The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-31

a great sensation in the chamber. and the
silence was intense. 1T will be remem-
bered that much money was invested at
about that time, went on the speaker, in
the purchase of a silver service mot civil
service) for the Indiana battle ship. and
when we of the committee got to thinking
about 1t our blood was up, for why should
the Indiana be galvaEtng up and down the
Atlantic coast while the great port of In
dianapolis should be absolutely unprotected?
The federal government tried to appease us
by sending a lot of old cannon TO protect
the soldiers monument, which action we
considered adding insult to injury. The
strained feelings with the federal govern
ment continued for Il long time, and all the
time you gentlemen were wholly uncon-
scious of the impending peril 1t was
weighty secret upon our minds. But by
and by the diplomatic notes that were in
terchanged developed the fact that the bat
tie ship could steam up the Mississippi, then
up the Wabash, then up the White river and
finally reach point where it could place
the great metropolis of the State under its
wing and save ii in times of war. This dis
covery came in the nick OF time and prob
ably saved us from the dread arbitrament.
At this juncture Mr.. Medsker was inter
rupted by Mr.. Spooner who insisted that
the fve-minute rule was being violated and
Immediately half dozen members We're on
yielded to Mr.. Jones. of Marion, the colored
orator. Gentlemen" said Mr.. Jones, Il
may have been member of the committee
1t. If / was, though. / am ready TO make
little report. l wish to say that the fed
eral relations uppermost at this time are
those Of the fellows out of office who are
trying to get into relation to the federal
government. am one of those fello Ms, gen
tlemen and very anxious one, but before
many moons / hope to stir up the powers
to such an extent that they will come
around all right. and when that blessed con-
summation is reached 1 shall be ready, gem
tlemen, with a much fuller report. There
was great applause when Mr.. Jones sat
down. T.. T. Roots, of the committee on M
surance, was the next to engage the ;.tten-
ton of the house. Mr.. Roots was adorned in
q handsome dress suit and one would nave
thought him debutante, only he WASH I.
He made q marvellous speech on good TEL
loWship in politics and intelligence IN the
community. The demand made upon him
for a report reminded him of Hamlet when
the Dane called upon the angels and minis
tiers of mercy to defend him. He then gave
a dramatic description of the scene IN the
House when his insurance bill NO 02O was
almost decapitated by the lord high execuc
toner, H. l. Smith, by means or one OF
those little motions to strike out the enact
ing clause. In remembrance of the event,
he desired to present Mr. Smith piece OF
battle-aX tobacco.
The dog law was next CONSIDERED I'm IN
many phases. it's author apologizing Tor
having fathered law which promised 10
wreck so many members hopes or re-eleccc
ton There were many resolutions OIL
thanks. and an interminable debate on the
question of perpetuating the Sixtieth Cen
eral Assembly. The outcome OF TINS DEBATE
was a decision to hold another reunion next
year. Representative BARLOW was chosen
president for next year, Mr. Hedgecock
secretary and Mr.. Hicks treasurer.
Lieutenant Governor Haggard made a
short speech and also John r. East the
latter declaring this was an off year and
the Democrats would meet the Republlcans
at Jericho in the fall The Hon. Peter Wall
rath at last arose to move to adjourn to
the banquet He said he was glad to hold
the supernumerary position OF the ad-
iourner' and gave his reasons, which were
quite plausible.
The representatives who were present
were Messrs. Brown, Canada. Clauser,
Claycomb, Downey, East Elliott of Henry,
Elliott of Marion, Fornshell, Furness. Gels
ell. Goddard. Graham. Hedgecock, Herod,
Hicks, Hubbard, Jernegan Jones, kayser,
Kell. Knepper. Lambert. I.ittleton McCrea,
McGeath, Marsh Medsker, Miller, Newton,
Nicholson. O'Bannon, Patterson of Frank
lin. Purris, Record, Remington. Roose,
Roots Ross. Shideler. Smith of Allen,
Spooner Sutton. Swope Thornton, Titus.
Wallrath, Wiener and Speaker Petit The
members of the third House at their posts
were BENJAMIN H. Prather, J. o. Lambert,
o. b. lies, Charles g. Lehman, w. Q. NC
Kinney d. H. Olive and Will b. Maddox.
The pages were Charles Mcfarland, Maui
rice Hofft and Ralph Bartlett.