Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-03-03

soou Oe INV AS tney 10 not contain
an emergency clause they will not take
effect until the distribution of the
printed acts, which will probably be
from sixty to ninety days The bills
provide for the election by the people of
members of the township advisory
boards and members of the county
councils, who are charged with certain
duties in connection with the trustees
and county commissioners. The first
election of township advisory boards
will be at the next election of township
trustees, and the first election of county
councilmeh will take place at the gen
eral November election in 1900. In Or
der, however, that the new system may
60 into operation before these elections
the laws make 1T the duty of the judge
OF the circuit court in each circuit of
the state to appoint members of the
county councils for each county in his
circuit within 80 days after the taking
effect of the act, and members of the
advisory boards for each township at
the fist term of the circuit court after
the taking effect of the act There are
fifty-seven judicial circuits in the state,
and the Judge of each circuit will have
this duty to perform. 1t is an import
ant duty, and its right performance will
have much to do with insuring the new
laws fair trial from the start. The
fact that they involve some new ma
chinery and methods should not raise
any doubt of the ability of the people
to put them in successful operation A
people who pride themselves on their
capacity for rself-government, their skill
in organization and their general apti-
tude for affairs should not for a mo-
ment entertain the idea that they can
not easily and successfully put in opera
tion new feature of local government
designed for their own benefit Indiana
has been the leader in number of val
liable reforms in recent years. The
new laws for reform in local govern
ment are believed to be among the most
valuable yet enacted, and 1t should be
q point OF pride with all classes to see
that they have fair trial and are made
to yield results that will cause other
states to adopt them, as they have other
measures of reform ;naugurated in
Indiana. For this reason the first
appointments by circuit judges of
members of the advisory boards
and county councils will be i'm
portant. Both laws provide that the
boards thus appointed shall be di.
vided in politics. No such provision is
made in regard to the boards to be sub.
sequently elected by the people, as they
are pretty sure to be divided according
to local politics. But as the boards to
be appointed by the judges it is provid-
ed that majority of the appointees of
each board, and not more, may be ad-
| herents of the same party. Thus 1t is
likely that republican judges will ap-
point majority of republicans on each
board in their circuits, while democrat
ic judges will appoint a majority of
democrats Every member of each
board must be resident voter and
property taxpayer. Circuit judges
should feel honored by being intrusted
with the first appointment of these
rAc ho ofnI fn
point good men, men of known probity,
establishes character, public spirit and
at least a reasonable amount of business
experience. AS they are to perform
certain duties heretofore performed by
township trustees and county commits
sioners they should be at least up to the
average standard of those officials, and
the higher the better. They should be
men capable of mastering their duties
under the new laws quickly and exer-
cising them fearlessly in the interest of
economy and reform. The new laws
should be administered in the spirit of
reform. This means that they should
be administered by their friends. The
first boards will have to encounter some
prejudices, do away with some old
usages, establish some precedents and
perhaps tread on come toes. There
fore, they should be composed of men
who will not hesitate If necessary to do
these things in the interest of the people
and who will see that the new laws are
put in operation In the right way. 1t is
to be hoped the circuit judges through
out the state will appreciate the Oppor-
tunity they have in these appoint
ments to render valurble public ser
ice.-Indianapolis Journal.
Birthday Party.