The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-11

u the creating -. al omc&noldine
class. because that class soon comes
to stand with the administration ane
soon believes itself to be the master
and not the servant of the people. A
the same time they do demand com |
potency in office. Though in the offices
of the state the clerical assistance /
should be representative of the part,
in power. still | suggest that you a
least consider whether a system o,
examination can not be adopted 81
that If either Democrats or Republi |
cans are employed they shall be com I,
petent to discharge the duties OF Their
Offices.
Department Of Inspection
The department Of inspection il
Indiana should be revised and put up
on business and scientific basis.
The office of oil inspector is rur
upon the vicious fee system. There
are thirty-three deputies. some Of
whom do not inspect the oil in the
manner provided by law. but are more
interested in inspecting the check.
which come in payment for their al
legged services. ! recommend that the
department be recognized. having
chief inspector, whose sole duty shall
be clerical in taking charge of the
reports Of the subordinate officers anC
seeing that the fees are promptly pait
into the state treasury; and that there
be a deputy inspector for each con
gressional district in Indiana. one anC
no more, whose salary shall be fixed
with reference to the work which has
heretofore been done in the severa
congressional districts of Indiana. the
fees remaining as they are. but to be
covered into the state treasury.
- / know nothing on the subject OF in
surance except that there are a great
many complaints about the present
status of the law. / therefore recon
mend that if possible you take up this
question. and if needful. revise the
insurance department in the state OF
Indiana
Repeal Metropolitan Police Law.
The metropolitan police law is g
violation of the doctrine Of local self
government. | recommend its i'm
mediate repeal.
There are certain phases Of propo
sed legislation which can scarcely bt
distinguished from paternalism or So
cialism Schemes of all kinds will be
presented to YOU. I can net prevent
and will not attempt to prevent, your
yielding to these demands but ] thinl
your sober judgment will appreciate
the fact that under the guise of admin
istering a free government, we are
in reality, rapidly turning all thu
functions of government either into 6
business asset or a guardianship over
the incompetent. the ignorant and the
shiftless. In making your appropri
aticns you must not forget that oul
revenues are constantly being antici
pated, and that only the most rigiI
economy will meet our needs without
bond issue.
Useless Offices
The present cities and towns act has
| in my judgment, over >burdened cite!
| Of the third and fourth classes with
| useless officers and extravagant sal
/ aries. They do not add to the ehicien
cy Of the public service and are bur
den upon the taxpayer. The &C
| should be amended and the useles!
| Offices abolished. In this connection
wish to express my dissent against thu
J power of common councils in cities O
! the fifth class to compel street i'm
provements which mean PRACTICAL!
confiscation of property. The majorit.
| of property towners in cities Of tina
class should have something to sa.
with reference to such improvements
The hour has gone by when it il
necessary to beg investors to accep
franchises. Hereafter municipalitie
should be prohibited from granting
| franchises until the price the publi
| is to pay to enjoy them is clearly de
fined. and the municipality is permit
ted to share in the profits arising
therefrom.
State Boards
In 1903 the general assembly create'
a state board of pardons. AS 1t nov
exists it is a partisan board. 1t ha
authority to employ a competent clerk
who shall also be a stenographer, a
a salary Of 5000 year. The stat
board of pardons has not made use O
the services of this clerk and ster
ographer for more than twenty day
in any one year. The services Of tina
clerk during the rest of the time hav
been at the disposal Of the governor
In conformity with what ought to h