The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-19
HE COULD HAVE VETOED IT
The Mayor Responsible for the Illegal
Increase of City Officials Salaries.
A License Ordinance for the Speak Easies
Observation-Disclosures Bridges Gut Of Poli-
tics-Mr WoOilens Great Cares Of Office.

I'm ont of politics as soon as my term'ln
the Council expires" remarked one of the
Democratic statesmen. yesterday. I'm
one of the peanut politicians now, simply
becarse i cannot shut my eyes and ears
and glorify Sullivan and his prophet, Wool
len. There are a few things about this
great administration that are too small for
even peanut politician like me, and the
attempt to shoulder the blame for that sal
airy grab off on to either Bailey or the Coun-
Gil is one of them. Now. az o matter of
fact. one OF the city officials, or rather an
employe. who, possibly at the request of
his superior. was urging this request for
raise in salaries. came to me, and probably
went to other members, and pointed ont the
clauses in the charter giving the Council
the right to raiee this salary and that, but
he said nothing abont Section %. and L. for
one. was not aware of that provision.
I'VE took it for granted" continued the
councilman, that Mayor Sullivan and
CONTROLLER Woollen. who helped to make
the charter. were thoroughly familiar with
1t, and nothing in violation of 1t would
clip through their hands. AS / understand
1t. the chief reason for giving the Mayor
the veto power Was that lac might carefully
consider all the legislation passed by the
Council with view to it's legality. 1t is
so with the President Ill regard TO acts of
Congress; 1t Is so with The Governor In re-
gard TO Legislative enactments, and Mayor
Sullivan understands 1t to be SO with his
veto power Also for | know of one or two
ordinances upon which he has even gone TO
the length of asking outside advice in
addition to that of the city attorney. Yet
he approved this salary ordinance.
/ believed that the ordinance was
ali right. but 1t seems very plain since Sec
ton % has been brought to my attention
that it could not give the controller the
right to pay the advanced salaries to peO-
pie IN office at the time 1T was passed. But
whether tue ordinance Is legal or not the
responsibility for violating the charter by
paying the advanced salaries lies between
the Mayor and the controller. Bailey says
he never gave an opinion on the subject
and certainly he ought to know. i suppose
some one of tbs Republicans will bring In
another resolution of inquiry upon the sub,
ject next Monday night, and If they do. Pll
vote for it.o
As neither the Mayor nor the controller
has taken any steps looking toward the re-
funding of the overdrawn salaries, nor
even asked An opinion on the subject from
the city attorney, IL IS probable that such
an inquiry will have to be made III order to
strengthen the matter out. The admins
trAtiOn has been looking anXiOusly to the
afternoon Democratic organ for some de-
Tense of its action in this matter, but thus
far the News has not had n word TO say Oh
the subject. 1t has done the best it could
by preserving dense silence on the subject.
The new liquor row between the Saloon
keepers Union and the speak-easies is likely
to cause the Democrats even more trouble
than the fight between the syndicate and
anti-syadicate beer factions. I'VE will
have an ordinance licensing the speak
easies at $3.50 before election or know the
yy II 81 m N "A mi m
yesterday. These promises of what will
be done after election don't go. The Demo-
Gratis have a majority in the Council now.
What did we put them there for? They've
there 10 pass it after election. They can
put that in their pipes and smoke 1T. Sect"
Charlie" Bridges, chairman of the DEM
ocratic city committee. is also out of poll
tics. He made this announcement yester-
day. after o meeting of the committee the
night before. when the row that began a
week ago developed to larger proportions.
Bridges is the man whose hard work car
ried Sullivan through two years ago. and
he feels that 1t was q thankless job. Il
have worked for the party foryears," said
he yesterday, and have never been given
any return. and Pm sIckof it. OF course l
ain as much of a Democrat as ever, but Pm
not so enthusiastic as | wasn
bridges said one OF Swifts workers,
lis little touched in the head, guess |
can't account for him in any other way.
When he made the statement that the city
election did not amount to anything he
settled his fate as chairman of the commit
tee. He couldn't get it again if he wanted
it,"
Il read" said q well-known citizen yes
terday. that q committee of the Common
Council had been instructed to investi ga te
the methods of City Controller WOollen,
and at his office found Deputy City Treas
urer Woollen. who will be defended in
Council by Councilman Woollen, who is
also maker of the city charter and adviser
of the Mayor, and who never fails TO take
opportunity to tell people that he is honest
and proud OF It. Therefore l have come TO
the conclusion that the keeper of the
buck bounds and master of the back
stairs proud of his pedigree. is not to be
compared with our only own Pooh Bah
WOolIec."