Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-06


sent of the Governor, penal institutions
should have the right to apportion
profits among prisoners. If the law
is not now broad enough to cover this,
urge that law be passed giving to
the trustees of the State Prison and the
Reformatory the right, with the approval
of the Governor, to apportion part of
the earnings regardless of profits to
the inmates of these institutions for
their own use or for the support of their
dependent families. The division of
earnings already made has resulted in an
improved morale in the penal institutions
in greater efficiency upon the part of the
men and larger interest in their work.
l recommend to the General Assembly
of 1919 that the RefOrmatory be removed
from its present site at JeffersOnville to
a more central part of the State. 1t Is
clearly in the public interest that Shis
be done, but a false local pride, coupled
with a personal interest, prevented its
removal at that time.
The RefoFmatorys present location in
terferes largely with the discipline of
the inmates and makes impossible the
| requirement of land in close proximity
to the institution. Seventy-five per cent
of the inmates of this institution come
from indianapolis or north of Indian
apolis. Every county in that part of
| the State must pay the expense Of trans
porting its prisoners to the extreme
southern part Of the State
idly decreasing population at the State
, Farm, why the Reformatory could not be
moved there, the two institutions con-
solidated and operated under the manage
ment Of one superintendent and board
OF Trustees.
If this were done at once, the buildings
could be constructed almost wholly by
| the labor OF the inmates and a large
amount OF material necessary for con
structiOn could be made at the State
Etofn q l.
| not only paying all Of its expenses, but
1 Is earning a handsome return upon every
! dollar the State has Invested. If con-
s0lidated with the State Farm, there Is
| no doubt that the Reformatory would
! IN Ike manner, as soon as IL was con-
] structed, pay the entire cost of It's oper-
| alton. Such a result is impossible under
present conditions.
The land purchased for the Reforma-
tory east of Jeffersonville three years ago
can be sold for more shan double It's
/ cost and the Reformatory building and
grounds could be sold to some manufac-
| turing concern and the money used to-
| ton.
1t is apparent at this time that many
| demands viii be made upon the General
| Assembly for the increase OF officials
! salaries and for the support Of the vari-
I Gus state Institutions. Every one Of
I theSe demands should receive the closest
/ scrutiny. 1t is evident that increased
! appropriations will be needed for some
/ Of the State institutions, but at ii time
/ ike this when prices are rapidly declin-
/ Ing when the incomes Of the taxDayprs
| OF the State are decreasing when the
| purchasing power of the dollar is grow.
/ ing greater month by month. and when
/ the dollar Is becoming more difficult to
/ acquire, great care should be exercised
/ IN adding to the burdens Of the people.
I However easy il may be in private bust
! ness TO meet the decreased prices and
| the increased value Of the dollar by ad-
/ justing wages. salaries and expenses to
meet changing conditions, 81 has never
! yet been found possible TO decrease the
/ statutory salary or compensation OF any
/ one engaged In the public service. While
/ the State should not ask any of its citi-
zens to serve 1t for less than the same
/ talent or ability would command in pri-
/ .ate life, yet every step taken in the
/ direction of an Increase in compen sation
/ should be with the fact ever before you
! that an increase, once made, will stand
! as unalterable far as any reduction
is concerned. as the law Of the Modes
! and the Persians
/ An active organization Of public Of
! fcials IL being perfected TO bring before
/ the General Assemly various requests for
the increase Of salaries and wages.
MUCH TINE SPENT
IN FIXING SALARIES.
In the past years much Of the time Of
/ the General Assembly has been con-
sumed IN fixing the salaries OF county
! township and city officers, the compen-
sation to be paid to laborers, clerks,
stenOgraphers and bailifs In the various
communities OF the state
We talk much about home rule and
/ yet the General Assembly from time to
time is called upon to deal with these
matters that are purely IT local interest
and the burden OF which falls alone upon
TIE various local communities.
! In order that this General Assembly
/ ana those in the future may be relieved
from this pressure, l believe that II
would DO the part Of wisdom TO pass
| law authorizing the board of county com
missioners and the county council in
! Joint session prior to the election every
two years to fix by proper resolution the
| compensation to be paid the various To-
| cal officials
These organizations are elected by the
/ people and Immediately responsible to
! them. II they fix the salaries too high.
they are answeIable to the people OF
/ their own community for it, If they
cast an unnecessary burden upon the
people they have fun recourse at the
next election to put out Of power the
party which has abused its trust
! recommend that instead of the Gen.
eral Assembly fixing the compensation
OF all these local officials, that a law be
! enacted Vesting such authority in tho
above named official boards
IL is with some degree Of pride that
! We ACASA ~ tue REGISTRATION enacted dur
ing the past four years. mere refer
ence to the more important matters Of
! legislation is sufficient TO advise the
! General Assembly Of the far-reachfnr
steps that have been taken in this State
Among the legislative accomplishments
/ are:
Laws prohibiting the sale of into1i.
eating liquors.
Ratification of the woman's suffra ge
| and prohibition amendments
a In IL
| state statistictan and State geoloRist
and appointive offices Of legal clerk and
! legal supernumeraries and board Of
| veterinary examiners
Laws creating the department of con-
servation, department Of banking and
insurance and the live stock sanitary
! commission.
The State year book law which mt
an end to the great waste of printing
useless department reports.
/ The State highway commission law.
The blue sky law.
The tax revision laws
| The coal commission law
| The passage Of joint resolutions nu-
thOrizing the submission to the people
/ OF sixteen amendments to the constttu-
tioH-sfnong these the budget system.
| SEPARATE ITEMS
COULD BE VETOED.
These amendment, If adopted will give
the Governor the right to veto separate
! Items In the appropriation bill: will
give the General Assembly power to
apply the registration law only to the
! large counties of the State: will prohibit
Increases in salaries; will extend the
term of all State and county officers to
| four years, and provide for an income
tax and other amendments of vital i'm
portance to the people OF the State.
The department of conservation en-
tered upon its duties April 4, 1919. 1t
! has been in existence only twentv-ona