The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-06
WHISKEY FOR MEMBERS.
How the Old Parties Reform.

A friend writes and asks us why we
do not discuss at more length the
various reform bills pending in the
Legislature. We are glad to see our
Populist senators and members work
ing energetically and putting the old
party chaps on record: but for ourself
we-have lost all faith the present
session doing anything. The defeat
of the Populists last fall meant the
defeat of reform. There will be great
howls, great uproar; but it will peter
out and end, as it has done for
twenty-five years, in the whistling of
the wind in a rat-hole. This state
can never get clear of it's abuses until
there is a clear Populist majority in
both branchessof the Legislature and
a Populist governor to sign the bills.
The following shows the kind of
stuff the old-parties elect to represent
them: =,
Indianapolis Ind, Feb. ia howl
ing senSatiOno Was created in the
House of Representative today when
the direct charge was made by me M
Der that barrel Of whiSkey was on
tap in the state house basement for
the free use of legislators. The house
was discussing the Nicholson temper
ance bill and amendments had been
offered. The floor of the house and
the galleries were filled with friends
Of the bill from all over the state. Mr.
Jackson. of Carroll, got the floor and a
veritable bombshell was hurled by
O 40 q n hor nit I,
being subsidized by the whiskey
league. He, by imputation, included
the author of the amendments. To
this Mr.. Holloway objected and called
the imputatiOn a SANDER upon him
self. He resented it and asked for a
retraction. This made Mr.. Jackson
angry. Stepping forward a few feet,
he gazed around the hall and shouted:
"YOu say this house is not subsidized,
and get angry when charged with it.
No wonder you raise your hypOcritical
eyes in horror. Here you are talking
buncombe temperance legislation to
these good people in the galleries and
all the time there is barrel Of
whiSkey in the basement of this
statehouse, which is free to the mem
bers on this floor. No wonder you're
mad, you -.'
What followed was lost in the ter
rible confusion which ensued.
Twenty members were on the floor
shouting for recognition. Many men,
bers turned pale and several abruptly
left the hall. Two Republican mem
bers were visibly under the influence
of liquor at the time and their
whiskey had come from the same bar
rel in the basement. An attempt
was made to hush jackson up Mr..
Statesman astening over to Jackson
and speaking to him in low tone.
. Prove it! Prove it," Shouted sew
eral members, and Mr.. Jackson was
surrounded II repeat just what l
sad,' shouted Jackson, land no won
der you want me to hush up. There
and it was furnished you by the
whiSkey league, You're shackled by
it,"
Chairman Merritt raped for order
and the applause that went up from
the galleries was so loud that Merritt
threatened for the second time to
clear them. The members were on
their feet and everything was in an
uproar. Mr.. Holloway was shouting
for recognition, and while Statesman
was trying to get Jackson to listen to
him the member from Vanderburg,
still burning under the lash of Jack
son, ran down the hall to his side in
threatening manner. 1t looked as
though there would be personal con-
tllct and the chair loudly called for a
doOrkeeper to interfere and separate
tine men and send member to their
seat. Statesman and Holloway we're
led to their seats by Sergeant at Arms
Graves.
Jackson tried to continue his eX-
pose, but was choked off by Holloway,
who insisted upon his combining him
self to the question: The chair was
trying to make himself heard above
the uproar, and finally called Jackson
to order by teHingaahim that any
statement as to whiskey being in the
basement had nothing. to do with the
question and he you'd hear no more
of it. "All right" shouted Jackson,
II see your tactics. You don't want
to- to have az. these people kinow the truth.
Mr.. Petit demanded an investiga-
tlon while dozen other members
tried to keep Jackson from talking.
Petit asked him if he knew as to the
truth of his statement, upon which
Jackson informed him that he had
been told by number of members
that the barrel was there, and he had
been invited to partake of it. "Then
| want an investiga tion," shouted Mr..
Petit. Its out of. ORDER" said the
chair. "We can't consider anything
but the amendments to the Nicholson
BILL"
The way jackson had been choked
off was so apparent that Mr., Harris
came to his rescue and insisted that