The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-05
THE sTATE PRESS.

Township and county reform will now oc-
cupy the attention of the people and their
representatives. 1t is a subject that has
been neglected too long, but better late
than never is a good aXiom.-RuShVllle
Graphic.
The attitude of the Township Trustees
Association against the movement to bring
about better business methods in the adj
minstration of township affairs has not
been to their credit. They are now offering
explanations in an effort to set themselves
right before the people, but the, resolutions
adopted put those trustees present ana Vot-
ing for it on record. We do not believe
that all the township trustees in Indiana are
opposed to the reform proposed, nor do we
believe that they feel offended because they
were not the first advised with. They may
not think all the provisions in the reform
measure the wisest, but they stand ready
to give counsel and correct any errors in it
before it is presented to the Legislature.
Seymour Republican.
1t is highly probable that as a class town
ship trustees are as efficient and honorable
as any other class of officials. A township
trustee is not compelled TO steal any more
than any other official. The general com
plant among the people is not so much
against the officials as against the system
of conducting township business. The com
plant is that township trustees under the
present law have more power than the Gov
ernor of the State or the President of the
United States Township, trustees exercise
the legislative judicial and executive func-
lions of government, which power is not
extended To any other officials, and that
this power has been grossly and criminally
exercised in many instances the proof IS
entirely too plain to be contradiCted. Pub
lie Press.
1t is not derogatory to any mans charac-
ter to insist upon d revision Of the laws
which govern his Office especially if they
are not what they should be. 1t is not say
ing that all men of Indiana are White Caps
to insist that there should be more severe
laws against lynching. 1t is not branding
all men who run for office as boodlers and
ringsterS to insist upon q greater purity
in election laws. 1t is rot stigmatizing
all township trustees as dishonest to insist
upon a method which renders them one and
all, accountable to the people instead of to
its state platform declared the need of town
ship reform did 1T brand all Republican
trustees and commissioners as corrupt? And
did Chairman Hernly rebrand them when
he issued the call for q meeting to consider
methods of township reform? Did the Dem
ocrat1c platform read all Democratic truS-
tees out of the party when it declared in
favor of township reform? Did such Demo-
cratic leaders as Judge Hackney tarnish
any individuals character when they took
part in these reform meetings? Every one
knows not. The whole movement has been
directed against methods not men; against
offices, not their ncumbents.-Richmond
Item.
While a great many persons are very much
in favor of a law against lynching and
white-capping, yet it is doubted whether
Governor Mounts plan will be effective or
even tend very much to effectiveness. If
the people of a county knew beforehand
that lynching was contemplated and knew
who had it in contemplation the fact that
they would be taxed to pay the resulting
damages might stimulate them to sufficient
effort to head it off. But the fact is that
no one outside of the lynchers, except it
be the sheriff knows beforehand of the
contemplated crime, and the fact that each
of the would-be lynchers may have to pay
a small amount in taxes to help pay dam
ages to the relatives of the lynched or
white capped person will not deter him
from the commission of the crime. Hot
headed and determined men bent upon the
commission of q crime viii not be deferred
therefrom by a tritle. The Republican faVorS
any law that will even have a tendency to
put a stop to such disgraceful and out
rageOus crimes. 1t faVors Governor Mounts
plan if no better one can be suggested but
at the same time it is very skeptical about
any beneficial result coming from it. If the
State with all its authority, cannot dis
cover and punish lynchers after the crime
has been committed it does not seem that
the people of a county can discover the
lynchers and prevent the crime before it
has been committed.-Columbus republican.