sa
looms there is ample provision already for
furnishing these upon proof of the offense.
Lafayette Courier.
Mob law must have its cause; there must
be an incentive. Where do we find it? 1t is
not because of a scarcity of law. We have
law enough for all purposes; law enough to
Prepare loopholes for the escape of the red
handed murderer through one pretext or an
other; law enough to find flaws in care
fully CD prepared indictments; law enough
to exclude intelligent men from the jury
box; law enough to provide positions on the
jury for men known to have no other means
of support than the jury fees-men who can
be influenced by other means than an expo
sitiOn of facts. Mob law finds its excuse
and incentive in the failure of conviction of
men positively known as criminals and
guilty of the crime for which tried or in an
inadequacy of the penalty melted out to con-
victs.-Washington Gazette.
One argument brought against the anti
lynching bill was that the law-abiding tax
payers of the county should not be made to
stand good for depredations of the lawless,
which is not very wise or fair logic, as the
good people of county are all the time
paying for the deeds of the bad. Respect
able taxpayers are made to bear heavy bur
dens to go through a series of court trials
in the effort to convict man Of crime that
he is positively known to have committed
Another argument of those who oppose the
Governors recommendations in this line is
that the fair name of the State would be
sullied by such law, as it would indicate
that we are addicted to the lynching habit
and needed cure. Certainly the fair name
OF Indiana mas been Sulied by the Ripley
and Scott county hangings within the past
two years-South Bend Tribune.
Will the Legislature stop the practice of
corporations in contracting their road tax.
and Obige everybody to pay the road tax
into the county treasures as other items
are paid? 1t would save something for re-
pair of the roads. AS it is now railroads
contract to have the work done for which
they pay 50 cents on the dollar, saving to
themselves Is cents of the dollar. The work
is sublet by the contractors, for. say. 60
cents on the dollar leaving the contractor
% cents profit, and. if the work Is done at
all giving the road the benefit of only 60
cents of the dollar they should have. But
frequently the smaller contractor whacks up
ing no work at all. In other instances
known the subcontractor asks the supervisor
to let him skip several days, saying: 1T is
of no interest to you. The roads are being
robbed have been robbed for years, and this
practice ought to stop-North Vernon Re
publican.
The present Indiana Legislature, up to
date, is the most creditable the State has
had for many years Both the Senate and
the House working bodies and they are
using good Judgment in their work. These
statements are true of both the majority
and the minority. While the character and
splendid average ability of the members is
an important factor in producing this re-
suit these qualifications have been greatly
aided by the advance consideration given to
the measures relating TO county and town
ship reform. The members had a tangible
thing with which to begin the session and
this related TO the most intricate and
troublesome problems that could come be-
fore the assembly. They also had advance
knowledge OF these bills because of the pub
licity given them during their preparation,
because members Of the Legislature were
associated with representatives of various
interests OF the people in their preparation
in short, because Chairman Hernly eXer-
cised rare and wise discretion in beginning
the work Of realizing platform declarations.
-Martinsville Republican.
The Republican party went into the last
campaign fully pledged to county and town
ship reform The platform took a bold
stand on the subject but the position proved
popular with the masses and contributed