The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-21
TRUSTEES Meeting ENDS
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES READ
AND ACTED UPON.
Recommendations Concerning Roads
and Ditches-An Address by Pearson
MendenhaIl, of This County.

The twelfth annual meeting of the In
diana Trustees Association was concluded
in the House of Representatives yester-
day afternoon. The most important bust
ness Of the session was transacted late In
the afternoon when the reports of COM
mittees were read and acted upon. The
committees on resolutions, schools, bitches
and salaries of trustees made important
reports, which were concurred in by the
association.
The committee on salaries Of trustees
made a report as follows: THAT this body
instruct it's legislative committee to use
all honorable means TO have the law so
amended that the per diem be increased
from 81 to s. per day.
THAT the law relating to tenure of office
OF the trustee be amended that the
trustee be made eligible to reelection.
THAT the law relative to the time of
making the annual settlements be so
amended that the making of township tax
levy and the annual settlement be changed
to the first Tuesday in August of each year,
thereby making the year end July 81
The committee on resolutions submitted
a report somewhat similar to the foregoing
report. The committee suggested that the
salary of trustees be increased and that
they be made eligible to reelection. The
committee on resolutions also recommend
ed That the present method OF handling
textbooks is highly unsatisfactory and we
recommend that some method be fixed OF
securing better books for the schools"
COMMITTEE ON bitches.
The committee on bitches also made an
important report recommending: THAT re-
pairs of public bitches be left in the hands
of the township trustees as at present; that
the trustee be allowed to let the contract
| for the repairs of bitches to the lowest re-
| sponsible bidder and the costs of the same
| be placed upon the tax duplicate and coll
| lected as other taxes are collected"
The report of the committee on roads was
read and considered section by section, the
| association adopting the report in full. The
| committee reported follows
Our road laws should be fully and COM
pletely codified
THAT $3.50 should be allowed for days
work of eight hours with driver and team,
| and 81. 25 should be allowed for day of
eight hours for man working out the
That the maximum limit for the work
levy should be changed from 30 cents on the
500 to Is cents on the $780, and the addi-
on the 500 to 20 cents on the 500.
Ihat county treasurers be empowered to
rom the ah time tax Of ber .se shn
| only or the tax on which they were worked.
THAT supervisors should be elected by
the people and the township trustee given
| full control over them.
That the trustee be empowered to redis-
trict his township into as many road dis
| trictS as needed"
The committee on schools made a report
| recommending that the transfer law should
| not be changed and the minimum pay of
| teachers left 1t stands.
| tons was adopted, the officers selected be-
| ing the same as announced in Thursday
| mornings Journal.
MANAGEMENT OF THE POOR.
The most important address at the after
| noon session was made by Pearson Men,
denhall, of Marion county, his subject be-
ing Management of the Poor" Mr.. Men,
denhall said the new laws which were
passed by the last two legislatures and
codified by Amos w. Butler. secretary Of
the Board of State Charities, have revolu-
tionized poor relief. These laws, he said,
| have helped the trustee In the discharge Of
| his duties, and when he has applicants for
| assistance he can explain what he can and
what he cannot do under the law. He said
| that III the trustee properly lives UP to the
| laws he can more easily discharge his
duties than before laws were enacted.
A short talk was also made by w. B.
| Streeter, of the State Board of Charities
on the subject. w. L. Taylor, attorney
| general. also made a short speech on points
pertinent to the management of their Of
| fees.
The morning session was devoted to a
| discussion on needed legislation. John W.
Gibney, of Wabash county. assailed the
present textbook law. He said the present
| law was good only for the book companies,
| and he urged that the law be revised so
that the trustees would not be compelled
| to act the agents of the book companies
| Mr.. Gibney's suggestions were Incorporated
In the report of the committee on resolu-
ons dc1is Sch Of Allen county,
| legislation for better pay for teachers.
John II. Pulling, of St Joseph county.
| read a paper on the subject of township
roads. He urged the passage of a law that
would make railroad crossings less danger
| Gus. He believed that they should be Wild
| ened and that the elevations att the cross
ings should not be so steep. He also adj
| vocated saving the trees along the high
| ways and law making 1T compulsory for
| farmers to keep the weeds cut along the
| highways passing their farms
The discussion on the subject of bitches
| was led by Eli f. Coates of Grant county
| and Lafayette Kimmerling, of Madison
| county.