The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-08

sent The latter. I'm defending himself,
made the matter worse by saying that
II is always customary In illustrating
point to refer to some thing or condition
with which we are all well acquainted
The thing was finally stricken from the
records, amid considerable daughter by
every one except Messrs. Barrett and Nc
Gettigan.
MR.. MAsoN'S REPORT.
During the morning A. l.. Mason submit
ted a report, as follows:
Your committee on municipal affairs
begs leave to congratulate you on the sue
cess of the county and township reform
movement the very beginning of which
lay in the reports of this committee since
the body was organized On this subject
we recommend that the executive COM
mittee, brought into existence last year
for the preparation of these laws, be con-
tinued, and any vacancies therein hlied by
appointment from the president. for the
purpose of presenting to the next Legis-
lature any amendments 20 the county and
tonwsip laws which experience may show
to be necessary. and TO oppose any amend
ments which may be presented which may
seem to be unwise or directed against the
lest interests of the people
s'It should not be forgotten that from
year to year this committee has expressed
its judgment that the government OF the
smaller cHieS and towns or TINS otate
needs radikal reorganization. On this sub
ject we now make the following definite
suggestions:
81 That the smaller cities of this State
which as yet are governed by the old laws
based on government by Council, with the
mayor acting only as president OF the
Council and as a magistrate. are suscepti-
bic of classification. according TO their pop
ulation. That a general law should be
framed following in principle the charter
of indianapolis of 1891, and similar CHAR
tiers since passed for Fort Wayne. Evans
vile and Terre Haute. but providing Tor
efx n n
adapted to the size and wealth of the vari-
Gus cities. 1t could be left optional with
the city whether, by a vote of Its citizens,
II would relinquish its Incorporation under
present laws and adopt the new form OF
government to be organized by the pro-
posed law. Likewise the law could be made
elastic so that when a city increased from
10000 population, for instance. to 1000.
1t might, at it's option. By vote OF the people
pass from one class to the next higher
class of cities, and adopt the somewhat
more elaborate plan of government en-
bodied in the law for the higher class.
1.-The prepare lion of this legislation is
a work of labor. and manifestly should
be in the hands of persons who reside in
smaller cities, who are interested In the
reform movement, and who are familiar
with the practical facts and problems of
small city government. In order that the
work might be undertaken properly, We
offer the following resolution:
Resolved, That a commission be appoint
ed Dy tnlS DOuy, WIFI authority 10 pfcpdIc
and present to the next Legislature one
more bills, general in their character,
classifying the smaller cities of this State
and adapting the federal form of govern
ment embodied in our reform charters to
the needs of such smaller cities. Such
commission shall consist of not less than
nine nor more than twenty-five persons.
to be appointed by the president of this
organization, and to consist Of citizens of
the smaller cities of this State whose gov
eminent is proposed to be affected
Messrs. McGettigan, Irwin Of Terre Haute
and Wymond. of Madison, were named as
committee to consider the request of Sec
rotary Hurry, of the Board OF Health, that
the meeting take some action on the pres
ent existence of smallpox in Indiana. The
committee upheld DR.. Hurry in his pres
ent and past efforts and urged that the
State board exercise all powers 1t was
clothed with on the theory that IAN ounce
or preventive is worth a pound of cure"
NEW REFORM LAWS
State Statistician Conner read a paper on
1.-THE Operations of County and Township
Governments Under the New Reform
Laws" He said, in part:
ut is an unfortunate phase of the public
mind which jumps to the conclusion that
a whole class of public officers are dis
honest when but very few are found to be
so. 1t is equally unfortunate that the
official mind feels that all are incriminated
when there is hint that any are guilty.
The fact is most public officers are true
and honorable men. In pursuing the work
which led up to county and township re-
form, contaminated In the acts Of the last
General Assembly of the State, ii was
found that the faults and wrongs lay more
in the old system than in the work of pub
lie officers under it, The investigation re-
vealed, step by step, that the public bust
ness was being done under patchwork
system, which had come down from a.
period when there was little or no compen-
sation for the work of a public officer, and
which had been shaped in modesty and
great trustfulness toward those generous
enough to do the public business without
pay.
The State had, in over three-quarters of
century, grown populous when the last
Legislature met. Single townships con-
tanned more inhabitants than two or three
counties did three-quarters Of a century
ago
greatly increased. Compensation for per-
forming it had been greatly advanced and
the public funds handled by many more
public officers, and many new demands had
arisen for its use under our more complex
civilization. But there stood the old system
of a century ago, authorizing public officers
to lay their hands freely upon property
owners with almost any tax levy desired
by them, permitting them to expend the
public funds at will, and to audit their own
accounts. 1t gave wide range for errors
in judgment and opened wide the door to
temptation. That so few fell was won
der; that there appeared exhibitions of
bad judgment in public business with so
few among 1,750 public officers under such
a system, was marvel. But finally these
things appeared more frequent, ALI. the APP
plication of Carlyle's philosophy to the
body polite, that He is a true reformer
who first begins and perfects reformation
upon himself" became necess..y. There
will be no backward step in the excellent
work of the last Legislature when the
people come to understand what is being
accomplished under 1t.
ITO obtain this the Bureau of Statistics
sent a blank TO be filled by the several
county auditors of the State for report,
which, when tabulated, gives the follow
ing facts:
1.-The tax levy for county purposes in 1898.
under the old law, in all the counties of
the State was $43. IS 1-3 on each 500 valu-
alton, or a total levy of IS. 668, 30 for all
the counties. The levy for county pur-
poses in all the counties in 1899 by the
county councils, under the new law, was
$40. IS 2-3 on each 500 valuation, a total
of S, 577, 339.S1, for all the counties. Thus 1t
purposes under the new law, in all coun-
ties of the State was $SS,954.49 less than
under the old law. There are forty coun-
ties in which the tax levies are less under
the new law, than they were under the
old law. OF course, existing county in
debtedness was factor of the levies of
many counties, as the law provides that the
levy shall cover Indebtedness.
'The township tax levies for township
purposes are less in forty-fye counties
under the new law, by the advisory boards
The failure to report complete township
s.<l. TOD oil he fnu Of