Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1899 — STATE CAPITAL CHAT. INDIANAPOLIS [ARTICLE]

STATE CAPITAL CHAT. INDIANAPOLIS

A. W. Butler, secretary of the State Board of Charities, has been investigating the report of the- Commissioner General of Immigration with the purpose of ascertaining how many and what kind of immigrants become residents of the State. He says that a comparison with other States shows conclusively that Indiana has fared better by receiving less and a better class of immigrants than any other State- in the Union. Of the immigrants coming to this country for the year ending June 30, the destination of 1,335 was Indiana. How many others came into this State we do not know. The majority of these were from the races which are the more desirable immigrants. The greatest number from any one country were Germans. Of these There were 200. ■ One hundred and ten were Welsh, 165 Irish and 98 Scandinavians. We also received in this -State large additions from other races which are less desirable. Five hundred and fifty-six were Assyrians, fifty-three Slovak and 122 Italians. While the present laws exclude certain classes of those who may become public burdens, many for •whom there are no restrictions still gain admission and they soon became dependents. There are to be found in our insane hospitals, poor asylums and other institutions cases of those who are not our citizens—whose homes are in foreign lands, and these are public charges of our commonwealth. Neither those whose destination is Indiana nor those foreigners who become inmates, of our institutions are so numerous as they are in some other States. The annual agricultural report has been completed by the bureau of statistics. Including products on hand, listed at current, Indianapolis market prices, the amount raised and values are thus summarized: Products. Quantity. Value. Wheat 31,357,099 $21,014,256 Corn .... . 151,246,804 45,374,041 Oats 36,801,186 9,300,296 Barley and buckwheat 315,796 157,988 Rye- 499,112 299,450 Timothy and clover hay- 3;691,531 3,255,340 Flaxseed 8,486 13,880 Irish and sweet potatoes 5,577,237 3,255,340 Sorghum 791,135 245,350 • Wool clip- . 4,631,477 1,140,400 Tobacco 1X891,464 590,400 Tame- grasses 6,500,000 Milk, butter and cheese 17.180.000 Poultry a-nd eggs 6,980,000 Slaughtered animals on farm ... 4,795,639 Fruit and garden products, estimated 9,840,000 Honey 680,000 Total $167,967,870Domestic animals— Milch cows .... 492.680 $15,210,000Other cattle...... 665,478 19,964,340 Sheep and lambs 1,320,121 4,680,600 Swine and pigs 2,902,432 20,210,124’ Horses and mules... 663,259 25,120,100Grand total $253,153,034;

The members of the fee and salary commission are making experiments withi systems to equalize the salaries of county officers. William A. Wilkins, secretary; A. C. Daily and Timothy Howard' are working on systems of their own,, and will meet in January to comparenotes. About June, 1900, a bill will bedrawn up to recommend to the next Legislature for passage. No definite recommendations are yet decided on, as- thematter is still in a purely experimental l state. It is safe to say, however,, that there will be no radical departure from present salaries recommended. Ito theprogressive counties there will be- no reduction whatever. Mr. Wilkins is- basing; his calculations on population, taxablevaluation of property, and on. allowing: officers ’a certain percentage of fees collected. Mr. Wilkins thinks his plan would do away with all inequality in salaries. All but a few of the county officers have complied with the request Of the commission for information. The commission will not mince blatters with those who do not answer, but will send an officer, with full power- to examine all books, to make a thorough examination. The State militia now numbers eleven companies of infantry and two batteries. The batteries are loeaited at Indianapolis and Attica. One more battery, at Fort Wayne, is nearly ready so rorganization. There is an average of 55 men in the Infantry companies, but it is the wish to have 60 in each Infantry company and 64 in the batteries. The law provides for 48 companies of Infantry, or four regiments, but the appropriation has never been large enough to support so many. On the present appropriation three regiments could be maintained. Owing In some degree to the number of men which have enlisted is the volunteer service, there is at present no battalion or regimental organization of Indiana's National Guard. One company, at Frankfort, has been mustered out because the captain and most of the men went into the volunteer service. Before the outbreak of the war the State had forty-two companies. There is an epidemic of hog cholera in Indiana. The report of the State Board of Health says the disease was carried to Wayne County from the Union stockyards, Indianapolis, and as a consequence forty thousand dollars’ worth of hogs died in that county alone during the month of November. Among the other counties affected' are Jackson, Henry, Laporte, Shelby, .Hancock, Adams and Franklin. The State Board of Health has received word of the prevalence of anthrax near Switz City. The local health officer said that within five days one-half of a herd of sixty cattle died from the disease. Dr. Hurty said that the case at hand emphasized the need of a veterinarian in connection with the State Board of Health. ■ ‘ \ Brief State Happening*. Burglary epidemic at Washington. Shelbyville is admiring a colt with six