The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-31
SHORT SESSION IN HOUSE.



Representative Aaair offered an argument
against a bill during the session of the
House yesterday that in the minds of many
of the members is absolutely unanswerable.
He declared that the bill should be killed
because IL it became a law some men in
Indiana would have to drive ten miles to
get drink of whisky. If this objection
does not kill the bill in the House, it is be-
lieved that it will have powerful influence
in the Senate, and even if it is passed the
consitutionality Of the bill may be as
sailed on the grounds that first of all
things the Constitution grants to all the
people equal privileges and the right of life.
liberty and the pursuit OF happiness.
That was not the only objection raised
by Mr.. Adair to the BILL which is the one
creating an asylum for inebriates and pro-
viding for tax of $50 on drug stores that
sell spirituous liquors. the funds to go to
the support of the institution He declar&
that there were numerous other faults in
the measure, but his ten-mile-drive-for-a
drink argument was the that carried
weight.
The bill was reported from the committee
on health with the recommendation that it
be indefinitely postponed and Mr.. Boulder,
the autnOf, made a strenuous objection 10
the House concurrfng I'm the report. He
| pleaded long and eloquently in support of
his measure and asked that the death pen
He that Il he b
were printed and laid before the members
they might discover virtues i'm it that had
| not appealed to the committee.
ADAIR WAS INTERESTED.
Messrs. Statesman. Sherman and Green
supported him in his contention, while
Adair argued that the bill was bad that
1t should receive no further consideration.
1t was suggested that one of the weightiest
reasons for Adair's opposing the bill is that
he Is the owner of two drug stores, but he
did not mention that fact. He said if the
bill became law it would mean that no
| drug store would sell liquor, even for
| medicinal purposes. which is all they are
/ supposed to sell Ii for under any circum-
I stances, and that this would mean that in
some great emergency some man would
| have to drive ten miles to find saloon to
| tide him over the crisis.
! In spite of this clincher, however, the
| House decided that ii wanted to see the
/ bill. and the recommendation to indefinitely
postpone was not concurred in.
| The session of the House was a short
| one, as it did not convene until almost half
| past 10 o'clock as a result of the excite
ment attendant upon REPRESENTATIVE Can't
| wells illness Mr.. Sayre. of wabash, was
| in the chair, in the absence of Speaker
| Marshall and he announced that the first
| order of business would be committee re-
ports
Senate bill No. rs. increasing the salaries
| of the judges OF the Supreme and Appel
late Courts to 81 500 and $500: and that Of
! thN reporter of the Supreme Court 10 5000
was recommended for passage with an
/ amendment fixing the salaries of the judges
| of both courts at 5000.
| Mr.. Mummerts bill repeating the Barrett
| and Artman improvement laws for cities
and towns, and providing new law similar
| in many respects TO the Barrett law. was
| recommended favorably with the amend
| ment providing that property owner may
| sign a remonstrance and then appeal from
| the decision of the Common Council. An
| other of Mr.. Mummert's measures provid-
ing that the terms of all city officials shall
be four years, was also recommended for
| passage, with an amendment which pro-
videS that the bill shall not extend the
| terms of men now in office and that
mayors and marshals shall not be eligible
for reelection.
STACKS PROTEST.
Mr.. Slack protested against the adoption
of the committee report indefinitely post
| poning his bill to empower the State to
take possession of coal mines, etcA to re-
lieve coal famines and like EMERGENCIES.
He claimed that he should be shown the
same consideration that Mr.. Boulder re-
ceived. and that his bill be printed and laid
before the members. Mr.. Statesman OBJ
iected to this, but he was charged with in
consistency, inasmuch as he had supported
Boulder in his contention. and the House
stood by Slack. The bill will be printed.
Two reports were submitted on Mr.. Dirk
sons bill requiring that promissory notes
and similar evidences of debt should be
stamped by assessors In order TO make
them legal. the majority for indefinite post
ponement. and the minority for passage.
The reports will be disposed of when the
bill comes up for second reading.
The message from the Senate announcing
that that body had concurred in the House
amendments to Senate bill No. los. the
Goodwine Reformatory BILL was received
with laughter and applause by the House.
On motion by Mr.. Lewis, of Fountain, the
| House stood adjourned until o'clock Mon
| day Just before adjournment Mr.. Sayre
| announced that a message from the hos
pital stated that Representative Cantwel
was in very critical condition, and or
| motion by Mr.. Miller the House expressed
its sympathy for the stricken member and
| his family.