The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-20
OUR TALKATIVE COUNCIL
ANOTHER PLEASANT NIGHT AT THE
DEBATING SOCIETY.
Disgust of the Conservative Council
Members - Ordinances Buried in
COmmittees-AImost a ..Scrap.'

ton entered the Council chamber last night,
and behind him fioated the spirit of trouble.
Harston was Disguised, he said afterwards,
with the Council He did not see the use of
casting his vote in legislative body whose
main object seemed to be to adjourn as
quickly as possible, and for that reason he
had not been attending the meetings. AS
soon as the Council was called to order
Harston began, with fire in his eyes, to tell
what he thought about the members of the
different committees 81 have never been
afraid" he exclaimed, ito champion an or
dinance that / have introduced. 1 have
been criticised for introducing the or
dinance purposing to allow Sunday theatre
cal performances. I am not ashamed of
that ordinance. 1t went into the hands of a
committee, and it has been there four
months. dying. Frank Clark has that ordi-
nance, but he has entered the army, and it
is lost
Harston had no sooner sat down than Lit
tie was on his feet. Where is the ordi-
nance increasing the pay of policemen and
fremen?" he cried TT went into the hands
of the fees and salaries committee
He sat down, and Mr." Bernauer he of
the classic countenance, arose and said: IT
will state, as chairman of the committee,
that have the ordinance not with me-
The poetic license which Bernauer took
with the language in his expression caused
deep silence, which in moment was
broken by snickering laughter Little
growled. you certainly have had time
enough to report on the ordinance"
Higgins, who for some reason had lost
much Of that diverting ''raciness'' of speech
and manner which he had been wont to dis
play at Council meetings., had become
dignified statesman, and he rang the cur
tain down on that act of the Councils
farce-comedy by calling up an ordinance
naming the street just south of Palmer
street, from Union street to Meridian street,
Karcher street. This was only an interlude
of real business between the first act and
the second.
Little opened the second act with a dra-
matte expression moving that the ordinance
raising the salaries of the police and fire
departments be taken from the hands of
the committee. Mr." Bernauer immediate
ly moved that Little's motion be laid upon
the table. He lost, and the ordinance was
ordered from the hands of the committee
of which, Bernauer is chairman. During a
few moments of quiet an ordinance reuuir-
ing refuse deposited on the dump to be
journed. AS Bernauera went through side
door he called out to Harston. You amt
so SmdrL!
Some one yelled, go ahead, Harston, and
fight it Out' E
Harston followed Bernauer into the city
clerks office, but they did not get together
what excited, and lively conversation
buzzed through the corridor and down 10
the sidewalk in front. Here the members
split into little groups and discussed the
turmoil of the meeting. Some of them were
sick of it. 1t was suggested to Little that
raising the salaries of the police and fire
forces was to be allowed to die in the com
mittee. This he emphatically, denied. -, He
was asked what he supposed Mayor Tag
CART meant by announcing that the ordi-
nance would not be passed. Il do not
he was in favor of the ordinance BY this
it was seen that al; is not well between the
city controller and the mayor and ghe coun-
raise the policemen's and firemen's salaries.
Little had a conference some time ago
with the mayor and 1.-The controller and it
was supposed that it was arranged with him
that the ordinance should not be pushed
farther. On the night the city officials held
a conference to discuss the new appropria-
ton ordinance, then being prepared, Mayor
Taggart said, without Qualifying his state
ment, that the ordinance would not become
a law. Now Little has used almost violent
means to put the ordinance before the
Council. He said last night that the ordi-
nance is supported by as many councilmen
as it ever was. AN interesting contest is
now looked for between the councilmen led
by Little and Mayor Taggart and City Con-
troller Johnson. The finance committee has
not yet reported on the appropriation ordi-
nance. A special meeting of the Council will
have to be called before the last of the
month to pass it, or, according to the city
charter, the appropriations of this year will
go into effect for next year. The appropria-
ton ordinance makes no allowance for rails
ing the salaries of the police and fire de-
partments and Little's ordinance was ig
nored when the appropriation measure was
drawn up. Little declared last night he will
push his ordinance. He said he intended to
call it UP at the special meeting of the
Council, which will be held to act on the
appropriation ordinance. He will attempt to
have it passed and If 1t does pass, the APP
preparation ordinance will have to be
amended to allow for the increase in saar-
les. The councilmen who are behind this
salary ordinance look for great prestige to
be gained from the policemen and firemen
If they succeed in pushing the ordinance
through. 1t was even said last night that
If it were necessary to raise the tax levy Is
cents instead of 10, as is now contemplated,
they would work just as hard for the sue
cess of the salary ordinance. City Controller
Johnson and the mayor have said that 1t
will be impossible, without borrowing
money. to increase the wages of the fire.
men and policemen. 1t is plain that there
is a stormy time ahead when the two high
er city officials and the perverse members
of the Council come together in the last
round. Besides. Bernauer is "sore," and
many ludicrous scenes like those of last
night are looked forward TO with pleasure
some of the members of the comic Council