The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-12
Special Commercial Club
Committee Wants Amend
ment to Law Governing A.
loWances by Commissioners
AMENDMENT WOULD BE A
benefit TO THE STATE
Permitting Allowances in
Ceases of Indispensable
Public Necessity" the Leak
For Public Funds.

To amend state statute which has
4 loophole which constantly permits
= steady, but unnecessary flow of rev.
enues of each county in the state. is
the proposal of the special committee
appointed by the Richmond CONNER
cial club to consider the reform plat
form drawn up by the indianapolis
Merchants association.
This platform is heartily endorsed
BY the committee which is composed
of Sharon e. Jones. John l.. Rupe. w
ID. Foulke, Howard A. Dill and r. l.
Kelly, but the committee goes further
than the Indianapolis organization In
its Recommendation for plugging the
loop hole in the law which governs al
lowances made by boards of county
commissioners. The loop hole in ques
aion has been boon to dishonest pub
1ic ohlcials, but no attempt has evel
heen made to remedy the evil. Tht
local committee will cooperate with
the Indianapolis committee.
Where Leak 10 Located.
The statute in question provides
that commissioners shall make no al
towances OF public funds. unless il
cases OF Indispensable public neces
sity.' This quoted phrase is the loor
hole referred to.
MI. Rupe IN commenting on this
mater stated that he believed that
there ID no law on the statute books
under which more money is taken from
the public treasures which ought tt
remain there. It is the hole which
ought to be stopped and if it is not
much that is desired to be accomplish
ed in line with the suggestions in thu
platform will fail There is no us'
building q stone wall and leave hol.
like this through which money is con
tinually flowing
Committees Recommendation.
The committees recommendation
on this question follows:
This club in addition to its endorse
ment of the proposed reform set fortl
In such platform Of the Merchants as
sociation of indianapolis, specificall.
recommend to that association and an,
the reforms suggested. that it includ
in its reformatory efforts. the change
or modification Of section 6O16 Burn
Statute. 1905 which is the statute un
der which boards of commissioner
make contracts and allowances o
questionable character. This is com
monty known as the "Indespensabl
Public Necessity provision of Law
and provides that the board of com
missioners shall. unless in cases Of in
dispensAble public necessity, to be en-
tered A part of the orders. make no al
1owance not specifically required b
law to any county auditor. clerk. sher
III. assessor. either directly or indl
rectly, or to any clerk, deputy. bailif
or any employe of such Officer: no
shall they except in cases above pre
vided, employ any person to perforr
any duty required by law of any ON
GERS. or for any duty to be paid b
commission or percentage.
This is q provision OF the law ur
der which graft is permitted and is
much over worked provision of tn
law.
The Commercial club OF Richmon
recommends that change in this la,
be especially looked to in bringin
about the reforms in the conduct c
public business, and this club woul
suggest that this statute be so amend
ed ~ to require in any case Of SUI
posed or claimed indispensable publ
necessity. that the board of commi:
sioners should file its petition to til
circuit court of the county settin
forth the reasons therefor. and that
such court there should be full hea,
ing. with right in any citizen to II
tervene In his own behalf or for hin
self and others. and that the prosecu
ing attorney be charged with the dut
of appearing In any such proceedin
and resisting the same on behalf ,
the citizens. and that no order shoul
upon such full hearing. and under II
judgment OF the circuit court
Platform Endorsement.
Tho report OF the special commi
tee endorsing the platform of the Il
iiAnapolis Merchants association 70
lows:
Your special committee to who
was referred the so-called platform ,
the Merchants association OF Indi
apolis for investigation and repo
such recommendations as TO your cor
mittee seem wise and proper, respec
fully report:
That In the judgment OF your con
mittee the said platform recommen
dng concerted action 10 secure a uu
kContduued. on Page Eight