The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-14
NIB. KETCHAM'S ADVICE
GOVERNOR ACTED on 1T IN HOLD
ING BACK THE SALARY BILL.
Reasons offered by the Attorney-Gen-
craI for the Course He
Took.

Some comment has been made as to the
part Encouragement Ketcham took in adj
vsing the Governor to delay returning the
fee and salary bill to the Legislature Mon
day night, which delay was in part response
Bile for the riotous scenes Mr.. Ketcham
stated yesterday that he asked the Gov
ernor to withhold the bill until another
and final effort could be made to have the
Senate act on the bill correcting the law
of 1891 This corrective bill was passed
by the House, but the Senate tied it up
some of the members contending that the
passage of the new fee and salary bill
might inyaidate the latter and thus put
the 1891 law into full force and effect, de-
spite the new legislation on that subject
Mr. Ketcham says he had hopes the SEN
ate would finally allow the corrective act
to become law, and for this reason alone
wanted the Governor to postpone his ac-
ton on the fee and salary bill of 1895. The
Governor agreed to hold back his action,
and it was not until IL O'Clock that night
when Mr.. Ketcham went into the Govern
or's Office and told him it best to sign
the measure. 1t is recalled that the Gov
ernor positively and in no uncertain man.
ner had been informed by President Nye,
of the Senate, that no bills would be passed
by the Senate on the last day. point has
son to believe the Senate would pass the
corrective bill after his Interview with Pres
ident Nye early Monday morning. Mr.. Nye
even went so far as to back up his idea of
the Constitution on this matter with very
strong language which even had the effect
of causing serious breach between the
chief of State and his first mate. 1t is
asserted by friends of the Governor seek
ing to defend him from the charge of play
ing dangerously with the fee and salary
bill, that Mr.. Nye had said he would only
pass such bills he thought best, but the
friends of the Lieutenant Governor say that
official did not make pretensions TO any
such remarkable assumption of power Mr..
Ketcham was asked yesterday concerning
the advice he furnished the Governor and
which to certain extent was acted upon.
Said he:
There was in the Senate a bill which
the House had passed, correcting the fee
and salary act of 1891. 1t was of the ut
most Importance to the State that it should
pass both bodies and be signed by the Gov
ernor ! had hopes t.sat we could get it
called up Monday IDA and passed, but there
up different measures, ali Of which resulted
in naught. l asked the Governor to hold
possible, hoping TO get the Senate to act
on the corrective bill in the meantime.
, Amen c LoJna the senate had adjourned tn
making a further fight fer the bill. / went
over to the Columbia Cluo and laid down,
having had bad headache. About 1890
o'clock Merrill Moores called me up and 1
went over to the Statehouse and told the
Governor it would be best for him to notify
the Legislature of his action on the fee
and salary bill 1t was perhaps fifteen
minutes Of II when suggested this to the
Governor
If the Legislature hs.,s passed the cor
receive act after 1t had passed the new
have been vitiated2'
Not in the least. The corrective bill
embraced a different subject 1t corrected
an enrolment. / thought then and I
think now, the Legislature of the State
should not uphold a forgery. By correct
ing the act of 1891 great good would have
been accomplished. Since the passage of the
under it, and by the decision of the courts
almost inextrcable confusion has resulted
Governor Matthews yesterday made some
inquiries about the custodian bill which was
carried to the chamber by his secretary and
after the scrimmage could not be found
He was unable to get any trace of it. When
asked why he held the fee and salary bill
ate had announced that he would not sign
any bill if passed on that day, he said that
representations had been made to him by
Attorney general Ketcham that he had the
assurance of Senator LaFolette that still
another effort was to be made to pass the
amendment to the act of 1891 which was
nlutilated in the enrolment. With Senator
thought, to have the bill passed, and the
Governor was willing to give the Attorney
general all the time asked for, it being
derStoOd that the announcement that the
fee and salary bill had been signed would
be fatal to the amendments to the old bill.