The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-28
Democrats Decide to Deliver a DeIiber.
ate Slap at the State Supreme Court.
Caucus Determines. After Listening to Green
Smith, Matthews and Kern, to Re-Enact
the Gerrymander Of 1891.
The Changes in 1t Are Very Few and
Do Not Help Its Validity.
Trying to Force the Court to Reverse Itself
Fulk's Bill Taken as the Basis-No Extra
Session Goes"

The Democrats of the Legislature by
their caucus action last night gave de-
liberate slap TO the Supreme Court of the
State, which declared the gerry of
1891 unconstitutional, and placed the men,
bers of the present court in a seriously en-
berrassIng position. 1t Will be reme,nbe red
that Green Smith tried to force partisan
decision from the court Immediately after
the accession of the Democratic majority
to the bench, bat the court threw out his
petition without going into the merits of
the former decision.
The decision of the Democratic caucus
last night to practically re-enact the out
rage of 1891 was made after plea from
Green Smith to sustain the position of him.
self and Senator Turpie, who defended that
act before the court. and thus compel the
court TO either reverse it's decision or clash
with the Democratic party. Governor
Matthews. who went out of his way in his
inaugural address to slap the court, also
advised this course.
Only fifty of the ninety-seven Democrats
In the General Assembly attended the
cancus. and thirty-three of these cast the
decisive vote. Governor Matthews was
there when the caucus convened and de-
livered a lecture. He said he presumed
that he could talk In a Democratic caucus.
and declared that there were some meas
ures that should be attended to, particu-
larry the appoTtlonment bill. the apprO-
priatlon bill and revenue tax bill. On the
hrst he would advise tinkerlnR as lit
tie as possible with the present law. But
whatever they aid must be done at once. The
Democratic majority irresponsible to the
people for carrying on the State govern
ment and there could be no dodg ing this
responsibility. He wanted to say that there
would be no special session. He had made
up his mind that none WAS needed and
none would be called. A week was left,
which was ample time to handle all the
important bills.
The caucus got to business. and began
the consideration of the Alder bill. There
was kick from RedmaD, who could not
hope TO come back if Suilivan's Democratic
majority were not tackled on to his county,
and another from Erwin. who could never
come back from his own county without
outside help. Various objections came
from Senators. and finally Green Smith
caucus-and made an appeal TO
the Democrats to stand by himself and
Turpie In their fight for the '91 gerry
mander and inflicted upon them large
Court. John w. Kern followed In the
same line. and when it came to q vote on
Aders bill 1t was beaten by 30 TO IL
Then Stuart's bill was taken
uD anu SAL upon Ill SQOrG
order. AS Fulk's bill made the
least changes IN the present state of af-
fairs it was finally adopted. with two
changes, by which Dubois, Orange, Law
. renee and Martin are all thrown together
and given two Represe tatives. and Adams.
Jay and Blackboard are given two Repre-
sentatives. This was TO satisfy Erwin and
MagenIty. The Fulk bill originally did
not change the act of 1891 in any particu-
lar, except to give Jay a Representative
and cut Brown out of the Nor
gan and johnson district. The
bill, as lie now stands, gives the
Democrats a probable sixty-fve IN the
House and thirty-tbree in the Senate, CIV
ing the Republicans q gain of one Senator.
Senator seller and Representative Alder
protested loudly against the direct slap at
the court in leaving such Outrages as Clay.
Putnam and Montgomery. Clinton, Upton
and Madison. Clark and Jefferson. Clark,
Scott and jennings. and Sullivan. Vigo and
Vermillion on the map. but 1t did no good,
ana they will stay as they are. The bill as
finally determined upon is this: