The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-04

ington Gazette.
About the best thing to prevent lynching
would be to conclude by circumstantial evil
dence that where a mob takes a man from
a sheriff. without any resistance on his
part that the sheriff is an accomplice to
the crime and act accordingly. This thing of
being ''overpowered" is getting to be a lit
tie thin from overuse.-Richmond Item
If the Legislature is able to enact a law
that will insure the speedy trial of a pris-
oner accused of crime or indicted for capt.
tai offense, or felony Of any grade, and a
swift execution of justice by the courts, it
Will do more to prevent lynch1ng than any
law proposing to mulct the county in DAM
ages could accomplsh.-Terre Haute EX-
press.
The best way to prevent mobs is for
courts to enforce the law. Montgomery
county does not average one homicide in
ten years and the reason for this is that
her juries hang those guilty of murder and
give those guilty of manslaughter the limit
of the law. No sickly sentimentality goes
here and. as a result, attempts on human
life are very rare and when murder is done
mobS do not rise up the people knowing
well that the law will be vindicated by the
jurors of the jury, good and lawful men,
Charlottesville Journal.
There seems to be a disposition on the
part of some members of the Legislature
to harass manufacturers in this State and
to saddle them with unnecessary burdens
All such burdens directly or indirectly re-
act on their employees. For If the manufac-
turerS reasonable profits are consumed by
taxes of various kinds he will either have
to cut wages or shut down his factory. In
either case the working man would be the
sufferer. The boiler inspector bill now be-
fore the Legislature belongs to the class of
burdens alluded to.-Richmond Palladium.
There is no room for doubt as to what the
people of Terre Haute would decide as be-
tween a new charter and continuing the old
loose. irresponsible, everybody s-business-is-
nobody business methods. Terre Haute's
expense account has increased not less than
% per cent. in the past dozen years. Every
one knows that it is out of all proportion to
the growth or needs of the CITY Men who
are acquainted with the details of the city's
affairs say that, at a low estimate, 5000
a year could be saved, but it never will be
with the legislative body acting also as the
administrative branch of the city's govern
ment, no matter which party is in power
--Terre Haute Tribune
The bill of Representative May, of this
county, concerning coroners' inquests. is
good as far as it goes, but it does not go
near far enough. With the exception of
Marion county the bill should do away with
the fees of a clerk and the hVe-dollar fee
for viewing the remains" The coroner
should be made to do his own work and any
man who is competent to hold an inquest
is competent to take the testimony View
ing the remains" is simply a steal from
the taxpayers Coroner Booher attended at
least one funeral and charged So for looking
at the corpse. In the case of James Wilson,
the colored man, Booher lifted the cloth
that covered his face and put in bill for
So. This is the kind of viewing Booher has
been doing.-Shelbyville Republican.
The people who take no active part in the
mobs are generally not wholly irresponsible
Mobs in Indiana are generally heard from
in certain sections or counties more partic-
nj rlx nd x4rI,o fo1ya sold
punished even when the power of the State
is brought into the matter. Whose fault is
it? The men who take part in the mob are.
of course, not expected to aid investigation
and that they are not punished is due to the
Indifference and silence of the innocent"
Ones the good citizens generally. They all
want to keep out of the trouble and not
only are they careful not to aid the prosecu-
ton. but they place hindrances in the way.
What is there in such a course but encour-
agement for future violence and why should
all not be compelled to shoulder their re-
ponsibility?-Franklin Republican.
No township trustee thinks that because
the law requires him to execute a bond with
solvent sureties for the faithful payment
according to law, of all the moneys that
come into his hands is an impeachment of
his honesty, and doubtless the large maj or-
ity of them would faithfully and honestly
discharge the duties of their office without
bond, and, too, without taking the oath of
Office. But in order to meet the case of the
few that would not do so the law requires
all to give bond and to take the oath of Of
flee. SO the proposed legislation for town
ship reform is not in any sense a reflection
upon the large number of honest trustees,
but 1T is to provide against the weak places
in the present law which places it in the
power of dishonest trustees to work irrep-
arabic damages to his township.-Columbu
Republican
Back of mobs is the fact that too often
the laws are not promptly and properly en-
FRl.s
preciate the safety in law. A few days ago
we talked with a gentleman from county
where a peculiarly atrocious murder was
recently committed. He said the man would
be either convicted of the crime or mobbed,
because the people had endured all they
could since, in the last few years, twelve
murderers had gone free in the county.
With such feeling the people of the coun-
ty are not to be deferred from mob violence
by being compelled to pay 5000 to the rela-
blame In that county the laws are not en-
forced. This fact leads men to commit
crimes. They know they are reasonably
certain of not being called to account. Then
the people claim that they must commit
murder to secure safety" What is needed
is education along the lines Of the. duties of
citizens and the responsibility of citizen
ship.--Danville Republican
Senator Gwin wants junketing trip from
Indianapolis to the state prison. Laporre
county's joke of a representative from the
rural districts about Westvile has made
grave charges and broad insinuations re-
garding the management Of the state prison
here, and Senator Gwin gets behind these
charges and wants an investigating COM
mittee of senators-committee to be nom
partisan-appointed TO visit the institution
and investigate it's management. Nothing
would suit the present management better
than 10 have such a committee appointed,
and the News would suggest that this COM
mittee be composed, if possible, of the sena-
tors who may have served upon similar
committees that have visited the institution
on former occasions, and that they be re-
uuirad to report upon all they find, and at
the same time shall contrast in detail the
conCition and management of the prison as
it may be found at present with that OF
former years Let the committee come, and
request Herrold. of the House, to accom-
pany it upon the condition that if he can
prove any of the charges he has made, his
expenses will be paid by the State and his
salary go on just the same as If he was
bowling in the House: if he fails to prove
his charges let lis junket be at his own
expense.--Michigan City News
Economy in State Colleges.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
How can there be economy in state col
leges when the trustees of Indiana Uni