The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-23
STATE PRESS OPINION.

The issuance of railroad passes to legis-
lators may not be constructive bribery, but
1t looks that way.-Muncie News.
If the present Legisll-ure is inclined to
let well enough alone the metropolitan 70
lice law will remain on the statute books,
It is working very well ana nc measure that
IS proposed in its stead would do better.
Anderson Herald.
The Review is of the opinion that the
metropolitan police Law ought 10 be modi-
fled to the extent of permitting cities 10
control their own forces, and it IS based IL
the experience Elkhart las had in the az
pointment of boards. Elkhlrt Review.
The Legislature acted wisely we think in
killing the bill proposing the introduction
of agriculture in the public schools The
brief time that a teacher could devote to
the subject would be incOnseo11ential in it's
results, and the addition OF another branch
to the already OVerCrowded list would be
a detriment to the schools.-Frankfort
News
The Republicans of Spencer county have
made their nominations for Office by pri-
mary elections for several years, and find
that the plan works we'll The primary is
not without it's imperfections, but is infin-
1tely preferable to any other PLAN Let the
people go to the polls and select their own
candidates by ballot, and then if mistakes
are made they will have no one but them
selves to blame.-ROckport Journal.
The difficulties of framing a trust law
which will cure the evils of combinations
controlling the manufacture of a particular
article are facing the Legislature. The tin
plate business of the United States is now
owned by q few people. A syndicate bought
all the mills and is now operating them.
The former owners either accepted money
or stock for their properties and its mills
are working on orders received from a cen
trail office. Can this be prevented. 1t seems
to us that it cannOt-Marion Chronicle.
If the present session of the Legislature
viii pass an effective antitrust law and
then if the Governor will see that it is en-
forced the members can rest assured that
they will have the pIaudits of all the people
of the State. The large number of trusts
that are in existence have become a serious
menace to the welfare of all people. In
many lines there is no such thing as COM
petition. Some trust controls the output,
regulates the price that people shall pay
and at the same time fixes the price of la
bor In this manner the entire public is
robbed, While labor is deprived of its just
share Of wages.-Moristown Argus.
Bridge builders, courthouse contractors
and firms who deal in township supplies are
all working hard to defeat any legislation
looking to reform in the management of
county and township affairs This is evidence
that the present arrangement is very salts
factory to those who sell to the representa-
tives of the people, and it further evidences
the fact the people need protection. 1t is the
people VINO nave TO pay, ana JneY SnOuIQ De
protected by law from extravagance dishon-
esty and incompetency. No valid objection
has yet been urged against the reform meas
ureS now pending before the Legislature,
and it would be we'll for Allen county to
watch the votes of their representatives as
these measures come up for decision-Fort
Wayne Gazette.
The effort will be made this winter to
have the Legislature pass a law to reorgan-
ize the State Board of Education in con-
4I,o Jax Of Oth md
take it out of the hands of the ring that
has run it for the last thirty years. AS the
board is now constituted it is entirely out
of the reach of the people. or even the
Governor of the State. They get enormous
appropriations and make no report of the
expenditures like all other state boards do.
They have built up a lobby that until two
years ago ruled the roost The camePs
back was broken by the last feather and
so was that of the state board two years
ago. It perhaps has not found 1t out yet,
but will likely do so before the grass grows
again.-Peru Republican.
One thing which the Indiana Legislature
should not fail to do during the present
session is to give a black eye to the cor
porations engaged in pumping gas into pipe
lines which feed Chicago and other cities
outside the State. The gas belt is being in
jured not so much from local consumption
of gas by having the supply drained by
foreign pipe lines When the pumping sta
ago. the pressure in every we'll within a
radius of ten miles materially in
creased. AS soon as the pumping station
was again in working order the pressure
was decreased. Indiana gas will not last
always but if the gas is used mainly at
home, the supply is good for more than an
other decade.-Gas City Weekly.
When fresh meat and other perishable
rations had to be furnished in great guam
titles in double quick time when they
couldn't be procured near where they were
wanted but had to be collected in the North
and shipped a long distance into hot eli
mate, il is not surprising that some of them
spoiled Wormy meat and other damaged
foods were q common thing during the war
of the rebellion. and soldiers of that period
never thought of blaming the President nor
the secretary of war for them. This racket
about sinking meat makes old veterans
tired for they know that soldering means
privation and hardship, and making the best
of many things that would be regarded as
intoerabIe at hOme.-Aneola Magnet
Children ought TO be taught the common
branches of learning in the public schools
and the teacher ought not TO take up his
or her time in teaching faGs Of which the
most of them will know but nttle The
practical agriculture that the farmer wiz
teach his children in the garden and IN the
field is in our judgment worth good deal
more TO them than the theoretical agricul-
ture taught by the teacher who as a rule
viii know nothing about the subject prac-