The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-28
REFORM BILL POPULAR
MEN WHO WANT A CHANGE IN COUN.
TY AND TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT.
Now Thought the Bill VIII Pass Both
HOuses-What Is Said of
the Measure.

Representative Rifenburg, the Republic
an member of the lower house from Lake
county, determined that he would test the
sentiment of his constituents on the sub
ject of county and township reform. When
he went home last Sunday he called in his
neighbors and friends for quite distance
from his home at Hobart to hear what they
had to say on the question. They were
the principal taxpayers, both Republicans
and Democrats. In the assembly Mr.. RI
fenburg says were two eX-county commits
sioners, an eX-county assessor, the present
county treasurer and the present corpora
ton attorney.
I'VE studied the two bills together Mr..
Rifenburg says, 'and it was and is the
general consensus of opinion that the
changes proposed by these bills are whole
some and good and ought to be enacted into
law. l am in favor of the passage of the
two bills, for the simple reason that they
make it easy for the township and county
officers to do the business properly, intelli-
gently and honestly, and hard to do it dis
honestly In a general way the bills usher
in correct business principles, also a sys-
tenn of checks and balances between the
different branches of town and county gov
ernments, and they are in accord with local
SeiI-gOVernlnent ana allow the people 10
come in close touch with those they have
delegated to conduct the county and town
ship business"
city, VINO has developed into strong leader
on the majority side Of the chamber, writes
the following as his expression, on the
bills: Il believe the bills providing for
the reform of county and township govern
ment will pass both houses. The people
generally nave come TO belieXe that some
check must be put upon the township
trustees and board of county commission
ers. The present system is contrary TO our
theory of government. The city charters
of most of the cities and towns in Indiana
are constructed upon the theory that there
should be a separation of the legislative,
judicial and executive departments of gov
ernment This theory is of as easy appli-
cation to the smaller municipalities as it
is to the larger ana the people. WIG, are
paying taxes are demanding it. Those
who have found antagonists to these meas
ures among their constituents have found
rather misunderstanding of the provisions
of the bills and it is my observation that
the farmers in the country who understand
the provisions of the bills are in favor of
them. Their passage will i'll a few years
result in a greater economy in local mat
ters, in a lower tax rate and at the same
time in. great Improvement to the country
generally. Roads, schoohouses, bridges,
and other public structures will be made
better at much less cost and the whole
country will reap financial benefit from the
measures. and our rural districts will ac-
qure more of the finished appearance that
comes from wise expenditure of public
State Senator and ex-Deputy District At
torney Edwin Corr, who is an ardent advo-
cate of county and township reform, cites
some striking instances that have come UNI
der his notice showing the evils of the pres
ent system In certain township which
Senator Corr names the township trustee
cents, or as high as the levy is for county
purposes in most counties. This trustee,
Mr.. Corr says, owns a store and issues the
no check on him he is rapidly draining the
public revenues into his own pockets, and
SO notorious have his operations become
that the commissioners are being petitioned
by citizens of the township to admit all of
the paupers of the TOWNSHIP into the county
poor asylum, as il is hoped in that way to
partially remedy the abuse. In town that
Senator Corr names the trustee is a store
Keeper and gives. orders on himself The
recipients of public bounty complain that
he does not give proper measure and to
their complaints, according to the senator,
he answers: What is that to you? The
county pays for what you get" Senator
Corr expresses the belief that this laXity of
checks on the trustee is doing much TO en-
1.-TWO of the little townships of a certain
county that l might mention, said Sena-
tor Corr, pay jointly $1,000 year for poor
relief, while the whole county of Dubois.
not far distant, pays only $500 year. There
is also a great abuse in the allowances of
county commissioners and the system of
county business is bad | call to mind that
the commissioners of the county of which |
speak awarded a contract for repairs and
construction of certain SraNeI ROADS Tor
5000. The contractors sustained a slight
loss and the bondsmen, who stood in with
the commissioners, got them to make an al
lowance, for which there was no return
whatever to the county, in favor of the con-
tractors for $500. This is a small county
of which ] speak, but the annual cost of
printing and stationery foots up $500. The
commissioners advertise their annual report
of receipts and disbursements In live papers,
when the law specifies that one newspaper
is enough, and the cost each year TOR print
ing these statements is $50" The senator
does not so much blame the men as the
system. which he says is very much at fault
and very much in need Of reform.
Senator Gilbert says: THE county and
township reform bills viii pass both branch
es and become laws. Our party pledge is
at stake and we must pass some adequate
reform legislation"
Representative BOnham, OF Hartford city,
said: Il am in favor of reform and | am in
favor of the two bills with a few changes.
The party is pledged to reform and / think
the pledge must be carried out.
The sentiment in favor OF the bllls IS very
strong. That the people at large are in
accord with the measures is shown by The
large numbers of letters and petitions urg-
ing the passage Of the bills that have been
received within the last few days by many
Of the members from constituents, repre-
senting all parts Of the State.