Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 January 1897 — INAUGURAL ADDRESS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

Gov. Mount's inaugural address, as delivered before the General Assembly, is as follows: Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: In taking the oath of office prescribed by the constitution of the State and entering upon the discharge of Its obligations, 1 am not unmindful of the grave respouslbilltles and arduous duties thereby entailed. With a profound sense of grutltude to the people of our great commonwealth who, by their suffrages, have culled me to this high station of honor and trust, It shall be my constant endeavor to so administer the affairs of state as to promote tile best interests of all out people. It Is made my duty, .lu obedience to the constitution, to enforce the laws. Gentlemen of the Legislature, Into your hands Is committed the high responsibility of making laws. Conflicting interests will arise, urgent claims will be presented, the disposition of which will require mature thought, careful consideration and uublased action. Some of these Interests will be represented by men who are skilled In all the details of legislation. Corporations, trusts and combinations, through lobbyists, are able to look after their Interests, while the mechanic, the farmer, the miner, the business man and the day laborer have no one outside the members of the legislative body to exert Influence In their behalf. To your wisdom and to your sense of Justice is committed the right and power to enact laws that shall advance the best Interests of all the people. Laws should be founded upon principles of iuteidependeuce of all our Industries, business Interests, pursuits, callings and relations i 'Capital aud lubor—of employer and employe. He who engenders strife, arouses hatred, or creates discord Is planting the seeds of revolution. Laws that tend to conciliate, that seek umlcable adjustment of differences, that facilitate harmony aud concord, will strengthen the bonds of union. The Interdependenee of capital and labor, of employer uud employe, should be the foundation of law and the underlying principle of action governing these Interests. Actuated by such principles as will lead to peaceful arbitration, we may hope for the time when the rights of labor shall be accorded without strikes and the protection of property secured without soldiers. Building and Loan Associntiona. These organizations should be held to such strict accountability by law as will Insure a better guarantee of safety to the money entrusted to their care. At the same time you must not be unmindful of the fact that these associations have, in many instances, been helpful to the common people In enabling them to purchase aud build homes. Therefore, In correcting defects, your acts should not prove destructive to what, under proper safeguards, may be a beneficent Institution. - Education. Article 8, Section 1. of the Constitution, says: "Knowledge and learning, generally diffused throughout a community, being essential to free government, It shall be the duty of the General Assembly to encourage, by all suitable means, moral. Intellectual, scientific anil agricultural Improvement, and to provide, by law, for a general aud uniform system of common schools, wherein tuition shall he without charge aud equally open to all." The education of the masses is declared essential to free government. In compliance with the wisdom of this provision, we should look to the euactmeut of a mild compulsory educational law. The agricultural Improvement contemplated In the constitution is of much Importance at this time. The questions of soli fertility, combatting Infectious diseases aud Insect pests, fungus growth, the science of breeding, of feeding, of marketing, the law of supply and demand, with many kindred questions, upon a better understanding of which, in large measure, depends tile future stieeess of the farmer and frultS rower. The farm Institutes are the most lrect and practical means of Imparting to the farmer this needed Information, aud It Is generally conceded that Indiana, for the amount expended, Is conducting the best Institutes sud holding more of them than any other State In the Union. L've Stock Sanitary Laws. The total value of live stock In Indiana April 1, 189*1, was more than $75,000,1XX). The loss entalied from disease during the year exceeded $5,000,000. The swine breeders lost In numbers over 580,000 head of hogs, the value of which exceeded $3,000,000. For stamping out contagious diseases Massachusetts appropriates $150,000; Pennsylvania, $90,000; Illinois, $40,000; and N'ew York is now asking for $300,000. The allowance In our State Is but $4,000. The present law Is not wise In Its provisions for the expenditure of tills amount. The law should give the State the power to select the most competent veterinarian available. Upon his judgment should depend the killing of animals. He could call aud qualify competent men to assess values at less cost for such service than the law now provides. Highway Improvement. Good roads are essential to our highest development socially. Intellectually aud financially. Many counties In our State, actuated by a commendable spirit of progress, are rapidly Improving the highways. In the nenr future some of our comities will have a complete system of free gravel roads. The economy lu road Improvement will soon be demonstrated by the fact that the counties having the best roads will maintain them at less cost than the mud roads, with all their Inconveniences, are maintained In their wretched condition. The work required by law of able-bodied men, together with the road tax, gives to the road supervisors of our State the expenditure, lu money and labor, of a vast sum, much of which Is wasted by reason of Incompetent management. In some instances lu our State a brokerage business Is carried on and money Is made out of trafficking In tills road tax. While some of our road laws need reforming, the manner of their execution needs revolution. Commissioners and Trustees. County commissioners and township trustees have large discretionary powers under the law. They should be held to rigid account through printed reports of allowances and expenditures of public money, and the publication of these reports, as prescribed by law, should be made mandatory. State Tax. The constitution provides that “taxation shall be equal aud uniform throughout the State.” This clearly Implies that all property shall bear Its Just proportion of the burden. It is no uncommon thing in the settlement of decedents' estates to find thousands of dollars In deposits, notes, shares of stock and policies that were not listed for taxation. Real estate cannot be secreted, and, with no exemption on account of mortgage or other debt, he who owns real estate is subjected to the payment of an undue proportion of the taxes. The tax law should be as searching as possible, aud the Township and County Assessors and the State Tax Commlslsloners should see that the law Is enforced. Trusts and Combines. Trusts or combinations of capital formed for the purpose of counteracting the law of supply aud demand and with a view to arbitrarily controlling, manipulating or increasing the prices of any product, commodity or article of merchandise, should bs

