The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-17
No Date Fixed for Proposed Peace
JubiIee-The Interstate-Com-
merce Commission.

/
/ presiding officer, Mr.. William Fortune, and
! considering further that he Is so thorough
| ~ familiar with the work of the board in
an It's details, take great pleasure in pre-
| senting his name to the board for president
1 for the coming year.
we also recommend the election Of the
! Following vice presidents from the thirteen
! congressional districts of the State, to wit:
FiTst3C. A. Hugh, Evansville.
| Seeond-Mason J. Niblack, Nincennes.
! Third-George B. Cardwill, New Albany.
| fourth-James Fl. CroZier, Madison.
Fffth-Charles H. Ehrman, Terre Hautk.
| Slxth-William u. Foulke, Richmond
| SeVenth-E B. Martindale, indianapolis.
Eighth-William H. Eichhorn Button.
| NiEth-D. A. Coulter. Frankfort.
| Tenth. o. Perrin, Lafayette.
EleYenth-B. +. Louthain, Logansport.
Iwelfth-Samuel Foster, Fort Wayne.
Thirteenth-James II. Slate, Elkhart.
The executive board reelected c. j.
Murphy, of Evansville, secretary, and Nor
timer lowering, of Lafayette, treasurer.
THE PEACE JUBILEE.
There were two reports concerning
peace jubilee, to be held in this city in
celebration Of Dewey's victory at Manila,
May and 2, but inasmuch as this date
might conflict with the efforts to get a big
turnout at the encampment of the Grand
| Army Of the Republic, resolution simply
providing for jubilee without naming the
date was adopted as follows, on the recon-
mendaton Of the committee selected the
day before:
This board recommends the celebration
OF peace jubilee for Indiana at Indian
apolis and in the event that the Indian
a 1lHol organizations viii undertake such
celepratlon we pledge the efforts Of this
board to secure the active and hearty CO.
operation Of other cities of the State"
On the motion OF Russell NJ. Seeds the
board reafflrmed itself as favoring the pas
sage of laws by Congress giving permanent
form to the gold standard, in favor of which
hn 1exr IL o-rfxre
at the polls. The resolution, copies Of which
are to be sent to the representatives in Con-
gresS, was as follows:
This board notes with pleasure the prog
reSs being made in Congress toward the en-
actmert OF monetary legislation and again
urges upon Congress the fact that it's most
important duty lies in the work of simply
Tying our currency system and giving the
permanent form of law to the declaration
for the gold standard, twice made by the
people at the POLLS
In accordance with views expressed at
the morning session concerning the useful
ness of the work performed by the Indiana
Farmers Institute, a resolution was intro
duced by Alexander Johnson, of Fort
Wayne providing for. an increase in the
annual appropriation of not less than $4,000.
1t was adopted without dissent.
Considerable discussion followed the in
PRODUCTION Of a resolution by e. II. Evans,
questioning the efficiency of the present in
terstate-commerce laws and calling upon
Congress to secure better legislation. The
resolution was referred to the committee on
transportation, with authority to take such
action as may be deemed advisable Mr..
Evans's resolution read:
Whereas through decisions of the courts
and through circumstances unforeseen at
the time of the passage of the act to regu-
late commerce, said act has become mop
eratiVe in its greatest field;
Whereas unjust Determinations are be-
ing practiced by the railroads of the country
threatening the stability of business:
Resolved, That the Indiana Board
of Commerce hereby requests the senator's
and representatives from this State to ad-
cd 70 1f ~ 90 p a iC-
lation that will properly control interstate
| commerce and insure equitable rates Of
transportations to individuals and locali-
One Of the most important features of the
boards meeting yesterday forenoon was the
| submission Of lengthy report by Augustus
L. Mason, of this city, chairman Of the COM
mittee on municipal affairs, in which it was
urged that the Indiana State Board OF Com
| merce, after it has accomplished what 1t has
| undertaken with reference to reform IN
| county and township government, may well
| turn its attention to laws governing munich
paIlues. In the course OF the report Mr.
| Mason said:
"At the last meeting of this body this
committee recommended the prosecution OF
| the movement in favor of county and town
| ship reform which had been begun with
| the organization of the Indiana State Board
| of Commerce. The report went on TO say
| that after the meeting a year ago the eX-
| ecutive committee, in furtherance of plans
| for educational work, asked Chairman Ma
| son to furnish brief articles for newspapers
| of the State which done. Notwith-
standing the alarms of war, the subject was
widely discussed, and both political parues
| recognized the demand for reform TO the
extent of placing declaration in favor OF
1t in their platforms. The report reviewed
| the efforts that have been put forth, in
Guiding the preparation of the county re-
form bill, embracing principles suggested
by MI. Mason a year ago. particularly the
township bills were both discussed. 1t cam
not be doubted says the report, that these
! bills are framed upon the soundest prin-
pinlQS of American iuriSDrudence, nor that
in particular they localize government more
effectually give the people a larger and
more effective control over the levy Oh taxes
and expenditure of money, and introduce
into our local government those checks up
on official extravaganza, corruption or mis-
| take which have been approved throughout
| this country as those best fitted to free IN
| stitutions.'
ut is not to be supposed, however. that
| the bills pending before the Legislature
| cover the whole field of local reform, either
| In county or township government. Much
| yet remains to be done. Even should these
| bills become law there still remain for re-
vision our road laws, ditch laws and the
Office Of justice of the peace But, still more
| important, it must be remembered that
| the Indiana State Board of Commerce has
| declared in favor of the reform, not only or
| county and township government, but also
| of the government Of cities and towns. 1t
| cannot be successfully questioned that the
| government of our smaller cities and towns
| IS susceptible or the greatest improvement;
| The vice of the government of our small
municipalities is that the same body of men
| combine both executive and legislative pow
! ers; the same men levy the taxes and spend
| that which would exist in State affairs if
| our State tax levy and State appropria-
| tons were made by the trustees of our
| benevolent and penal institutions instead or
| by the legislature
In fine, Mr.. Mason expressed the opinion
| that the physical well-being Of the people.
| the external appearance OF streets ana
/ public places of cities and towns would be
! greatly advanced by a revision or the laws.
| "But any such law" he continued SHOULD
| leave 1t optional with each city or town as
| to whether 1t should adopt the new law for
| it's own government The committee
| recommended that the board continue to
! urge revision of laws and also suggested for
/ discussion and inquiry the powers exercised
/ by school boards and trustees. No matter
/ how good laws may be enacted, the report
| concluded the results hoped for will not be
/ er men are selected for county councils and
/ township advisory boards.
Alexander Johnson. chairman of the COM
| mittee on agricultural and mineral re-
| sources presented a report in which he
urged the necessity of careful thought on
/ the part of agriculturists 10 prevent In
1 diana lapsng into comparative poverty IN
1 this respect through an exhaustion of the
soil Notwithstanding the great manufac-
/ turing interests the State must remain
/ chiefly agricultural He considered the cniet
4 consideration TO be to keep the soil fertile.
/ He believed that thousands of acres which
/ have been abandoned could be reclaimed by
/ scientific efforts BY abuses largely due TO
/ Ignorance much land that seemed mex
I haustibly fertile when cleared OF the native
| forests has become sterile.
In discussing the subject Governor Mount
thought that Mr.. Johnson had done Well 10
! call attention TO the subject Agriculture,
| said he has been and must continue TO be