The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-20
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Mr.. Knots Temporarily Wins in OPP
position to the ROby Bill.


Mr.. Knots Temporarily Wins in OPP
position to the ROby Bill.
Yesterday the first of the afternoon ses-
sions of the House was held, and it was
largely devoted to a discussion of bill
by Mr. Burrer OF Grant, to reduce the
maximum amount of a township tax levy
to aid railroads, from per cent. to one
half of / per cent. The opponents and
friends of township subsidy battled long
over the question.
The bill came up On second reading and
Mr. Hedgecock, of Clinton, offered the first
amendment which was accepted. 1t pro-
vides that the petition for such levy shall
ne signed by fifty freeholders of town
ship instead of twenty-five as was first IN
the bill Mr.. Whitcomb, of Marion, sent up
an amendment to substitute per cent for
one-half of 1 per cent or to make no change
in the law. Mr. Murphy. of White, promptly
moved to table the amendment and it was
as promptly done. Mr.. Artman, of Boone,
next sent up the amendment which was the
bone of contention as it provided for
repeal of all existing laws authorizing town
ship subsidy for railroads. He declared
himself as against any subsidy of any kind
for railroad construction. Mr.. Ross, of Del
NN'FAt'-iN-i~
make these contributions and he was OPP
posed to removing from them the right to
do so if they wished to. Mr.. Louttit of Al
len. favored the amendment and said that
railroads do not live up to their contracts
when they receive these subsidies He
cited the cases of the Lake Erie and the
Wabash roads, both of which received sub
sides from Fort Wayne and then removed
their shops from that city. He said that
the Pennsylvania road which received no
subsidy, was the making of Fort Wayne
Mr. Noel of Marion, said he was not IN
favor of subsidies for steam roads. but that
the repeal of the laws on subsidies would
prevent any township from assisting electric
roads and that these are rapidly becoming
important factors.
Mr.. Compton attempted to stop further
oratory by a motion to table the amendment
but it was lost by a tie vote of 46 to 46.
Those voting in the affirmative were Aiken,
Barlow, Bardsley. Blankenship, Bonham,
Burrier, Brown Burkhart, Caraway Clark,
Compton, Claycomb Cotner Diley, Fuller,
Furness. Giants, Hall, Herring, Hedgecock,
Kerwood, Kirkpatrick, Knots, Krick, Nc
Gary, Manifold Miller Murphy of Marion,
Neal, Noel, Osborn, owen, Reece:
Reser Rifenburc ROose. Ross, Scott or
MONTGOMERY Scott of Lawrence, Shideler.
stevens. Strong, Wnitcomb of Vigo, Whit
comb of Marion, Williams, LAtteton.
Nays-Artman, Baker of Whitley Canada,
Galley Clements, Cravens of Washington,
Cravens of Monroe. Cunningham, Cutty'
Durham, Downey, Edchhorn, Gelsel, era
ham, Hayes of st. Joseph, Hays OF Greene,
Holcomb Huff, Herod. James, LAIR, Law
renee. Lief, Louttit Marshall Messick, Mad
den, Marsh, May. Morrison, Null, Murphy Oh
White, Myler. O'Bannon, Powers, Patterson,
Roberts Schrader Schaal, Shirley, Sullivan,
Titus, Vogel and Wise. " -
amendment by Mr.. Artman, and Mr.. Knots,
of Jasper protested against It's ADOPTION ON
the grounds that if a township desires 10
grant a subsidy, it Is the township business
and the Legislature should not prevent II
from so doing Mr. Blankenship opposed
.ba amendment and said that the right
should not be taken from the people to tax
themselves if the majority wished TO do So
He charged that there We're persons on the
floor lobbying who had no business to abuse
the privilege given them OF coming on tle
floor Mr. Eichhorn said there is ana can
be no law to prevent people from gNlnns
all they desire TO aid railroads: put ne
begged that the power to compel all 70 90
90 SO should not be placed in the hands OF
few Mr. Artman said to leave IT in the hands
Of the people and Mr. Ross made a plea that
the bill should be passed as drawn Tor the
benefit of those places in the gas pert Mhlch
desire connection by electric lines. Mr.. Scott
of Montgomery, said he voters should nave
the right 10 say what they desired 10 40
Mr.. Compton OF Vermilhon, ssla tle SIui ba
lines give no accommodations ana ne
wanted the right TO aid electric roads. Nj;
llivan, of Dubois, opposed the blll, ana
Nj Murphy. of Marion, questioned the right
Of the legislature 10 prohibit majority rule.
Mr. Louttit, of Allen. urged that II the peo-
pie are to pay for railroads, they snall QMu
Them Mr. Reifenburg. of Lake, was against
any change as The railroads pay a large
proportion If the taxes. The vote on the
amendment was then called Tor ana II WAS
defeated by 80 yeas 10 % noes
Mr. Caraway of Hancock, attempted to
have the bill so amended as TO make the
limit / per cent and said that 70 reduce II
will seriously interfere with a Richmond en-
terprise Mr. Burrier the author or the Dill,
moved TO table the amendment, ana the OBJ
moments of the measure gave up. The
amendment was tabled, and the bill was or
dered engrossed and passed to the third
''"07 THE ROBY BILL
The morning session was chiefly devoted
to the effort to pass the bill which is COM
monty supposed to be Armed at the Roby
race track and which was introducedNby Mr.
Barlow. 1t provides that for a repetition OF
ofrenses against the law, any officer of the
state or any citizen can bring injunction pro-
ceedings without bond. This is the bill which
aroused such a contest when it was favor
ably reported and in that contest Mr.. Knots
was the leader Of the opposition. Since then
Mr. Knots has introduced bill to provide
that in all cases where the state brings SUIT
for injunction no bond shall he required
when the suit Is brought or a bond required
when the Injunction is granted This bill
was indefinitely postponed by the judiciary
committee. and the House yesterday con-
Cured in it.
AS soon as the Barlow bin was brought up
for passage Mr.. Knots was recognized. He
said it was the most dangerous bill which
has been or could be presented To the House.
He disclaimed any interest directly or IN
directly, closely or remotely. In any race
track or gambling device. lie urged the
members that they should not be swayed
by prejudice in this matter or that they
should permit the newspapers 10 influence
Easssr \