The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-09

for the information of the General Assem-
tenant Governor and two members of the
Senate. the speaker of the House and three
members thereof, the members in each case
TO be appointed by the presiding officer or
each branch. respectively.
With such facts the commit may as
semble and present In comprehensive form,
your honorable bodies viii be enabled 10
act intelligently and i'm behalf of what your
deliberate judgment directs as being In the
interest of the people:
Voting Machines.
Admitting the so-called Australian sys-
tenn of conducting elections TO be vast
Improvement over previous methods, the
conclusion is forced upon US tina. II Is so far
from being satisfactory that IL becomes
our bounden duty TO adopt measures pro-
viding for radical betterments. Experience
has demonstrated the fact that the election
system as il now exists i'm this State results
In the loss of too many ballots by improper
marking which were honestly cast ana
which I'm full justice should be counted. In
providing safeguards against fraud the
present law goes to the extent of affording
opportunities for the introduction of tech.
nical objections which are frequently used
unfairly for the disqualification of electors
This condition should not be permitted to
further exist. 1t is fundamental principle
OF our government that the rights Of men
are equal. but the theory cannot be &C
copied as effective long as we permit
any considerable number of voters TO be
subjected to dsfranchisement by election
boards invalidating ballots through the in
strumentality of trivialities. The stability
of republican institutions depends upon the
power s Of the people as r enpsessed at the
ballot should be protected In the fullest
measure i'm the exercise of a right which Is
likewise his patriotic duty
The Sixty-second General Assembly ere
ated what is known as a voting machine
commission, the report of which Will be
and | trust IL will receive your earnest at
tention. We are confronted with abundant
proof that the Australian system" while
ii is i'm many respects superior to former
methods, is lamentably deficient I'm the re-
spect that il permits of the practical dis
reimbursement of an astonishingly large
number of electors whose ballots should be
those who cast them. The efficacy of the
voting machine has been tested. and II Is
the consensus of opinion among those who
have given the subject thorough considera-
tion that IL guarantees more satisfactory
results than may be hoped to be obtained
by any other method. The great expense
involved in the proposed machine system or
voting is the only objection, but | am
nevertheless inclined to the belief that the
matter of cost where reasonable con-
cessions can be secured should not stand
the sole obstacle against any movement
designed in good faith TO protect the people
to the utmost degree in the exercise Of their
inalienable rights.
An Aggressive Evil.
/ consider it the duty of this General AS
sembly to consider carefully the lottery
evil. as IL exists in many forms. especially
with reference to so-called guessing con-
tests" conducted by certain newspapers
of metropolitan pretensions published out
side the confines of Indiana. Years ago the
lottery evil became so manifeStly harmful
that the Congress of the United States was
forced to resort to the most drastic meas
ureS Tor Its suppression. III Is an lnSidlouS
form of vice. and as promoted by news
papers of large circulation IL permeates
circles that could not be reached through
OIL ,aAf hos stfrtaa cufn
| tests" as a rule. do not differ materially
from lotteries, and they have become such
menace that they cannot be regarded
otherwise than demoralizing. especially so
account of the fact that they are patron
| lied largely by persons who can i'll afford to
| spare money thrown away In taking
| chances against manfestly unfair odds. Ii
| is the duty of the State to provide proper
| safeguards for its citizens. and. In my
| Judgment. provision should be made by
| circulation in Indiana of newspapers or
other publications engaged directly or indi-
rectly In promoting lottery schemes under
| whatever guise or pre;ense.
The Prixe-Fight Evil.
| / respectfully submit to your honorable
bodies the necessity for the enactment OF
more clearly defined laws and more drastic
measures for the suppression of prize fights
and the regulation of so-called boxing con-
tests. The existing law, as interpreted by
4 the Supreme Court. defines a prize fight
| according to the definition given In the
| dictionaries; but the spirit of the law is
being constantly violated by promoters
| of alleged athletic sports, when, in fact,
| exhibitions conducted under the IN etense OF
manly art" are nothing less than contests
worthy OF commentator. but il is a lament
| able fact that many persons persistently
| take advantage of the existing law for the
purpose of promoting lawlessness. Puglism
| fiourishes under the pretext of scientific
| boxing, and peace officers. as well as courts.
appear to be helpless in the matter OF es-
tablishing legal distinction. Prize fghting:
| debasing and demoralizing. IL is prompted
| by brutal instincts, and. on the whole. 1t
is so utterly disreputable that every pos
| preston of the manifold evils that attend
| the dishonored profession Of pugilism, prac-
ticed under various sypocritlca s,,, pretea,s.
| hood, breed criminals, and cast the law In
| contempt. / believe il to be the duty or
| this Legislature to take action in the prem
ises which will insure the public protection
| against disgraceful exhibitions Of brutality.
under whatever guise ii is proposed that
| they be given
Codiacation Of Corporation Laws.
Notwithstanding the vigorous efforts OF
the auditor OF state and the attorney gen.
eral, who have succeeded, within the last
| four years, in driving out scores of fraud
| ulent companies organized extensively 70
sell debentures, bonds, stocks and member
| ships in all kinds of cooperative schemes,
| il has been impossible. under the existing
law, to eradicate the entire evil Of the sale
| of such stocks, bonds, memberships and
| certificates to innocent purchasers. While
| believe this State is as free. or more so.
than most States, from fraudulent con-
Germs, still the law should be strengthened
so as to enable the state and county officers
10 prevent these concerns from doing bust
ness within our borders. The corporation
laws of Indiana should be codified so that
each corporation may be organized under a
law. section of law. by itself. and the
right, powers and duties should be clearly
dc fined. No corporation should be per-
mitted to incorporate in Indiana with a
capital stock published to the public unless
such capital stock has been paid i'm cash. or
its equivalent, such payment to be made
within a reasonable time after such articles
are filed. Adventures should not be per-
mitted TO carry on business in this State.
Adequate capital. fully paid up. should be
| activity and speculation irresponsible COM
panies are likely TO increase and are In
| creasing greatly in number, and a confiding
| public is the ready but unwilling victim
| L suggest for your consideration TIE APP
pointment of a commission to codify all the
corporation laws of Indiana. to be sub
mitted at the next session OF the General
Assembly.
Public Buildings and Grounds.
From time to time requests are made Il
the custodian for the use OF the legisla'
tive chambers by various bodies desiring te
hold conventions therein. Some OF these
requests come from organizations having
more or less connection with the State gov
| eminent, but many more requests are from