The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-16
Several Addresses to BE Made by
Leading Citizens on Street-Car
Measure Now Pending.
CITIZENS COMMITTEE OF 700
WILL AID MARION COUNTY SENA-
TORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,.
Council Unanimously IndOrses Bill
Heating of Cars in Winter

There will be a mass meeting at the
English Opera House tonight in the in
terest of the street-car bill. now pending
before the Legislature. 1t has been charged
by some of the members OF the Legislature
who are openly fighting the bill that it is
not bill that the citizens of this city de-
sire to have passed and. to substantiate
this charge. 1t is cited that the people do
not take any interest in the measure The
meeting tonight will be one that will show
this class of legislators the error of their
assumption. There will be several promi-
nent speakers who have not yet been Sc
lected, but will be named in time to be
announced iii the afternoon papers to-
day.
Last evening. after the meeting that was
held during the morning at the mayors
office. and in pursuance to the Instructions
OF that meeting. Mayor Taggart appointed
a large committee to assist in the work
OF lending moral aid to the supporters OF
the bill in the Legislature. The meeting
or the morning adopted a resolution in
structing the mayor TO appoint committee
of fifty TO act with those who were present
at the meeting, but in this the mayor after
consulting with many of those present de-
cided that the more the better for the
cause, and named a committee composed of
about 200 of the leading business men of
the city. This committee will be present
at the Legislature, or a large part of il
will be, from day to day, to see that the
bill does not suffer for the want OF friends
among the people of this city, which alone
is affected by the provisions of the bill.
The call of Mayor Taggart for meeting
OF citizens to work for the passage of the
street-railway bill i'm the Legisla-
ture received a generous response yester-
day and a large crowd gathered at the
mayors office to prepare for the work The
object of the meeting was briefly stated 10y
the mayor, who then called upon John w.
Kern to say something. Mr.. Kern said it
was necessary for the citizens of this city
who are vitality interested in the passage of
the bill to get to work to counteract the
influences of men paid to corrupt the Leg
islature in favor of the street-car COM
pany. The street-car company's lobbyists,
he said. have been at work since long be-
fore the meeting of the Legislature and are
still doing all in their power to bring about
the defeat of all legislation that affects the
interests of tia company. He also spoke
of the fact that some members of the Leg
islature had defended their opposition to
the bill by the statement that the people
of indianapolis did not seem to desire the
passage of the bill. or at least had not in
dicated that desire. This is a defense Mr.
Kern said, that should no longer be per-
mitted.
Albert Leber said he did not believe i'm
entering into unequal fight against a
large corporation, as a rule, but that i'm
this case the street-car company had
shown itself to be selfish and graspng
NJ so lott ntrR..1
less or the rights of the citizens. that he
thought the time had come for all to work
together in the interest of the city and as
sist in the passage of the New bill. He
also suggested that, in addition TO those
present there were many other people in
the city who could not be present at that
meeting hut who can and will give time i'm.
the future in aid of the bill, and that from
these a. committee of fifty be appointed to
assist those who responded TO the call for
a meeting. similar motion had prev-
ously been made by Councilman Cooper
ard ii adopted.
James X. Ross said there is no time like
the present 10 begin work, and urged that
those present go at once TO the Senate.
where the bill would be on Its second read
Ing during the morning. The motion was
adopted and all present marched TO the
Capitol. The mayor was chosen leader of
the army and Myron King and Albert Lie
Der were appointed committee to precede
the full committee and secure a room in
the Statehouse for the use of the commit
tee. James r. Ross. Thomas Madden aud
w. II. Coleman were appointed a commit
tee to arrange for a meeting, to be held
tonight.
The committee that went to the State
house was composed of the following:
w. w. Spencer, Frederick Baggs. Major
Taylor, j. NJ. Payer. James McHugh. j. X.
Ross. II. Mckay, NJ. O'Connor. III. f.
Smith. w. r. c. Colt, f. c. Cornelius J. s.
Hall, II. w. Lawrence. a. Lieber. A. Metz
ger Charles kr az ST. J; f. McGetti s; A.
W. Conduit. =. G. Trusler. NJ. j. Osgood.
w. H. Tucker. Thomas Madden. j. f.
F'lack, j. III. Baldwin. III. Russo, NJ. ID.
King. John Coburn. Fred Mayer. W. II.
Coleman. J. H. Roberts. Councilmen Allen,
Madden. Dudley, Rauch, Clark, Kirkhoff,
Smith, Cooper. Costello. Dewar. OConnOr,
Golfer, Ohleyer. Shaffer, Woody and VOL
colt.
This committee was Joined at the State
house by j. l.. Reach. Sterling II. Holt. g.
+. Sayles. S. +. Robbins. T.. u. Martindale
and ID. u. Erwin. members of the city
boards who were busy at the time the
committee started, and others.