The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-18

TOR generations Indiana government has
l. been bedeviled by a horde of petty tyrants
in the form Of minor office holders. During
pioneer days, when transportation and COM
munication were primitive, it was necessary
that authority be strongly localized. A COM
munity with a flood, fire Or riot could not de-
pend upon an official miles distant from the
scene.
Today the whole tissue of government in
our state swarms With Useless politicians who
feel that they have a vested right in their
Jobs, which are largely hangovers from the
covered wagon days. 1t costs money to main
tain 90 separate county governments when
half as many would serve the purpose.
1t is expensive to support a tremendous
system of sheriffs. township trustees, etc, and
their assistants when their work could be done
by far fewer persons. But both major parties
nave chung to this archaic multiplication of
public pay rolls because OF the patronage in
volved.
The result Of this Jealous insistence on petty
privilege has been that people in this state are
too prone to think IS Democrats or Repub-
Leans instead of as Americans. Every time a
state administration changes, the public serv-'
ice falls into utterly inexperienced hands.
Gov. McNutt's committee on government
economy has recommended that 5000 state en-
ployes, which would ,.clude the state police,
penal institution officials and guards, be
placed under a strict merit system which
would be administered ~ personnel division
of the state government.
Thus, regardless of the administration in
power, there would always be a nucleus of per-
sons who knew their business to run the af-
fairs of the state. Every staggering barnyard
and curbstone politician will fight such
measure. Yet it is one of the most important
suggestions that has been made at the present
session.
There is no good reason why the people of
Indiana should continue to support a myriad
Of useless drones. The merit system is a step
in the right direction. The covered wagon
days have been gone for good while. Let us
aim for efficiency instead of privilege in gov-
vernment.
MRS. ROBERTA WEST NICHOLSONS
Az bill for eliminating sex 1acketeering from
Indiana is now before The Senate. She is ask
ing the abolition of breach of promise suits
from our courts. ANY sophisticated person
knows that decent women do not sue for
breach of promise. We are all familiar with
the type of female who sets monetary value
on her body. The price makes no difference
Neither does the means of collection
Ten states have written bills based on Mrs
Nicholson's. Her proposal has been publicized
all over the United States. Comment has
been invariably favorable.
Yet it is reported that some opposition to
the bill is developing among the state SEN
ators. Of course, this opposition is coming only
from the jackleg lawyer who fears he may be
forced out of fees for collecting legal black
mail. Decent attorneys do not accept suits of
that type and most of them favor the Nichol-
son bill.
1t will be interesting to see whether the
Senate will go along with a handful of SINISTER
lawyers or whether it Will decide in favor of a
splendid moral reform.
GONE misguided patriots have formulated a
~ piece of legislation which would place in
the hands of the Board of Elections the sole
power of barring or admitting parties to a
place on the ballot. This bill, now in the
Senate, was obviously aimed at Communists.
1t would not allow my party to be on the