The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-04


would destroy it's objectionable features.
Slack. OF Johnson. Immediately opened
the argument OF the opposition. As ne mas
often done during the session. he took the
position OF seer and prophet of III omen
and shouted warnings TO the members on
the majority side Of the terrible result OF
their passage of the bill IL il became law
lie said he was happy TO say that there
would not be a single Democratic vote re-
corded for the bill-a statement which the
first roll call refuted-and that the respon-
sibility for passing the bill would rest alto
gether on the shoulders OF the Republican
members.
Slack declared that the amendment Of
fered BY StOokey and Endorsed by Williams
was one that had been prepared by the
railroad attorneys who were lighting for
the bill. 81 don't know who Judge Fork
ner Is. and don't care, he said, out
do know that this amendment comes from
the railroad interests. 1 have had a copy
OF it for three days (and he waved type
written sheet wildly in the air. and know
where / got il. The railroad interests are
perfectly willing that this amendment be
Incorporated in the bill-they know that II
will not defeat their purpose and they know
that II Is not worth the paper its writ
ten on.
This bill is the same old damnable Joss
bill that we were caught mapping on Two
years ago, except that this year II comes
in Gray clothes. Two years ago we made
a terrible mistake in passing the Joss Dill,
and We were only saved from the evil Ell
fects of our folly by the veto OF the Gov
ernor / honor the Governor for that veto,
and / believe ii was the greatest act. of
public service that he has ever performed
or will ever perform. But III this bill is
passed il is almost certain TO become a
law. and IL IL becomes a law you will not
have chance to come back here In two
years TO correct your mistake The Gov
ernor helped us two years ago, and am
here to correct the mistake / made then.
In truth. my sole object in seeking to re.
turn here was that / might right myself
on this question. i knew that this same
bill would be up again
STACKS MOTION.
In concluding Slack offered a motion to
strike out the enacting clause of the bill.
Speaker Marshall at first ruled the motion
out OF order. but Miller. of Bartholomew.
cited Rule 30. which provides that mo-
ton TO strike out the enacting clause of a
bill shall always take precedence Of mo-
ton to amend. Miller seconded the motion,
and the ayes and noes were demanded.
Stookey. OF Kosciusko, took the floor to
speak against the motion to kill the bill.
He said he not opposed to all bills that
were presented by corporate interests and
he believed the Gray railroad consolida-
ton bill could be made good measure
BY the adoption OF the amendment he had
offered. Stookey quoted the attorney gen.
erai as saying that the bill. il so amended,
would work violence TO no one. Therefore
he hoped that the motion to strike out the
enactiag clause would not prevail.
Sherman. of Decatur. spoke for the bill.
Il had heard great deal about this bill. .
he said, land understand that the railroad
interests were extremely DESTROYS of Sc
curing its passage Therefore. when I went
TO consider IL j took copy of the bill to
my room and locked the door, 50 that no
railroad lobbyist could get near me to in
huence my decision.
Sherman omitted to say whether he had
closed the transom and barred the win
dows. but he said that he had studied
the bill i'm every phase and had come to the
conclusion that, while il would greatly
benefit the railroads, IL would harm citi-
zen OF Indiana, and would doubtless result
IN good 10 the general public. in that the
railroads would be encouraged to extend
their lines.
Statesman. of Miami, in defending the
bill. did not overlook the opportunity &c
score the Democrats for their position on
the question. He said they were playing al
cheap politics, and were voting at the die
tation of few of their leaders, who would
seek TO make campaign material out of the
action on the bill In this he alluded TO b
T. Shively. John W. Kern, Myron- King and
former Senators Stilwell and Inman, who
were present at the time on the minority