The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-10


Considering that it affects every part of
the State and involves important changes
in existing methods, the movement for re-
form in county and township government
has encountered very little opposition No
valuable reform was ever accomplished with
out opposition. The Constitution of the
United States encountered violent opposition
when it was submitted to the people, and its
fate was in doubt for many months after
the adjournment of the convention that
framed it. The present Constitution of In
diana was adopted over strong opposition,
and every amendment to it, even the most
desirable and necessary, has had a large
number Of votes cast against It, Objections
are made to every progressive measure, and
in the absence of good ground for objection
imaginary reasons will be found. The oppo-
nents of reform in county and township
government have been unfortunate from the
beginning in the selection of their argu-
ments and grounds of opposition Perhaps
this is because no tenable ones can be found
for it. Once admit, as every one must, that
the present system is antiquated, loose and
violative Of the principles of good govern
ment and good business methods, and it fol-
lows logically that reform is needed The
necessity of it has been felt by the people
for many years and has been demonstrated
at one time or another in every county and
almost every township in the State, and now
that both of the great political parties in
their state conventions have pledged them
selves to it there should be no doubt of its
success.
OF the objections brought against the
pending bills not one has been well ground
ed or able to stand before a plain statement
of facts. AT first it was claimed that the
movement originated in Indianapolis and
that the bills were drawn by corporation
lawyers This did not touch the merits of
the question, but when it was pointed out
that the movement originated in the two
state conventions and that the committee
which drafted the bills contained representa-
tives from every part of the State the OBJ
lection fell to the ground. Then it was said
that the movement was a reflection on the
honesty of county and township officials, but
this was easily answered by showing that it
was not directed against individuals but
against bad system and faulty business
methods. The people can elect county and
township officers, but they cannot prescribe
a form of government or the mode of doing
business. Only the Legislature can do that,
and when it is proposed to amend the sys-
tenn in the interests of the people it is a
very weak argument to say that the move
ment is directed against individuals. One
paper which has opposed the reform move
ment from the beginning says: Township
trustees are responsible to the people of their
townships, and the people of these townships
do not take kindly to outside interference"
If laws concerning township government en-
acted by the Legislature of Indiana are
outside interference" then all the laws on
the subject now in force are subject to that
charge. Such an argument is too silly for
serious notice.
Several papers throughout the State have
been misled into opposing the bill by the
statement that it provided for having all the
blanks and books used in county business
printed at Indianapolis. This is not true.
The trainers of the bill would hardly have
been so unwise as to insert a provision so
unfair and obnoxious. The section of the
bill referred to follows:
Section 46 1t shall be the duty of the
auditor of each county to prepare printed
blanks and furnish them to persons entitled
TO use them in all cases where the same can
be made applicable to the transaction of
business under this act. 1t is hereby de-
clared to be the duty of the auditor of state
by and with the advice of the attorney gem
efal to prepare standard forms for each OF
said blanks. and to keep the same on file in
the ONCE OF the auditor of state. 1t shall
likewise be the duty of the auditor of state
to transmit complete sets of all such blanks
so prepared to the auditor of each county,
and TO renew the same from time to time if
necessary, recommending to the auditor of
each county that such blanks be adopted by
hlm as far as possible and used in the con-
duct of county business 1t is declared to be
the duty of the auditor of each county and
OF the county commissioners to adopt such
blanks as shall be prepared by the auditor
of state and the attorney general of the
bic.
The object of this section is, as far as pos
sible, to provide uniformity in forms and
blanks used in the different counties 1t is
made the duty of the auditor of state to
prepare such forms and furnish samples of
them to the auditor of each county. The
county auditor is required to follow these
forms, but he may have his blanks printed
where he pleases. The sole object is to pro-
vide uniformity without reference to where
the printing shall be done However, in or
der to prevent any misrepresentation on this
score. the section has been amended by a
proviso that nothing in it shall be construed
as requiring books or blanks to be prepared
at any particular place or printed by any
particular person or company. So it is found
that every objection to the measure is based
on Misrepresentation or misrepresentation of
facts The reform is needed, it is demanded
by the people, and the Legislature should
enact it.
A NECESSARY LESSON.