The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-21
THE NEW OFFICIAL BOARDS
The Reorganization Completed at the
Joint Meeting Last Night
Mr., Spahr DepOsed as Chairman and Mr.,
RorisOn Elected-An Extremely
Lively Session.

The reorganization of the official boards of the
city government was accomplished last night,
and the Spahr-Dowling party were Invested Of
the power which they have held since last Janu-
airy, The Common Council and Board of Alder
men were slow in getting to work, and it was
$50 O'Clock before quorum had assembled in
the council chamber. The four Democratic
members-Messrs. Curry Doyle, Mack and
Sheppard-with whom the compact had been
formed, did not make their appearance until
late and the Spahr men remained away until
after a quorum had gathered, with the hope, evil
IDENTIFY. that there would not be sufficient number
of members present to proceed with business.
Everything had been fully agreed upon in eau
Gus, and the reorganization was accomplished
with less trouble than was expected. Considera-
BILE time was occupied in voting upon motions
to adjourn, by which proceedings were hindered
some, but whenever any disposition to impede
action upon the ordinances was manifested
quetus was put upon it by the previous question
being called. The only members absent
Messrs Downey and Moran.
The vote on the engrossment of the ordinance
providing for the reorganization of the official
boards, which was taken up for consideration
Immediately after roll-call stood as follows:
Ayes-Councilmen Cowie, Curry, Doyle, Gala
hue, Mack McClelland, Newcomb Pearson,
Reynolds, Sheppard, Smither Thalman, and
Trusler-13. Nays-Councilmen Benjamin,
Coy, Bowling, Edenharter, Haugh, Rees Rein
ecke Spahr, Wharton and Wolf-1l.
Before the third reading of the ordinance for
its final passage, Mr. Downing moved that further
consideration of it be postponed until next Mon
day evening, which was laid the table
by a vote of IL to 10, the ballot standing the
same as upon the engrossment of the ordinance
which, after the defeat of a motion to adjourn,
was finally passed, and sent to the Board of AL
dermen.
The separate ordinances for the reorganization
of the different boards were then taken up, the
the first being the one relating to the fire de-
partment.
THE DISCUSSION OF THE ORDINANCE.
In speaking upon the ordinance, Mr.. Bowling
said that he was glad that the Republicans had
come to the conclusion to give the minority
representation on the official boards. The great
est argument that had been urged in lobbying
for the passage of the metropolitan police
bill by the General Assembly was that
the Democratic minority of the city government
had been refused any representation. He re-
had come to the wise conclusion that the miuo r
ity should be represented. In that respect they
were giving what he had always favored and
what the Democratic members had claimed as
their just right"
''The older man grows" Mr. Thalman said
1.-THE more he learns We knew that wa would
be able to make hearts glad. We thought the
matter over carefully and concluded that this
the right thing to do; but ! am surprised
that the gentlemen who has so long favored the
minority representation should not vote for it."
"All my life, Mr.. Spahr said, Il have favored
minority representation. 1t is the fundamental
principle of our government. The time often
comes when the minority very nearly approaches
the number of the majority. That the small
majority should rule the large minority is some
thing that have never advocated Therefore,
am in favor of certain parts of the ordinance
At all times while have been in this Council,
ton on the boards to the Democratic
minority because the law DENYING them
that right was established by the
party and for that reason believed thatI would
be betraying my trust Republican / be-
lieyed that it should be done only i'll joint as
sembly. So far as that matter is concerned, L
have no disturbance of conscience. When the
devil comes to me in the garb of an angel shall
tramp on his cloven hoofs These gentlemen
are not acting in good faith; and for this reason
l shall oppose this ordinance When / vote
against it have done my duty. don't think.
that the ordinance is calculated to reach the
evil tnat the gentlemen thlnk 1t Will. am sat
isfed TO leave the consequences with the body"
II can assure the Council, Mr. Thalman sad
THAT our intention in making this change is for
the betterment of the Council If we can't malgv
it any better we can't make 1t any worse"
The ordinance was passed on the vote of Is
to TO-
MORE DETERMINATIONS.
Pending the consideration of the ordinances
providing for the reorganization of the board of
public improvements, the hospital board,
and the dispensary board, a call for
for joint convention of the Council and Board
of Alderman. was read at the re-
quest of Mr.. Spahr, the president of
the joint assembly. The call read:
IT am in receipt of u communication signed by
a majority of your honorable body and the Boar d
of Aldermen, asking for joint convention at
the hour of $3.50 o'clock this P. NJ AS it is not
certain that this honorable body will have con-
cluded its labors before that time, and as / de-
sire that your wishes shall be complied with at
the earliest moment l, therefore, as chairman
of the joint convention, do hereby call said
joint convention at the hour of o'clock, Friday
evening, May % for the purpose Of trAnsaetlng
such business as may properly come before it"
Following the reading of the call Mr.. Thai
man said that Mr.. Spahr had failed to do what
the majority of the Council and Board of Alder
men had requested of him
Mr. Spahr said in reply. that he did not recog-
nize the right OF the Council to call IL joint
vention when the joint assembly had adjourned
subject to the call of the chairman. He had
right to call joint convention at any time he
thought proper. He had fixed the time as
early as he thought practicable and
proper, but he did not care whether the
Council received that call laid it on the table or
did anything with it.
A resolution was introduced calling meeting
of the joint bodies at the hour of 10
o'clock. Mr.. Spahr. having failed, as chairman of
the joint assembly, to comply with the request
of a majority of the members
II am at a loss to know" Mr. Spahr said with
some asperity of manner where any member
gets the amount of gall contained in that resolu-
ton. which assumes to dictate to me what
l. as chairman of this joint assembly, shall do.
When l have taken the step that my best judg
ment dictates to me. have done all that the
Second ward can ask me to do l have met all