The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-12
THE CLOSING LEGISLATURE.
The Last Days Session Ending at Mid
night in Uproarious Disorder.
The Senate Defeats the Specific Appropriation
Bill-Passage of the Telephone Bill
"A Scandal About Statesmen.

final adjournment will not occur until Tomorrow,
there will be no more bills passed, and there will
be no further business transacted of material
public Importance.
The proceedings yesterday were characterized
in the Senate by prolonged speeches, studiedly
prolix, with small results, and in the House, by
an apparent disposition on the part of the mem
bers to allow the business to take care of itself,
while they each devoted their attention to Incl
dental matters and to themselves. However,
a large number of bills were disposed of in
the House.
THE CLOSING HOURS.
The night session Of the Senate was in the
nature of a farce. Shortly after 9 o'clock the
specific appropriation bill was called up as the
pending special order, and the Senate resolved
itself into a committee of the whole, for the
further consideration of the measure. A dozen
or more members, determined to defeat the bill,
at once began 'aflibustering." A number of alb
surd amendments were proposed, and some de-
cidedly dismal attempts to be funny were made.
An hours time was wasted in nonsenslcal pro-
ceedings. Several of the senators Intellectually
protested against the undignified conduct, and de-
clared thatthe bill could have been finally disposed
of in the time that had been wasted. The fault,
Senator Thompson said, in commenting on the
character of the proceedings, was not with the
Republican minority, and they could not he held
responsible for the defeat of the bill He
thought that if the Senate could not proceed
with becoming conduct, the members ought to
go home at once. Senators Magee, Hiliigass
and Willard, appealed to the Senate to consider
the measure seriously, and in a way to sustain
the dignity Of the body; but their remarks had
no effect. A motion for the committee to arise
and ask permission to consider this bill on
Monday afternoon finally prevailed by a vote
of p to 20. The effect of the action is,
as it wasj intended, to defeat the bill. A few
moments before midnight Senator Smith, or
Jay, took the floor to speak on a bill regulating
the construction of barbed wire fences. The
Senate became uproarous in it's disorder, and,
after repeatedly endeavoring TO quiet the noise,
Senator Willard, who was occupying the chair,
at midnight, upon his own responsibility, de-
clared the Senate adjourned.
The House began the evening session with
somewhat riotous demonstrations. The. mem
Der from Shelby, Mr.. Hobar, who has innocent
ly furnished much of the amusement OF
the House, was hustled into the Speakers chair
and called upon for q speech. A shower OF
paper-wads and books vas precipitated upon
him, and there was a scene os riotouS disorder
ard confusion in the hall when Speaker Jewett
made his appearance ON the floor. A number OF
bills were finally acted upon during the night,
but disorder prevailed throughout the session,
and the conduct of several members was reprl
mandea by the Speaker during the proceedings.
There was less confusion, however, than in the
Senate, and just before adjournment at mid
night Speaker Jewett spoke briefly to the mem
bers, congratulating them on the industry an d
faithfulness they had shown. and stating that
the House had finished up all it's business, while
the Senate was still far behind.
THE MARTIN CLAIM.
The whole of the Afternoon and over an hour
Of the night session was occupied with the dis
cussion on the bill authorizing the payment of
$50, 900 to John Martin for work on the Insane
Hospital building. Senator Foulke re-
viewed the testimony which had been
elected in the examination of witnesses
by the Judiciary committee, while inquiring into
the merits of the claim, and favored the passage
of the bill. Senator Mccullough spoke at con-
siderable length against the claim. Under the
law and under the contract he thought it very
doubtful whether or not Mr.. Martin should be
allowed anything. Mr.. Campbell of Hendricks
was in doubt as to whether or not the
amount asked was justly due, but
he did not want to guess away
a mans rights, and with reluctance he had
signed the majority report recommending the
| payment of the claim. Senator Weir strongly
advocated the passage of the bill, because he be-
lieved the claim a just one. A vote was not
reached until after o o'clock in the evening, re-
sulting, however, in the final passage of the bill
yeas 2S, nays l9.
A1bL CNG n1C AAA"
The morning was occupied by the Senate with
a continuation of the discussions on the House
bill limiting the rental of telephones to a charge
of So per month for each instrument. Senator
Mccullough spoke first, and his speech occupied
over an hour. He favored regulating
all corporations, but he believed the
pending bill to be unconstitutional and a fraud.
The cost of the Central Union Telephone Com
pany's plant was 1924, 43S. 20. This property
could not be taken from them, and they could not
be prohibited from using it. The Legislature
would be placed in the attitude of coEfiscating
property if itshould pass the bib. The Democratic
| party is opposed to the confscation of property,
and he did not want it to make any such record.
Evidence had been produced showing that the
profits of the telephone companies were but 52-3
| per cent. A reduction from So to So per month
on the rental of telephone INSTRUMENTS
in consequence. could not but be <rous to
the business. Senator Willard favored the pas
| sage of the bill. He believed it to be ~constitu-
tional and proper. Legislation of the same
character had been held by the United States
Supreme Court as within the limit of State SOW
e~reignty. He believed in the principle of
striking down monopolies. and he thought the
people favored it. Senator Winter said
that as a patented invention. the general laws of
the government gave exclusive rights 70 use of
telephone by its owners for a certain number of
| years, and there could be no restraints upon the
phopAiOVoiy IlEnlSs SAOCpt Ala eiC uatuho Vi pV-
lice regulations. He believed the bill to be un-
constitutional and therefore opposed it. The
~roll-call on the passage of the bill occupied nearly
an hour, a number of members explaining their
votes at some length. The bill, however,
finally passed by yeas 81, nays 16.
SCANDAL ABOUT STATESMEN.
During the debate on the telephone bill Sena-
tor Mccullough declared that, although he be-
lieved no money had been used, he had seen let
tiers and kilograms from employees of the House
TO the managers of the telephone companies.
demanding money for the defeat of the
bill. He said that these communica-
tons had given the names OF members who
could be influenced, and the sums they de-
sired. The statement aroused some indignation
in the House, and within half an hour after Sen
ator Mccullough had given utterance to the
charge, the following resolution. introduced by
Representative Brownlee, was adopted: