The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-06

don board be vested in the trustees
of the penal institutions of the State
or the court by which the prisoner
was sentenced He continued:
There are two ways, in my
opinion, that petitions for clemency
could be more properly handled with
less expense and at the same time
with much better acquaintance of
the actual circumstances, conditions
and attitude, as well as record of the
prisoner.
Each of the penal institutions has
board of trustees consisting of four
members. They hold monthly meet
ings at the institutions and have
close contact with the prisoners and
prison officials. They are, In my
judgment, better qualified to proper
ly pass upon the questions of elem
ency than the pardon board.
Abolish Pardon Board
Secondly, the question of elem
ency might be better passed upon by
the court in the county where the
prisoner was sentenced. If there
should be extenuating circumstances,
or reasons presented sufficient to
convince the court that the sentence
had been too severe, or that circum-
stances are such that clemency
should be granted, the court being
fully advised could make such recon-
IN aI 10
Either one of these plans would be
better, in my opinion, than the pres
ent system.
Il recommend that the pardon
board be abolished and that its
authority and duties he delegated to
the various boards of trustees of
the penal institutions or to the court
in the county where the prisoner was
convicted and sentenced
Solving of the farmers problem is
passed on to the national Govern
ment in these words:
The agricultural situation in In
diana is far from favorable, and
doubt if it has improved any in the
past two years ] do not know of
anything more that can be done by
the State to aid agricultural interests
by legislation. 1t is my judgment
that this is a problem that should be
solved by the National Government.
The State Legislature has from time
to time enacted such laws as the
agricultural interests of the State
have felt would be OF aid to them in
marketing their produce and fur
nishes the legal machinery for prop
erly organizing their efforts within
the State
Farm property in Indiana is pay
What property the farmers have
cannot escape the tax duplicate.
There can be additional aid brought
to them by the reduction of farm
values which, in my judgment,
should be promptly done. 1 am of
the opinion that it Is our duty to
keep in mind continually the diff
culties which our agricultural in
terests are having In meeting their
part OF the States obligation. We
should in making our appropriations.
which require the raising Of taxes
to meet them, keep in mind their
situation"
Scores Press
The last admonition of the message
follows:
"a public servant must possess
a high degree of courage to dis
charge his duties uninfiuenced by
unworthy appeals and undeterred
by those who being unable to die
tate would intimidate or destroy
by criticism or denunciation.
Charges and statements have late
ly been made by some individuals
with a view of>impairing the faith
of the people i'm their public Off
ciais and their government. News
papers have given these charges
and statements wide publicity to
the hurt of our great State.
These charges related. in large
measure, to the last session of the
General Assembly of which many
of the members of the present ses-
sion were members. AS the chief
executive of the State of Indiana ]
say to you and to the people of the
State that / believe the charges re-
lating to the last session Of the Gen.
eral Assembly to be untrue. The
General Assembly of this State has
always by it's works justified the
wisdom of reposing in it the legisla-
tive power of our government and
the faith Of the people in the repre-
sentative form of government. No
session of the General Assembly has
contributed more to that justification
than did the last.
80 far as these charges relate to
State officers, they were not made in
good faith and there is not scintilla
of creditable evidence upon which
they can bessllstained in any degree.
They are~false.
There is no more serious wrong
that any one can do than to impair
faith in government by means Of
unjust and false charges and state
ments such as those made and pub
lished. No honest and responsible
person will Intentionally commit that
wrong, much less will any one do
so who has himself accepted COM
mission from the people as public
servant, and who is worthy of such
commission. Constructive criticism
is helpful and should be welcomed;
destructive criticism is harmful and
should go UNDECIDED. l trust and