The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25
kIRkMAx JOINS OPPOSITION.
Opponents of Bill Now Have Most
Brilliant Leaders i'm House.

The opposition to the Reformatory bill
gained formidable recruit yesterday in
the person of Representative Roscoe Il.
Kirkman. of Richmond. the Republican
caucus chairman. Mr.. Kirkman has come
out squarely against the bill. the oppo-
sition claims. and will fight it vigorously.
He is expected TO make one of the strong
speeches for the opposition when the bill
is placed on its passage.
In this position Mr.. Kirkman takes a
stand diametricaIly opposed to that of Sem
ator Starr, of Richmond. who voted for
the bill when it passed the Senate. IT is
understood, also, that he takes THIS posi-
ton against the advice of Harry Starr, or
Richmond, who was his strongest hacker In
his race for the speakership.
The leaders of the opposition were JUDI
liant last night over the acquisition or kfrK-
man, and they pointed to that as an lndl-
cation that every moments delay In the
progress of the bill added material strength
TO their cause. With Harrington, Sayre,
has four leaders who cannot be duplicated
on the floor of the House at this session.
Ihey Will be supported, 1T is claimed, py
Representative Adair, the minority caucus
chairman, who has on several occasions
demonstrated his ability as a speaker, ano.
whose influence with his Democratic col
leagues Is unquestioned.
DECKER ALSO A REBEL.
Representative Decker. of Evansville. the
youngest member of the House, has Joined
the opposition and it is said that he is the
only member from the First District who
has the courage to fight the bill. That 1t
requires some little courage on his part is
shown in the fact that the strongest kind
Of pressure has been brought to bear on
him by the other Evansville members and
by the administration forces to hold him In
line for the bill.
The leaders of the opposition are freely
criticising the part that the representa-
lives of the indianapolis city admlnistra-
ton are taking in working for the Re-
formatory bill. c. N. Elliott and Ed Logs
don have been lobbying actively for the
bill, ii Is said. endeavoring In particular
to break in on the Marion county delega-
ton that is believed to be a unit for the
opposition. One of the men who is lead
ing the fight on the bill said last night that
he could not understand why the Indian
apolis city administration should take
hand In the affair, especially when the
sentiment of the people of the city is so
overwhelmingly with the. opposition.
1t was said yesterday that Governor
Durbin, Senator Goodwine, Speaker Mar
shall and w. III. Whitaker, secretary of the
Republican state committee, had held a
conference In the speakers room, early In
the day, to discuss the Reformatory bill
and the situation in the House. The four
men were together yesterday morning. but
they stated that three of them, the Govern
or, the speaker and Senator Goodwine,
were working on the report of the legisla-
tive visitation committee and that Mr..
Whitaker was present only few minutes.
They denied that the Reformatory bill was
under discussion.
The report of the committee on the af-
fairs OF the Reformatory has been signed
by every member 1t was said yesterday,
and it will be presented tomorrow after
noon when the House reaches that order
of business. The report is unanimously