The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-06


| speaking broadly, there are but three pro-
| fessions A man has to make of his son
either a lawyer doctor or Clergyman. The
idea of treating as professions the cailings
of commerce, agriculture and manufactures.
| and of providing them with special, pro-
teSslOnal education, IS not known here. Yet
these great professions stand at the head Of
the material interests of every country.
! They represent its productive forces, while
! the others whatever their value otherwise.
do not. They call for wide and complex
! q variety of knowledge as any other pro-
/ tributory to agriculture and commerce"
| have quoted at length to show the trend
/ Of public sentiment in other countries. The
| abandoned farms in the older States sound
| a rOte Of warning. The hundreds of thou
| sands of acres of worn-out and abandoned
! land IN the South earnestly appeal 10 IN
! telltgent thought. In our own State much
land fails to produce paying crops and IS
! dustrious farmers who have to do directly
/ with natures great laboratory are ignorant
! of its forces, and reckless waste of soil Ter
! tility is the result. Insect pests and fungus
! growth threaten serious inroads into the
| profits of agriculture and horticulture. To
! be forewarned is to be forearmed. The time
! is opportune. Let Indiana take advanced
/ steps in the Introduction of this important
| science into her public school curriculum.
/ / therefore recommend the enactment of
a law looking to the Introduction of nature
| study, or the primary principles of the SCI
ence Of agriculture into our school curricu-
Labor Commissioners.
This commission, through its acts, has
| demonstrated the wisdom of the law that
created it. The commissioners have. in lit
tie more than eighteen months, investigated
thirty-nine strikes and lockouts They failed
in but seven instances to adjust differences,
and in two of these one party to the cons
tests was nonresident, over whom the COM
missioners had no jurisdiction. In four
of the cases the commission investigated
and reported the conditions of settlement.
| In twenty-eight contests satisfactory agree
ments were secured through the mediation
Of the commission and in nineteen of these
| settlements the workingmen secured either
an advance in wages or other improved con-
| diuons. The commission was also instru-
| mental in having two boycottS declared off,
ana IN five instances prevented strikes
| through timely mediation. So favorable has
| been the impression of this peaceable adj
! justment upon both employers and employees
that frequent expression has been made to
the effect that the services of the commits
/ SION be invoked before allowing strike to
| be inaugurated.
Through the efforts of the commission 49,
! SO strikers have been put to work. Thus it
| is manifest that hundreds of thousands of
| dollars have been saved to capital and labor
within our borders the peace and dignity of
and safety to life and property Sc
1 cured. I believe the time has come
| when such differences should be adj
Indicated in a lawful court of arbitration,
where unbiased reason rules and where the
evidence of both parties is heard rather
than between the contesting parties after
bitter and acrimonious contest. l believe the
| finding of such court should be mandatory.
| Provision should be made whereby the ag-
grleVed party could Immediately appeal to
| the Circuit Court the decision Of this court
| to be binding and duly enforced. 1t is a
| menace to the peace of the State and to life
and property for corporations to be arming
| men to defend their plants and for discarded
labor to be arming for revenge upon the
| newly employed labor or the business that
! attitude the State should exercise its SOW
| and
| interests to come into court and settle their
| differences according to law and equity,
Thereby avoiding riot, bOodshed and the de-
! struction of property.
Coal Miners Strike of 1897.
| The labor commissioners of Indiana took
the initiative looking to the settlement of
striking coal miners, covering the coal fields
of several States, in 1897 Desiring to ac-
quaint myself with the true situation in In
diana, I appointed Judge T. J. Terhune and
Hon. John b. Conner to visit the coal fields
and thoroughly investigate the situation
After careful investigation they submitted
their report, which included statements
from operators and miners / was thorough
| ly convinced that the Workmen had not been
paid decent living wages" The operators,
| admitting by reason of the stress of times
ana dnncuity TO makes sales. they UNDER
| sold each other, thus forcing them to reduce
wages until the wages of miners were too
! low, l issued proclamation appealing to
| the people for relief for the destitute fami-
| lies of the idle miners. The people made
| liberal response, and much suffering was
| thus prevented The scale of wages was in
creased and the idle men were given en-
ployment. Letters of thankfulness from
these miners, with positive assurance that
a high regard for the law would character
ize their actions, since the State had been
so cOnsiderate of their wants, forces the
conclusion that cancellation and arbitration
| Will better preserve the dignity of the State
| and insure obedience to, law than bitter
| strife and forceful measures
neutrality-suspicious. boundary Line.
The long-standing contention with refer
ence to the boundary line dividing the
States of Indiana and Kentucky at point
on the Ohio river, near Evansville, popu-
larly known as Green River island has been
effectually set at rest by an official survey
ana the placing of appropriate posts and
| markers, under the supervision of a board
OF commissioners acting under the direc-
tons of an order of the Supreme Court of
| the United States. Ali expenses incident
were betrayed by the States of Indiana and
| Kentucky jointly. and on the 24th of May
1897, the commissioners rendered to the
upon discharged.
Public Printing.
The act of 1885, providing for public print
ing, binding and stationery, should be
amended so as to more explicitly state what
departments should receive their printing
and stationery out of the printing fund, and
also the number of copies of each report
that should be printed, exclusive of the
documentary journal In amending this
law it would be well to reduce the number
of Senate and House journals to the de-
mand for the same. The number of Senate
| and House journals and documentary Jour-
| nails that have accumulated in the basement
| of the Statehouse augment the danger from
| fire, as well as revealing unnecessary ex-
pense in public printing The printing board
should have discretionary power where the
! Legislature creates new departments and
| fails to provide the necessary printing and
! stationery required in the discharge of their
duties.
There should be a law requiring better
! ture with stationery and supplies of differ
! ent kinds. An examination Of the requisi-
| tions made by the committees of former
! Legislatures will emphasize the need for the
| law herein suggested.
Fish Commissioners.
beg to call especial atterttion to the val
liable report of the state fish commissioner.
Through a judicious appropriation. coupled
with some wise laws for the protection and
| propagation of fish, and for the stocking of
Indiana lakes and streams with game fish,
| this interest can be made source of rev.
enue to the people of the State as well as
| affording healthful recreation and whole
some sport
Two years ago the State was confronted
with this serious problem. Suits had been
| instituted against the State for the con-
| tamination and fouling of the streams into
! which the sewage entered. The city of
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