The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-21
One Was to Introduce Agriculture
Into Public school Teaching
over the State.
EICHHORN'S CLEVER SCHEME
HOW HE PROCURED VOTE ON THE
QUESTION OF FREE PASSES.
Convict Labor Bill Ordered to En-
vanced in the Senate.

The afternoon session of the House yesteIe
day was greatly enlivened by an unexpected
move on the part of Mr.. Eichhorn, of Wells,
a Democrat. 1t grew out of a report by the
committee on rights and privileges on the
bill by Mr.. Kirkpatrick, which prohibits any
judge Of any court, or any member of the
Legislature from accepting or receiving q
pass from any railroad company.
The committee recommended that the bill
be indefinitely postponed and Mr.. Eichhorn
electrified everybody by demanding the yeas
and nays There was a rush on the part of
| some members to get out of the way, and
when the roll call was completed Mr.. Eich-
horn demanded that the absentees be called.
A few of those absent on the first roll call
| responded to their names, and Mr.. Echhorn
caused a hearty laugh by the further de-
| mand that the doorkeepers be instructed to
bring in all absentees not on sick leave.
The demand was promptly seconded, and
Mr.. Littleton gave the orders BY this time
the House was in an uproar of laughter,
| and as the doorkeepers appeared bringing in
one after another of the absent members a
fresh outburst greeted each one. When the
roll call was completed it was found that
| the recommendation of the committee had
been defeated by a vote of 40 nays to 43
yeas. Mr.. Eichhorn fired his last shot in
motion that the bill be recommitted to the
committee with instructions to report it for
| passage, and this motion went through with
a whirl.
Those voting to accept the committee re-
port were: Aiken Baker of Whitley, Baker
of Martin, Barlow. Bonham, Burrier, Cara
way Clark, Compton, Galley, C1aycomb,
Cotner, Durham, Downey, Giants, Hall,
Hayes of ST Joseph Heuring, Holcomb,
Huff Herod, Kerwood, Manifold, Marshall,
Messick, Miller, Murphy of Marion, Marsh,
Morrison Myler Osborn, Owen Powers,
Reece Schrader, Shideler, Strong, Schaal,
Sullivan Vogel, Whitcomb of Vigo, Whit
comb of Marion and Willoughby.
Those opposed were: Artman, Beardsley,
Blankenshp, Brown, Burkhart, Canada,
| Clements, Cravens of Washington Cravens
Of Monroe, Cunningham Guilty, Dilley, Eich
| horn, Fuller, Furness, Geisel, Graham,
Green, Hays of Green, Hedgecock, Herrold,
James, Kirkpatrick, Krick LAIR, Lawrence,
Lief Louttit, McGary McCarty, Madden,
May, Null, Neal, Noel o Bannon, Peter
son, Rifenburg, Roberts, Roots, Ross, Scott
of Montgomery, Scott of Lawrence, Stevens,
Shirley, Titus, Williams Wise and Little
ton. Those not voting were: Feist, Gloss
brenner, King, Knots, Murphy of White,
Reser and Somers.
CONVICT LABOR BILL TAKEN UP.
The first thing of the afternoon session
was the taking up of Mr.. Shidelers bill,
providing for the employment of convict la
Dor at the State prison on the re-
port of the committee, as a special
order of business. Mr.. Shideler ex-
planned the bill, and said that in the prison
are hundreds of men who are not at work,
and that five or six have gone insane as the
result of the idleness of the last two years.
He gave the history of the bill, and said it
is Endorsed by the Federation of Labor and
by the manufacturers, and that all interests
| have made concessions. He said that the
only objection was by Mr.. Herrold, who OBJ
| Jected to that feature which provided that
any surplus raised on the farm should be
sold in the open market. Mr.. Clements and
Mr. Louttit changed the wording slightly
and Mr.. Shideler accepted their suggestions
Mr. Furness proposed an amendment which
changed the appropriation. The bill, as
drawn, appropriates $4,000 year until the
! sum of $l20OOO shall have been appropriated,
to purchase machinery and establish the
| working. Mr.. Furness would have changed
| this so as to set aside $4,000 at once to es-
| tablish a binding Irvine factory He said in
| support of his amendment, that this would
compete with no industry in the State, and
| it has been found to be both practical and
! feasible in New York and Minnesota. Mr.:
| Shideler said that every plan of work had
| been thought of, and on his motion the
| amendment was tabled.
| Mr. Huff presented an amendment which
| provided that new machinery should be pur-
! chased, and this was accepted. Mr.. Knots
| offered an amendment to recommit the DILL
! to the committee with instructions to report
! the bill so amended as to provide that the
| convcts should print the school books for
| the State should make states and other
supplies, should make the printed supplies
for other institutions and for all township
officers, to be sold at cost only. He said
4 rFoh rNIa mill holm q i'm
| of school books and will save expense
| The printers will get a benefit from free
school books sufficient to more than offset
| the loss from any competition and the m
| fuence on the convictS through working on
elevating books and sentiments would be
great
would like to ask the gentleman question
| Does not your amendment provide for
competition with one OF the greatest lhous-
| tries of the State? Is not your present sue
cess due to the free use of the industry your
amendment provides to compete with?''
4 don't know what you mean | don't
understand your question" said Mr.. Knots,
with a puzzled expression on his face.
HE simply wants to know how you would
have been elected if it had not been for
| the newspapers, said Speaker Littleton. and
a general smile passed over the faces OF
members. Mr.. Baker moved to table the
amendment. but a number of members asked
that Mr. Shdeer might give his opinion
of it, and unanimous consent was given him
to do so.
THEORY Is lMPkACI1CABl4Es
1T is beautiful in theory but impracti-
cable in fact" said Mr. Shideler. because
many of the convicts can neither read nor
write" He asked that the bin pass as it
is and that the form of labor should he left
to the board to determine Mr.. Knotts's
amendment was tabled and Mr. Herroid
rose to oppose the bill. He said he believes
that all IS not right at the State prison. He
expressed the belief that there are rake
offs" in the prison and claimants know OF
a remark made by the warden to the erect
that the committee which drew up the OH
knew no more when they left the prison
than they did before they came He said
he had a letter in his possession that states
there is not an idle man in the prison. rms
was cOmbatted by Mr. Roots, who said That
one of the saddest sights he ever witnessed
was in the State prison. when the men
marched from their dinner to their cells and
pulled the doors shut after them. to sit there
in idleness all the afternoon because there
was no work for them
Mr.. Herrold continuing, said he believed
the prison should be investigated. and he
caiVed as to the true condition tie said
he would stand for the truck farmers of the
county against competition of that kind
Mr. Shideler said he had himself seen l20
men at work carrying bricks from building
they were tearing down, one brick at time
around a building to another set of men, who
were given small chisels to scrape the NOR
| tar off They were doing this slowly and
simply in order that their time might be oc-
cupied. Mr.. ROOSe moved the previous queS-
ment and third reading, with Mr.. Herrold's
vote the only one against it.
| Mr. Caraway's bill to elect county commits
| sioners by districts came IN with TWO re-