The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-24
HINTS FOR THE LEGISLATURE.

Hands off the metropolitan police law.
Let the members of the Legislature take
notice Nobody wants change in the law
unless it be to subserve a political end. The
people are satisfied. Then let 1t rest.-NeW
Albany Tribune.
One of the things that must be avoided in
the county and township reform movement
is an increase in the number of officers that
will necessitate a corresponding increase in
the expense of conducting affairs. What
the people want is not an increase of the
tax burden. but decrease wherever 1t IS
possible with an improved management or
county and township affairs.-Seymour Re-
publican.
Our County Commissioners are now in
clover They have six new bridges to look
after, two each, and in addition to these
a very important lawsuit In looking after
these matters all their time will be occupied
until next October AS they pay thems Ives
IS 80 each day their offices will be sinecure
for months to come The question, how
ever should be raised. and when the time
comes, argued to a finish, as TO whether
the commissioners can pay themselves for
defending an illegal contract-ShelbyVlile
Republican.
Senator Johnson's bill relating to stopping
leaks in gas mains is in the right direction,
but the Herald suggests a clause be added
relieving the natural gas supervisors from
liability for trespass and damages when go
ing onto private property to stop gas leaks.
1t will be remembered the old gas law was
a dead letter last summer because no one
wanted TO take the chances Of violating the
law of trespass in turning off oil wells that
were wasting gas, ard at the same time
take the chances Of being held liable for
damages. If this defect IN the Din can pc
remedied, Senator Johnson will render an
invaluable service to Indiana by securing
the passage of this bill.-Anderson Herald.
The senators and representatives who are
opposing township reform are going
squarely back on the platforms of both the
Republican and Democratic parties. They
will gain nothing by attacking members of
the commission which prepared the reform
bills. They would better conilne themselves
to pointing out the objections TO the DIS,
if there are any. The commission was
composed OF reputable men who had no
other object in view than 10 secure more
economical and efficient local government
for the people. They performed an impor-
tant public service without reward or the
hope of reward, and are entitled to the
thanks of the people instead OF 10 crltlclshl
for their rts.-JeffersonVille News.
The county truancy board has prepared
a. table giving a comparison of the per cent.
of attendance under the present law with
that of 1896. before the enactment of a
compulsory education law. The records
show that out of an enrolment of 1.2l6 pu-
pills in Laporte, seVenty-three or more than
s per cent. We're brought in by the truant
officers. In Michigan City about 200 pupils
have been placed in the parochial schools
and more than twenty in the public schools.
The attendance in the schools of the coun-
try districts show an increase of GO per
cent. while in the cities the gain is over
6 per cent as compared with 1880 Inc table
speaks volumes of praise in favor of the
compulsory education law.-Michigan City
News.
AS the discussion of the question of local
s,overnnaeut reform nrosreSses many trus-
tees and county commissioners are becom-