JAMES A.. MOUNT, GOVERAOH OF INDIANA.

declared • barrier to trade, and should be prohibited by law. A pportio; m:nt Law. The spirit of the Constitution recognizes the eituallty of all uien before the law; that they are entitled to equal representation and an equal voice in selecting their representatives. It Is tofbe hoped and confidently expected of this General Assembly that It will enact a la w apportioning the Congressional, Senatorial and Representative districts that will reflect honor and credit upon those enacting it, and In a manner that will give the electors their constitutional rights. C entennial Celebration. The committee provided for by the last General Assembly, with instructions to report to this honorable body, are entitled to much credit for their faithful service. They have manifested a laudable State pride, which Is reciprocated by the progressive people of our State. If this centennial Is to be observed, their plans possess much merit. The prevailing opinion, however, Is that any exposition that would be creditable to our State will necessitate a vast expenditure of money. The advisability of the observance hinges upon the wisdom of expending a sufficient sum of money to Insure success, and the ability of the State to bear such expenditure. Any great outlay of money at this time must augment our already heavy State debt and add to the burden of taxation. The best service that can be rendered our State, both as to Its credit and honor and the welfare of our people, is the adoption of a Bystem of economy that will reduce our debt' and lower the rate of taxation. Insurance Laws. The present rate of Insurance Is burdensome. Too great a sum of money is leaving our State In premiums for the amount returned in loss on policies. Recent examination of the State Auditor's books shows that since 1878 there has been paid out over $53,000,000 while there has been paid back to policy holders but a little over $28,000,000. These reports Indicate a fo..s to policy holders of $25,000,000. It matters but little whether this immense sum of twenty-five millions of dollars was In profits or In extravagant salaries, the loss to our people and State Is too excessive. All unnecessary barriers to home companies should be removed and the organization of home companies encouraged. The present excessive rates of Insurance are driving the farmers Into the organization of home mutual companies, as provided by the acts of 1881. Millions of dollars of farm property Is thus being Insured at low cost, with the money kept at home. Public Health. Pure food and strlcit sanitary regulations are needful to life and health. Therefore, laws to this end should receive your vigilant care. Election Laws, The purity of the ballot will determine the existence of any free government. To every voter should be granted his uutrammeled rights, both in convention and at the polls. The choice of nominating conventions should not be subjected to traffic, barter and change at the behest of a committee of party tricksters. Soldiers’ Homes. The Soldiers and Sailors’ Orphans’ Home and the State Soldiers’ Home still appeal to our sympathy and patriotism. Indiana Is justly proud of her soldiers and sailors. The most Imposing monument ever erected to the memory and patriotism of brave men stands In Monument Place, In our beautiful capital city. It Is a lasting testimonial of the veneration of the people of our great commonwealth for her soldiers, living or dead. “To eare for him who has borne the battle, and to provide for his widow and orphans,” Is a part of the unfinished work committed to a patriotic people by the Immortal Lincoln. Penal Inst'tutions. The Constitution provides that “the Penal Code shall be founded on the principles of reform, and not vindictive Justice.” For the carrying out of this provision a merit system should be established In our prisons, and the Inmates put upon their honor and manhood and graded accordingly. At the earliest convenient period the Girls’ Reformatory should be disconnected from the Woman's Prison. The close proximity of the two brings the Reformatory In touch with environments that tend to undermine reform Influences. Benevolent Institut ons. These great institutions stand as monuments to the principles of love nnd beneficence. The unfortunate wards of our great State within their walls are entitled to our fostering care. While the State expects such laws, rules and regulations as tend to strict economy, yet our people desire such liberality as will provide for the com fort and care of her unfortunate wards. In ( on 'ln i >n. Gentlemen, 1 trust you will meet the pressing duties before you bravely, fearlessly, and yet with wisdom and patriotism. May your deliberations be mutually pleasant and harmonious and your speech and acts be tempered with moderation. Humbly do I pray that God’s gracious presence may abide with us as a people, and that the light of His unerring counsel may guide you iu your work so that the results of your legislation shall contribute to the development and prosperity of our great State. May your deeds be such thut the smiles of an approving conscience shall abide with you, and the benedictions of a grateful people be showered upon you In thankful acknowledgment of duties faith, fully performed.