The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-27
One County Commissioner Boosted of
Having $1,000 to Use in Defeat-
ing the Bill.
ANOTHER EFFORT FOR TO-DAY
GEORGE RAY, OF sHELBYVILLE, is
LEADING THE OPPOSITION.
Conversation Between Him and Nj. d.
Yontz-GOvernOr Will Veto
Columbus Bill.

4 rum Il pDIllOi VI a LOlhSASoliO4A ONbWNNAh
George NJ. Ray, of Shelbyville, and M. D.
Yontz, who Is connected with a large pub
fishing and blank-book house of this city,
which occurred Saturday, it would appear
that the former is in a measure in charge
of the opposition to the county bill. This
~blank-boCk house makes large profits SELL
ing stuff to county officers. Both men have
been active in lobbying against the bill, and
Ray has been particularly so. Immediately
after the unexpected adjournment of the
House Saturday morning Yontz was stand
ing Just outside the door to the House when
Ray came UP and said: I'VE will kill this
county bill on Monday. We have arranged
to have all our men here Monday and we
will then take the bill up and set it as a
special order for the next Monday, as we
had intended to do the other night Both
men then withdrew and INDUCED in a close
and low conversation for a few moments.
The lobby has been unusually active for
the last few days, and ugly rumors about
the use of money have commenced to float
around as specific rumors. 1t is stated that
an immense amount of money has been and
IS being poured in to defeat the bill. An
out-of-town county commissioner is said to
nave boosted that he alone was intrusted
with $500 to defeat the bill, and he is
credited with saying that of the township
officers alone 800 responded to ar ASSESS
nent of $40 each to defeat the bills. There
nave been sudden changes of front by some
of the representatives which have caused
much comment, and as the struggle is pro-
longed the ugly charges increase and multi
ply.
At the present moment it is anybody's
fight, and both friends and enemies Of the
measure are confident. The Republicans
have lost on this bill twelve of their num-
Der, who claim that they will vote for it
under no circumstances. This leaves the
Republican strength forty-eight. Two Dem
ocrats-Mun and Titus-are for the bill and
state that they will not be coerced or in
any way prevented from supporting it. The
three Democrats who voted for the town
ship bill-Clements, Geisel and C~utty-are in
doubt, and the friends Of both sides to the
controversy expect to hold them in line.
Two Republicars-Ross and C~Iark-were alb
sent on the test vote, and both are counted
for the bill. Mr.. Ross has been absent on
every vote on a reform measure, as he has
been at the bedside of a son who has been
dangerously i'll in Muncie. If all Republic
ans who voted for the bill can be held in
line this will give ffty-two votes for it,
when but hfty-one are required to pass it.
The pressure brought to bear on members
to vote against it has been terrific, and the
opponents have Drought pressure from
every available source.
The effort to take snap Judgment on the
bill Friday evening has taught the majority
a lesson, and every one of the Republicans
will probably be glued to his seat until the
bill is disposed OF. Just when this will be
done is unknown. AS soon as the majority
is confident of having the required fifty
one votes the bill will De called up and sent
fh%Oruh That fhn S0nnFn will nnnnrIr ~ rha
House amendments is a foregone conclusion,
and the bill will be promptly signed by the
Governor. Unless the majority TO pass it is
absolutely safe the only days on which the
bill can be called up by its enemies are
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, for under
the rules of the House the speaker can or
der the consideration of bills on second
reading to the exclusion of all other bust
ness on Mondays, Wednesdays and Satur-
days. Speaker Littleton will enforce this
rule, and he has demonstrated a number Of
times that when he intends to do a thing
it will be done. The only possibility of the
bill coming up to-day Will be to pass 1t.
The disposal of the appropriation bill
within such short time was a great triumph
for the ways and means committee and for
Chairman Shideler. The appropriations are
large, but the demands have been great,
and the committees have rejected many
of the requests for funds. The state insti-
tutionS have been provided tor more 1ber-
ally than they have for years, as they are
all inadequate to the demands upon them.
Governor Mount has announced his de-
termination TO veto the bill for the Column
bus hospital, and the interest in that meas
ure now centerS in the two branches as to
whether or not it can be passed over the
veto. This is deemed impossible. 1t is I'M
derstood that twelve who voted for the bill
on its passage by the House have notified
the Governor hat they carried out their
pledges by so doing and that they will vote
to sustain a veto. This being so, the bill
will have but fOrty-tWo votes in the House,
or nine short of the number necessary to
pass it.
The Introduction of bills in both branches
has stopped to a large degree, although now
and then one struggles in. During the last
week the House has passed fifty-two bills
and defeated twelve. This brings the total
number passed during the session thus far
to 25 and of those defeated TO fifty.