The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-06


There are expressions to which the de-
corous word misstatement may be applied;
there are others to which the more meaning
word falsehood can be applied, but there
are statements so false and defiant of
truth that only Horace Greeleys word lie"
can fully characterize them. OF that char
acter is the following statement from the
Democratic platform:
The wisdom, prudence and foresight OF
the Democracy of Indiana placed the penal
and benevolent institutions of the State
under humane and nonpartisan laws and
administered them in harmony with the re-
formatory and benevolent purposes for
which they were founded. The vicious and
cool prostitution of these institutions to
partisan ends by the present administra-
ton merits condemnation by the people of
the State.
Let the subject be treated historically
When General Hovey was Governor with
a Democratic Legislature by gerrymander,
that body took from him the authority to
make appointments and exercised it itself.
II made every trustee of all the institutions
Democrats except in three cases, in two
OF which the law specified that not more
than two could be from the same party. 1t
is safe TO say that a more unfit set of men,
for the most part, could not have been Sc
lected for the direction of the charitable
and penal institutions of the State. Sup
plies were purchased without contracts and
employees were dictated by those who had a
pull" Unnecessary places were made for
Democrats. such as an attorney for each
board of trustees of the hospitals for in
sane, and these places were held by Demo-
Gratis who are now demanding economy.
Governor Matthews was dissatisfied with
this arrangement. He made respon-
sible for the general management of the
institutions. but he had no power to APP
point or remove a trustee. He asked the
Democratic Legislature of 1892 TO restore
to him the appointing power. A bill to
that effect was passed by the Senate with
out much difficulty. the Republicans voting
for it. In the House, however, half the
Democrats or more opposed it. and there
was a hot debate in which those opposing
the Matthews bill loudly declared that the
Democratic members of the Legislature
should have share of the patronage. The
bill was passed by the votes of Governor
Matthew's friends and the Republicans.
but not a Republican was appointed to a
trusteeship except where the law left no
discretion.
The Legislature of 1895 was Republican.
The progressive element favored a bill
which would have put all the institutions
in the hands of nonpartisan boards. but a
compromise was made by which. under one
bill. all of the institutions except the two
prisons were put under nonpartisan boards
30 that half the number in all the institu-
tions would be of the two leading parties.
In the Senate this bill was opposed by the
Democrats as a party measure. Mr.. Kern.
then senator. voting against it, BY an
other bill the two prisons were put under
boards elected by the Governor. secretary.
auditor and treasurer OF state and the
attorney general.
The Republican Legislature of 1897 made
the JefFersonville prison a reformatory
and gave il a bipartisan board of control.
II has been managed on that basis. so that
the only institution for which all of the
! trustees or directors can be Republicans