The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-14

It is not probable that the editor of the
Wabash Plain Dealer has ever read the bills
before the Legislature designed to correct
the evils in township and county govern
ment. We say this because we remember
that the Plain Dealer a few years ago,
made a winning fight against an eXtrava-
giant and, apparently, corrupt board of
commissioners in Wabash county. We be-
leve that instead of reading the bill the
Plain Dealer has been imposed upon by the
conscienceless gang employed about the
Legislature here by supply dealers and a
class of county officers who always fight
any movement to close the avenues by
which they plumber the people. Here is what
the Plain Dealer says:
Back of all the measures for reform in
local government drafted for the prevention
of the spoliatiOn of the taxpayers of the
State by a little coterie of indianapolis
SchemerS, is hidden the design to line the
pockets of the latter. One of these meas
ures, prepared by Senator New, of the In
dianapolis Journal. and put forth with the
specious pretense of reform provides that
township trustees throughout the State shall
publish every advertisement for proposals
for township loans. for supplies and what
not, to be purchased by these officials, in
the indianapolis newspapers. All Republican
trustees would, under the law. be expected
to send these advertisements to the Indian
epols Journal. and the Democratic trustees
would run their advertisements in the Sem
tinel with the result that thousands of dol
lars of the township funds would find their
way into the treasures of these conspicuous
champions of township reform, with sub
stantially no benefit to the dearly beloved
people whose welfare is now the object of
tender solicitude. William B. Burford and
other indianapolis supply houses are sup
porting the Journal and Sentinel in this pro-
jected raid on the treasury and these organs
of public purity and morality are pleading
the cause of the supply houses in the effort
to turn the public printing away from the
county newspapers and into the lndlanapo-
lis concerns which have done more TO sap
the honor of Indiana county officers than
any other influence
There is not line in the township bill
which requires that advertisements shall be
published in Indianapolis papers. The pub
fishers of the Journal will give the Plain
Dealer $500 if it can find any provision of
that kind. That the Plain Dealer, the Madi-
son Courier and other papers which have
been imposed upon by the lobby of the tax
eaters may see how they have been duped,
the only section of the bill which refers to
advertising is quoted, as follows:
Section g. If a trustee finds it necessary to
erect a new schoolhouse he shall procure
suitable specifications therefor, to be used
by the bidders in bidding and in the con-
purchase any school furniture fixtures,
maps charts or other school supplies, eX-
cepting fuel, in any year. he shall make an
estimate of the kinds and amounts, Item
lied particularly, TO be used by bidders
therefor. If it is necessary to make repairs
on or about the schoolhouses. he shall like
wise make an itemized statement of the ma
ture and character of the work. to be made
for the use of bidders. He shall, in like man.
ner, make a schedule of such work as may
be necessary in the repair or construction
of bridges in his township for any one year.
All contracts shall be let, after notice given
by posting for three weeks IN hVe OF the
most public places in the township, and also
at or near the door of each postoflice there
in stating briefly the buildings, repairs or
supplies sought to be let, and when ana
where bids will be received and opened
therefor and if the contemplated eXpendt-
lures in any one class shall be five hundred
dollars or more, he shall post notices as
aforesaid, and also publish notice thereof
for three consecutive weeks in newspaper
of general circulation. published in the
township, if there be such; If not. then in
some such paper published in the county
seat.
"And also publish notices thereof for three
consecutive weeks in a newspaper of gem
eral circulation. published in the township
if there be such; if not then in some such
paper published in the county seat" So
reads the bill. and as it reads it restricts
the publication of all notices to the papers
I'm the township or the county seat. as it
should There is no other reference to adj
vertising in the bill-not one.
1t should be said here that Senator New
is not the author of the BILL but that it
was prepared by a number of citizens of
high character, belonging to both political
parties, residing in different parts of the
State 1t has also been announced by some
of these papers that the Indianapolis Jour-
nal is a publishing house and will profit by
the proposed bills, if enacted. The publish
ers of the Journal publish nothing but the
paper They have not had a job-printing
office for twenty-five years and have not a
dollars interest in any printing or binding
establishment. AS for the supply dealers in
indianapolis it can be said that some of
them are known to be opposing the meas
ures and that none of them has had any
hand in preparing and advocating the
township and county bills. 1t is not prob
able that they would favor measures de-
signed to insure economy and business-like
methods on the part of those who purchase
county and township supplies.
The Journal is surprised that the Plain