South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-30
USELESS OFFICES
IN STATE MARKED
FOR SLAUGHTER
Incoming Legislators Commit
ted to Economy Program,
Will Weld Knife on Salary.
RaIStOn Prepares Message.

Special
INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 80. - Gov.
Ralston's message to the 1915 legisla-
ture is 10 be given out TO the s.
papers next Monday morning TO be
held for release until it is delivered to
the legislature next Thursday. There
are many meetings scheduled here
prior TO the meeting of the legislature,
all of them bearing in some manner
on the work Of the body that Will as
semble here next Thursday for a So
day session.
Among these meetings will be one
next Tuesday night between John A.
Lapp, legislative reference Librarian,
and committee appointed by the
democratic members Of the house OF
representatives to investigate the
question of the proper patronage for
the coming house. This committee has
been making individual examination
OF the law on the subject and Will
confer with Lapp to draft a final, def
mite program on the patronage prob
lem, avoiding the pitfalls that have
besieged the party from its 1913 eX-
periences
Then there are to be the caucuses
the legislature opens. The democratic
house caucus will be held in the house
Of representatives, the democratic
senate caucus will be held in the
senate chamber, the republican house
caucus will be held at the Marion
club in this city, and the republican
senate caucus will be held at the
SEVERN hotel here, where the republi-
can state headquarters are located.
Bedwell TO BE Speaker.
At the democratic caucuses the
usual organization will take place and
ii now appears that Charles II. Bed
we'll of Sullivan must be elected speak
er. If he is not elected it will sur
prise everyone. 1t is believed he will
have enough votes to elect him on the
first ballot. Jesse Eschbach of War
saw will be elected floor leader for
the republicans in the house and Fred
Van Nuys of Anderson now seems to
be the choice for floor leader of the
democrats in the senate. Arthur Rob-
insOn of indianapolis, il appears, Will
be the republican floor leader of the
senate, where Al democrats will hold
forth, eight republicans and one pro-
gressiVe
Many candidates have appeared for
practically all of the other jobs in
both houses including many members
to be door-keepers clerks etc, in one
or the other of the houses. The total
number of this class appointed. how
ever. will be very small as compared
to the big crowd that held sway two
years ago.
State Offices Marked.
There still continues the talk here
that the legislature will use its prun-
ing knife with no regard TO where the
chips may fall on various state depart-
ments. some of which are regarded as
useless now and others that are re-
garded as top-heavy with salary lists.
Economy will be the watchword from
the start. In the category that is be-
ing mentioned daily here are such Of
fees as the state statistician, the state
geologist, the state entom olOgist, he
safe commissioner of fisheries and
games and several Others-all marked
for slaughter. Then there are such
departments as the public service
commission and the state board of ac
counts that are being threatened with
wholesale cuts in salaries and lists or
employees and possibly reorganization.
The public service commissioners, it is
confidently predicted by many here,
will be cut in salary from $4,000 TO
$4,000 and several offices now attach
ing to the commission probably will
be abolished.
The state board of accounts will be
the object of attack ii now is practical
ly certain, leaders here believe. One
plan is to abolish the entire depart
ment and leave eight or 10 field exam
liners under the direction of the
auditor OF state TO carry on the work
of q department that now spends
much more than 100000 a year. Re
trenchment on every hand is being
promised by the incoming members
of the assembly.
Teachers Much i'm Evidence.
The teachers of Indiana will be
much in evidence also before the leg
islature. Legislative committees, rep
resenting all of the larger teachers or
CARNATIONS in the state have prepared
drafts of bills revising the present
license requirements so that the new
vocational education teachers and the
industrial teachers may escape the
professional teachers requirements
that now exist A new type of teach
erS' pension law also has ben ten
tatively decided on for introduction.
The heads of the states penal and
benevolent institutions are much
worked up because of the apparent
determination of the governor to ask
the legislature. in his message to
provide that all educational depart
ments in such state institutions, shall
be placed entirely under the super
vision of the state board of education
Many of the heads OF the state depart
ments insist that such n plan is not
feasible.