The Indianapolis journal., 1891-04-14
THE ANNEXATION SCHEME
The Democrats Put on the Clamps and
Force Ii Through in Short Order.
No Chance for Debate, President Yontz Apply.
ing the Gag According to Programme
-Sweetlands Vague Explanation.
PUT THROUGH UNDER THE GAG.

President Yontz Chokes on Debate and the
Council Passes the Annexation Ordinance.
It took the Democrats in tho Council
about ten minutes. last night. to get their
annexation ordinance through by means of
gag-law and the outrageous parliamentary
rulings of President Yontz. The Demo-
Gratis had every one Of their men there ex-
cept Mr.. Woollen. The vengeful Olaf
Olsen had been won back into the fold by
alternate persuasion and threats, and the
Democrats had made assurance doubly
sure by securing for the ordinance the vote
of Mr.. Sweetland. Republican. After the
vote had been taken q reporter arked MIR.
Sweetland what his idea was in voting for
the ordinance. 'Ideaf" he replied why.
/ don't know that / had any idea" He
laughed q moment, but it seemed to occur
TO him that he had made serious blunder.
and he said: well, / didn't want any
more saloons in my ward"
THAT is. you didn't want Kissel Inp
suggested the reporter.
"No. that amt 1T. didn't want any
more saloons in my ward. Then | didn't
want lot of bridges taken III up there"
Possibly Mr.. Sweetland's constituents will
be satisfied with this explanation. Kissel
will, at any rate.
Thought you were not going to vote for
this ordinance until Kissel was taken inf"
was suggested to Mr.. Olsen after the meet
ing; ngv;..dsbl do Won know .nout him,n
snapped Mr.. Olsen. He was told that
friend of his bad quoted him to that effect.
when he again burst forth: vat de hi
does he knowi Py tam he know notings.
AS soon as the roll had been called, Presi-
dent Yontz announced that the special or
der of business was ordinance No. z. as the
f0rerunner of the gerrymander Is officially
known. Messrs. My ers and Rassman. both
sprang to their feet, but Mr.. Rassman, of
course. got recognition, though Mr.. Myers
was the first upon the floor by second or
two. Mr. Rassman moved that the ordinance
be enerossed. read the third time and placed
upon it's passage, and upon that motion he
demanded the previous question.
Second the motionw yelled every Demo-
crBt IN chorus.
BIr. Trusler, however. interrupted pro-
ceeding gs for a moment by rising to point
order. Some weeks ago. when Mayor SullI-
van was presiding, he had made custom
sry motion to place an ordinance
upon second reading and engross it.
The Mayor had ruled, however, that he
could not entertain two motions at once.
In moving TO engrOss and NOV ing the pre-
vious question Mr. Rassman had made two
motions at once,
Question: Previous question" rang out
the stentorian voice of Sim Coy as soon as Mr..
Trusler had finished. Mr. Yontz overruled
the point of order. saying it was the Gus
tomary procedure in legislative bodies for
the maker of a motion to move the previous
question upon It. The previous question
demand was then voted upon by roll-cail,
and supported by vote of 10 to S. The
fourteen Democrats voted solidly for it
and Mr.. Sweetland voted with them,
though MS vote was not needed. The Re-
publicans lost another vote by the absence
of Mr.. Davis. ffss
Afear the ordinance had been read the
third time Mr.. Trusler arose to speak. but
the president cut him OF with the
assertion that they were still operating,
under the gag rule, and Mr.. Rassman vol
unteered the information that the placln Z
of the ordinance upon it's passage had been
included in his motion, upon which he had
demanded the previous question.
"Then you made three motions at once,
instead of twof' asked Mr.. Truslar.
You can put it that way if you want Il" ."
replied Mr.. Rassman.
"Col. BilP Hieklin created little diver
sion by demanding the previous question,
but the president sat upon him by declar-
ing him out of order, and the roll was called
on the passage of the ordinance. 1t was
passed by vote of 15 to 9, Mr.. Davis hav-
ing come in in time to vote. After dIsp0s-
ing of the Broad Ripple ordinance. as noted
elsewhere, the Councils adjourned The
ordinance as finally passed stands prac-
tloally as IL was introduced. Ii
leaves out Woodruff Place and Fred Kis-
sells place, while it takes in all the forty
acre fields lying between Sevenreenth street
and the old limits on the north, and every.
thing out to Rural street on the east.