The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-10
One Man Said "the Weed" Keeps Per-
sons from Insanity, While Another
Said 1t Drives Them to IT.
THE ORATORY WAS PERFERvID
WOMEN DELEGATES ABLY DEFEND
ED THE LOCAL COUNCIL.
Organizer Blue Resents differences
and Fisticufs Are Narrowly
Avcrted After the Meeting.

county poor farm, and a committee consist
ing of Roscoe Barnett, NJ. 7. Butler and
Miss Lille Fredericks was appointed to
make an investigation and file detailed
report with the central body setting out
the condition of the buildings and inmates.
The action was taken after the passage Of
resolution asking the County Commits
sioners to rescind a recent order which
prohibits inmates from using tobacco. The
resolution caused heated discussion, not
because ii was sought to restore tobacco TO
the inmates. but because it was taken by
many delegates 10 be political act. The
resolution adopted reads as follows:
Whereas, The County Commissioners
have issued instructions TO withhold tobac
co from the poor farm and,
Whereas, These people are worthy of
every consideration due to victims OF OPP
pressed conditions. and, according to the
best authority from medical sources, need
the use Of these valuable stimulants; be IL,
therefore,
Resolved, That the Central Labor Union
records the opinion of this body against
such economy and insists that this means
of converting our almshouse into an insane
asylum is inexpedient and without the en-
blem of reason and fairness; and be IL fur
ther
Resolved, That this body request the
commissioners to restore to the patients
this much-needed comfort"
The resolution presented by NJ. T.
Butler of the Sawsmths. When Secretary
Slough finished reading it he said: 81 move
you, Mr.. President. that this resolution go
to the waste basket" second was heard
and President Feltman was about to put
the question when loud protests were heard
coming from all parts of the hall. He then
refused to entertain the motion and a mo-
ton was made for it's adoption.
BUTLER WAS SURPRISED
Butler sprang to his feet in defense of
his resolution and said he was surprised
that Secretary Slough should make such u
motion and was no less surprised at the
Womens Council in petitioning the Com
missioners to discontinue the use of tobacco
at the poor farm, and also at the Commits
sioners for complying with the request. He
said the use of tobacco had been stopped
as to the dependents. but not as to the Of
ficials. The officials all smoke" said he,
land when they throw cigar stubs away
you will see those old men pick them up,
run around behind the house and smoke
them He said an almshouse estab-
| lished for the comfort of unfortunates and
to afford them a little pleasure in their last
days. He said there was no reason for the
action. but club OF women had advised it,
The use of tobacco is necessary for the in
mates, he said, and deprivation would drive
them insane THE Womens Council says
the county ought to give them fruit instead
OF tobacco he continued. why, those in
mates wouldn't give one sack of tobacco
for a whole carload of fruit
Thad Gurley, of the Carpenters Union,
arose In defense of the action of the Com
missioners. He said few of the delegates
| knew why the use of tobacco was stopped.
! He said the buildings were nothing more
| than fire traps and the old people were not
careful enough. Several old men had set
| fire 10 their clothes with pipes in their
pockets and not long ago a chair was found
/ on fire.
! Mrs d. L. Stoddard, of the Women's
Label League defended the Womens Coun-
| ell against the charges made by Butler and
others. She said she was not positive that
| the Council was responsible for several of
| the leading members had expressed them
| selves against such action. She understood
! that Mrs. Moody had said the Council was
| two years in making up its mind to ask the
| Commissioners TO stop the use of tobacco
| at the poor farm, but that Mrs. McWhirter
and Mrs. Sewall strongly opposed the
/ measure.
CAUSE OF INSANITY.
d. u. Mcclure contended that the use
OF strong stimuants caused more people
to go insane than lack Of them.
| Secretary Slough said he would indorse
a motion to appoint a committee to ask
/ the commissioners to rescind their order,
but that he would never vote for such a
resolution.
E. ]. Collins. of the machnists' union,
said he was not only in favor of adopting
the resolution. but that he would be will
ing TO have committee appointed to see
that the inmates got tobacco, if the COM
missiOners did not rescind their action.
Hugo Miller of the German Topographic
cal Union, said that II the central body
! would appoint a committee to furnish to-
! bacco to all poor people that cannot af-
ford it. whether in the poorhouse or out,
then il would be consistent.
| George Custer, of the iron mOlderS, said
! IL was taking up their own cause to as
sist these poor people. He said perhaps
they had not been favored in the younger
days with the same protection against pow
erty as is now afforded, or they might not
! be charitable charges.
Edgar A Perkins. president of the State
| Fedora ton of Labor, said he could not see
| the relation of politics to smoking a pipe.
| The central body ought to take up the
matter and go farther and agitate the cree
| ton of new buildings. He said il was a
disgrace 10 Marion county to maintain the
old "shacks," when they had been con-
! demned for years and during both Demo-
cratic and Republican administrations
The debate was becoming heated when
James NJ. Madden, of the plasterers' union,
put the delegates in good humOr when he
ifty-nine years and l do not believe I am
! insane. My house came near catching fire
twice in the last three months from cook
TO put my fires out? Why. some physicians
say Don't use salt. il will put cancer in
| YOU or something to that effect, and pre-
! scribe certain diet. Personally, / never had
| much use for that kind Of talk, | always
! eat what L please, and / think / am a
| pretty good man yet, although l am getting
! Old.
TALK OF POLITICS.
Secretary Slough again took the floor and
insisted that there was politics in the reso-
luton. "Why l say there is politics in this
resolution he shouted, 'is because to-
morrow morning you will see in gIaring
headlines across the top of the page of the
Democratic organ The County Commits
sioners ripped up the back by Central La
Dor Union or something similar TO it,"
This was the signal for William Hamil-
ton, OF the Pressmen's Union, and better
known for his adherence to socialism in
| argument in the central body, to take the
| floor You better be careful what you
say" admonished President Feltman wher
| Hamilton began to speak. Don't you at.
| tempt TO say anything about politics or II
make you sit down" Hamilton made a
| courteous bow and said: Mr.. President
| only want to show that this is nonpartisan
| but" Here he was anticipated by q
! delegate in the back part of the room. and
| loud clamors Of mo politics" were heard
I'm a Republican," shouted a hoarse voice
] in the rear, I'm a Democrat" roared an.
/ other I'm a Social Democrat" yelled
| Hugh Miller. President Feltman tried tC