The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-11

cock. Butler and Thomas voting with the
rest OF the Republicans. Wise was the only
member absent.
MIR. BABCOCK TALKS.
There was a buzz of expectation as Mr..
Babcock arose. The Democrats expected
him TO oppose the bill and the Republicans
did not know just what TO expect. The
situation was bit dramatic when Mr..
Babcock. in one of the strongest speeches
that has been made at this session. bowed
to the will Of his party. II hold in my
hand. said Mr.. Babcock. IAN amendment
that / had intended TO offer and there were
five members upon the Republican side of
the House who, no longer than ten min
utes ago, were ready TO support II. | do
nok believe there is a. member of this House
WHO appreciates more than 1 the important
responsibility resting upon this House OF
passing an appOrJionment bill. | do not
believe there is a member of this House
who has in this bill a greater grievance
than have /. If ii were a personal matter,
If 1t were a matter of personal grievance
that required personal sacrifice. / could
make il rs | have made them before. But
| am here representing county that has
more taxable property in proportion TO its
population than any county in the State. L
represent county that has the lowest per-
centage of illiteracy of any county in the
State / represent scores of men who par
ticipated at the birth of the Republican
party in the fifties. scores of men who
ton and the loyal leaders of Indiana at a
time when treason stalked in some other
parts of the State. boast of representing
a county that was first in war. has been
first in peace and is first in prosperity and
intelligence. But the intelligent people that
represent realize that the first necessity
OF the present hour Is that the Republican
party he kept at the helm for the welfare
of the State and the Nation. My county is
unfortunate in the geography of this APP
portionment. it is unfortunate in the num-
Der of its population upon the present ratio
of representation. and IL has been UNI
fortunate in the dictum of a Democratic SUI
preme Court. / therefore bow TO the will
of the majority and withhold my amend
ment. When he took his seat Mr.. Bah
cock was warmly applauded by the Repub-
licans and they breathed a long sigh of
relief
Mr.. Butler arose to express his views on
the bill. but Mr. Sutton. fearing that it
would be a repetition of Mr.. Babcock's po-
stion. cut him off with a point of order.
Mr.. Marsh offered an amendment and it
Mr.. Purvis offered an amendment and it
was tabled on viva voce vote. Then Mr..
Hedgecock offered one that put, the iron
into the soul of Mr.. Babcock and was full
of malicious intent. The effect of his
amendment was TO drop the representative
district of Grant, Huntington, Wabash,
Miami and Howard and give Lagrange and
Steuben separate representatives. Upon this
the ayes and noes were demanded and both
Messrs. BabcocK ana Butter voted to table
the amendment. In explaining his vote Mr..
Eichhorn declared that he had prepared
the amendment because Mr.. Babcock
wanted IL.
IF you had amended 1T the way I wanted
it and when I wanted it," retorted Mr..
Babcock Il should have voted for it, but
ii is now too late" The amendment was
lost by vote of 81 to AZ on straight party
lines.
Mr.. Nicholson moved the engrossment of
the bill and Ii was carried on a viva voce
vote.
SURPRISE FOR THE MINORITY.
1.-THE bill will be read the third time"
remarked the speaker. This was a surprise
party for the Democrats. They had not
pected the bill to be put upon its third read
ing and few minutes later Mr.. Elchhorn
raised the question to whether it could
be put upon third reading the same day
that 1t was engrossed. The speaker said
he knew of no reason why it could not be.
A little later Mr.. East raised the same
question and the speaker read the indorse-
ments upon the bill, showing that it had
been read the first tine upon Feb. 3, and
the second time upon Feb. D. Still later
Mr.. Sutton raised the point that inasmuch
consideration had been postponed on
Feb. this was so far as this bill was con-
cerned the same day. but the speaker held
the point not well taken. inasmuch as the
Constitution simply requires that bills be
read upon three several days.
After the bill had been read the third
time Mr. Smith. Of Tippecanoe, showed up
a few points of the last Democratic gerry
mander and explained that the purpose of
the committee was TO make fair appor-
tionment and one that would stand the test
of the courts. He had made an analysis
of the substitute bill and there were thirty
nine points upon any one of which the SUI
preme Court would throw it out.
Mr.. Littleton SAID that the last four bills
passed had been declared unconstitutional
and in making this one the committee had
carefully observed the principles laid down
i'm these decisions. A hasty glance showed
him that the substitute violated the de-
cision of the Denny case at least a
dozen times. He replied to Mr.. Eichhorn S
point about fifty-one senator's by stating
that none of Inc four counties, Lagrange,
Steuben, Nobie and De kalb. would vote
for a senate at the next election. Mr..
Marsh tried to tangle him up and got the
worst of it. He showed that the bill had
been made all the way through according
had been taken care of. The only point
they had not been able to make satisfac-
tory and that was the Ohio-SwitZerland
this impossible. Mr.. Eichhorn asked with
some sarcasm why the gentlemen from Ma
rion should undertake to instruct the house
'If you viii: read the decisions, retorted
Mr. Littleton, you will not need any in
struction, If you are able to comprehend
the language of an ordinary legal opin-
Mr. Linck spoke briefly for the bill. He
declared that il was the fairest apportlon-
ment bill that had ever been passed by an
Indiana Legislature or by any other SO
far as he knew. He had attended some OF
the sessions of the committee and knew
| that the members had worked earnestly to
| construct an apportionment that would be
| fair and equitable and follow the lines lad
| down by the Supreme Court. Upon the roll
| call Mr.. Butler was the only Republican
voting against the bill and he explained
his vote with much feeling. He had hoped,
he said, 70 receive a telegram from home
be had received commanded him
to stand by the county. He explained that
when he was wounded in battle and lay
for months in the hospital the members OF
his company had called daily and nursed
him back TO life These were the same men
who were standing behind him now. Upon
his return home from the war, weak and
impoverished his county had taken him up
and given him office again and again for
twelve years and he could not now disobey
its command. Therefore in sorrow he must
vote no. The roll call proceeded with few
facetious remarks by the Democrats and
Populists in explaining their votes. The
roll call showed the bill passed by the vote
of 80 TO Al Mr.. James, of the minority,
having left the room.