South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-14
FORM OF PATERNALIsM THAT
BABIES THE STATE.


BABIES THE STATE.
While the awful wall of the tax
payer-of the man who is so fortu-
nate as TO have something TO pay
taxes On,-is by no means always
without excuse. there are times when
the insignificance Of the whinny al
most drives one to the border of con-
tempt
Such an instance comes to light in
the house opposition to the Van
Horne bill, now pending before the
legislature. The bill merely provides
for the payment of expenses of wit
nesses in criminal cases and grand
jury Investigations, where the witness
er are subpenaed and compelled to go
beyond the confines of their own
county.
The committee handed in a divided
report. the majority favoring indef-
mite postponement, because OF the
burden it would impose upon the
taxpayers" as Rep. Miedreich be-
walled. The minority favored pas
sage, because the taxpayers can
stand it better than can the witness
es," as contended by Rep. Hagerty.
Happily the house had sense enough
TO make the minority report, the re-
port Of adoption.
Pray point out to us, if possible,
the justice of man who chances to
know something about criminal
case, being forced to quit his business,
go away from home, perhaps to an
adjoining county or possibly half the
length OF the state. or farther, to tes-
tify for the protection of society-a
society composed of taxpayers so
blamed parsimonious, that it will not
pay the witnesses expenses.
Yet that is the situation in the state
of Indiana today. 1t is the situation
that the Van Horne bill seeks to rem
cry. It should be remedied. The
criminal laws Of the state are admin
Istered for the maintenance of public
decOrum and the safety Of all What
incentive is there TO a man, though he
know ever so much about a case, to
admit il and be made a witness, if
aware that he is 10 be dragged away
from home, and his time and money
usurped and confiscated 70 the public
good, IN order that he may be brow
beaten and bully-ragged by the law
yers on the opposite side-all without
one whit of monetary appreciation?
Ii would be a splendid compliment
10 the position taken by Rep. MED
reich, and others of his mind, if
caught in the talons of some court
subpoena, they could be snatched
across the state some day for testi-
flying purposes, and made TO travel,
sleep and feed for week or ten days,
on the contents OF their own pocket
books-well-k too, that these
contents were never TO be replenished
by public contribution. We half
imagine that they wouldn't care so
much, in such instance. whether such
into law. cost the taxpayers of the
various counties two hundred thou
sand or two hundred million dollars a
year
OF course. we all owe certain
amount Of free service to society, but
the experience Of ages, end the study
OF human nature demonstrates, that
the man who is so pesky penurious
about his taxes, is generally just as
penurious about rendering such free
service. The prosecuting attorneys of
the state Of Indiana are hampered
continuously. by the refusal of people
to admit what they know about Grim
inal cases. after they have once been
caught in the trap OF free witness
service. Refusal OF the legislature TO
pass some law, covering the aim Of
the Van Horne bill. would be we'll
nigh akin 10 tampering with the
course OF Justice; with seeking 10 i'm
pede the enforcement Of the criminal
code
Economy is one thing. and parsi-
mony is another thing. Economy is
the antithesis of extravaganza Par
simony begs the question. rushes 10
the extreme of stinginess. and some
times even makes near approach
10 sneak thievery This latter is
pretty near where IL stands in IRdi-
ana with respect TO the situation in
question. II is continuing a custom
established by the pioneers. Indiana
has since emerged from the woods
CT is emerging.-and il is pretty near
time for II 10 announce itself on sew
! eral such subjects. as having found
the clearing