Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/760

 746 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

appointed highway supervisors. In theory he had to report to the county commissioners, but their authority and control were much hampered by both law and custom. It says much for the rugged good sense and honesty of the average Hoosier that with such a method the townships were, as a whole, decently managed, that serious scandals were few, that taxes were not crushing, that many trustees retired without having made a for- tune during their four-years' term of office.

At last, in 1899, arrived the favorable opportunity for reform. The State Board of Commerce a body made up of representa- tives from the various commercial clubs, boards of trade, busi- ness-men's associations, etc., throughout the state had been considering the need of reform of county and township govern- ment for some years. The president of the board, a far-seeing and most public-spirited man, believed that the time had come to reform the laws which, both for township and county affairs, were far from modern or scientific. He interested the chairman of the state committee of the party which had won the last elec- tion, and which therefore would command a majority in the legislature. The chairman called a meeting of members of the house and senate, representing each congressional district in the state. To this meeting the State Board of Commerce, the State Bar Association, and the State Federation of Labor each sent seven delegates.

The large committee met, talked, and chose a small executive committee. The latter subdivided itself, drafted bills, got them introduced, lobbied for them, fought for them in committees, and carried them to a splendid success.

The chief reforms proposed and adopted were of a very thor- ough character ; the committees felt that they had their hands full without attending to minor matters. So far nothing had been done touching the poor relief. Then the chairman of the executive committee sent for a man who had occupied a promi- nent position for some years past in charity matters, both in the state and the nation, and asked him to accept the chairman- ship of a special subcommittee, whose purpose should be to draft separate bills, if any were needed, for reforming the