The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-18
And Are Preparing to Urge Passage OF
an Omnibus Bill, i'm which Indians
apoIis VIII Probably BE Cared For.
CONFERENCE OF HooSIERS
POLITICAL SITUATION IN INDIANA
DISCUSSED BY REPUBLICANS.
Denial Of the story that Senator Fair
banks and Others Demanded Revo-
cation of Civil-Service Order.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.


Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec 1T.-Immediately
after the holidays delegations from several
States will get together for the purpose 0f
organizing, if possible for the passage of
an omnibus public building bill. Such a
combination WAS talked about during the
F'ifty-fourth Congress. but ii was abaY-
doned on account of the distressing cond-
tions prevailing throughout the country and
a decided opposition on the part of the lead
ers of both parties to commit the govern
ment to the expenditure of $50 100000 or
4O0OO,OO0 during the next few years in the
erection of public buildings. There is stiIl
deficit in the income. but this will prob
ably soon disappear and the treasury be in
condition to stand drain of $5.OOO,0O0 or
Sc, 900 year in that field. There is urg~
ent demand for public buildings in many
cities and towns, and bills for their con-
struction are now pending to the amount OF
not less than $50.00O,0 900. 1t is not likely that
the entire list of bills will be included in
the omnibus bill. but the proposed expendi-
ture will be so distributed as to command
the greatest possible number of votes.
State delegations will have to decide for
themselves what buildings they want most
and what they can best afford to leave out,
and the result will be a measure which will
call for possibly, $25O00,OOO.
If this scheme is carried out, and there is
good prospect of its being done, the Indian
apols building will be included. PennsyI-
vania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois will form
nucleus for the voting combination, and
from these four States at least eighty votes
can be relied on, it is thought With that
number to start with, the rest is easy.
Representative Stone of Pennsylvania, who
is probably the strongest manipulative lead
er on the Republican side, said to-day that
he was in favor of an omnibus bill if one
could be framed that was not too 'hoggish,"
and that he thought it might be passed.
Mr.. Stone is the Republican whip in the
House, and without his help nothing of the
sort indicated can hope. to succeed.
The visit of Chairman McCulloch, of the
Republican state committee of Indiana, and
Secretary Mansfield was made the occasion
of an informal conference at the house OF
Representative Overstreet this evening Of
the Republican members of Congress and
Republican officials from Indiana who hap
pened to be in the city. There were pres
ent Senator Fairbanks, Controller of the
Treasury Tracewell, Judge Penheld, solic-
itor for the State Department, and Repre-
sentatives Faris, Johnson, Overstreet.
Henry, Lands. Crumpacker and Steele.
Representatives Hemenway and Royse were
out of the city, Everybody who had any
information of value to impart with regard
to Indiana politics gave the meeting the
full benefit thereof The meeting was in no
sense a caucus, and no plans or programme
of any sort or description were mapped out.
1t was simply meeting of leading Repub-
lieans for the purpose of exchanging views
and gaining correct insight into the polit-
ical conditions of the State as they now
exist -
The story that Senator'S Fairbanks, FL
kins Hanna and other friends of the Pres
ident had called on him and demanded OF
the executive an order resembling that OF
President Cleveland extending the protec-
ton of the civil-service law TO forty7five
thousand officeholders is absolutely with
out foundation. Many of the Presidents
best friends are calling on him and discuss
ing civil service, but in an entirely different
spirit from that suggested by the reports.
They have discussed with him in a cordial
way the desirability of making certain mod
ifications in the civil-service law and sound
ing him as to whether a bill emhOdying
these changes would meet with eXecutive
approval. There are three things that his
attention has been called to particularly,
namely. the propriety of giving bonded Off
cials and bureau chiefs greater latitude In
the selection of confidential clerks and of
making reasonable amendments to the law
governing the examination of applicants for
appointment. If a moderate bill framed on
lines that are not hostile to the principles
of the civil service can be prepared. it is
quite likely that the President would ap-
prove it. Mr.. Mckinley is great believer
IN the the meE t put ne Is not % t
sacred for him TO discuss in a reasonable,
sensible way with Republicans who call
on him to ascertain his feelings and to
sound him to what he would do.
The House committee on interstate COM
merce reented to-day and gave George NJ.
Mckenzie representing the American Scalp
ers' Association, hearing. Mckenzie went
over about the same ground that he did
yesterday before the Senate committee. and
explained further that the scalpers were
able to save the public at least $5OO0.00o
year in transportation charges. Mr.. Lyons.
of st. Louis, took the other side of the case,
and produced set of figures to show that
the scalpers cost the commercial travellers
way of the issuing of a universal and In
terchangeable. ticket, at low rate. Mr.
800 zoo commercial travellers represented
about one-third of the passenger traffic of
the railroads OF the United states. NO bill
will be reported until after the holiday re-
cess probably about the middle of January
and before that time further hearings will
be granted to both sides II demanded.
Representative Steele offered a substitute
to-day for the resolution coming from the
armor-plate commission appointed TO look
into the question Of government armor-
plate factory and of site for the same
Mr.. Steele's substitute instructs the COM
mission to look further into the question OK
a site before reporting to Congress. His
object to give Indiana a fair show in
the competition If 1t should be decided "a
establish a government armor-plate fac
tory. He Is against the proposition Ia the
abstract but if is to be built he wants
Indiana's advantages made known. The
resolution and the substitute went over for
further hearing.
Representative Steele is moving to se-
cure the pardon OF Ira b. Packard. who Ii
serving a sentence in Leavenworth Peniten-
tiary for some violation of the federal laws
The crime was committed in Texas. Pack
ard Is a resident of Mr.. Steele's district
The pardon will be forthcoming. but hardly
in time to be a Christmas gift to Packard
VNI0VE PENSION (IArM