The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-04
SENATOR BENZ.
Interview with Senator Benz by = Core
spondent OF the Courier-Jourrsl.

Interview With Senator Benz by - Core
spondent OF the Courser-Jour.sl.
The following interview took place at
Leavenworth, InG, the home of Senator
Benz day or two since:
don't think would have thought of the In
diana Legislature to-day had NOS met Hon. John
Benz who represents Crawford and Orange Coun-
well and familiarity known in Indiana is a smart
leSel-headed 'Dutchman" and has as much
sense 10 The square inch in his head as any man
know Of He keeps store here in LeayenwOrth
and as he and have been members of the In
diana legislature for the past eight ten years.
weare both well acquainted, and had an interest
ing chat with him about the "doings' in Indian
aP ..lsr last winter Il ran about this way
have you fellows been doing in Indianapolis ali
winterf''
''welI, / will just tell you how it was You
ought to have been there. Lord, how Ball, Men
Ees, Brown, HERON and us fellows missed YOU
We outgeneraled the Republicans from. the start.
1t happened this way. You know Senator Grubbs2
Well Grubbs he wanted to lead the Senate for the
Republicans, and he was the to do it,; but
there was Chapman and he wanted TO lead, and
as both had their friends they all spit up, and
the Republicans in the Senate had no head
Grubbs disguised with Chapman and the
way things were going that he quit having any
thing 20 say at all, and let the Democrats do as
they please Jason Brown and Bob Bell would
make meal out of a Republican daily. and before
we had been in session two weeks the Repub-
licans were completely whipped. felt sor5s for
the poor fellows. They were always begging the
question with our side; and then Porter. he had
so disappointed them. What you said about Por-
ter during the campaign was true as the Bible
There is nothing in him at all. The Republican
Members OF the Legislature despise him. He
would not even attend their caucuses and refused
to come to the Legislature to attend to importent
business. lie compelled the Committee on I'm
rolled Bills 20 walk way down to his Office curing
the coolest days last winter. though room in the
Court House was rendered him He is the weak
est man that was ever Governor of any State. He
not only did not assist his party in the Legisla-
ture. but he injured it. You just ought to have
heard the leading Republicans in the State curse
him as | have heard. They say he is a id up
all?' 60
"No: not much. if any We passed very good
assessment law and most of the revised acts
You see the Republicans got all torn up among
themselves, and id not work together to pass
anything. All the important bills passed were
engineered through by the Democrats January
the House was Republican by fourteen majority.
Well, it did not do anything On the last law
making night OF the session, about ii O'Clock,
they sent us the specific appropriation bill OF
course, the Senate could do nothing with an inn
portant bill of that KIND in an hours time, so it
died for want of time tn consider it,"
You didnothtng with the fees and salaries?''
mo, sir; not a thing"
Ibid the Republicans want to pass fee and
NO, not much they didn't They were afraid
1t would hurt their party. but they hurt their
party bad enough in that prohibitory liquor law
do you think II is mortal wound?"
ITO be sure. The Republican party viii never
get the German vote in this State again. This is
twice, now. that the Republicans have gone back
on their German friends, once in 1872 on The
Baxter law. and TINS time on its prohibitory law.
They won't be fooled again"
81 suppose ali the Republicans are delighted in
having Ben Harrison IN the Senator
Delighted Ny Cod they are digusted with
him already. Ii the election was to do over Gen.
eral Gresham would get three votes to his one.
Delighted with. Ben Harrison? Why he is cursed
by the Republicans all over the State. They say
that he is narrow-minded, conceted selfish
cOxcomb, who thinks of himself first and a
small clique of friends around Indianapolis after
ward
so all is not lovely in the Republican party of
Indiana?'
mo. ihdeedrit is all split up. The leaders have
been cutting each others Threats ever since the
last election"
There will be another extra session of the Leg
islature this fall. ssont thereY''
Yes, think so. Porter says he won't call one,
but guess he will have to next October"
You regard this State as certain for the Demo
Gratis hereafter, do you not?'
Yes; you know that without the RAIDS spend
half million of dollars in this State we can al
ways carry it. / think that next year it will 20
Democratic by 10000 majority, and do not be-
lieve that it will ever again go Republican-money
or no money