The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-20
Members from the Country Success
fully Oppose Amendments Applying
Bill TO the Whole state.
ATTEMPT TO LIMIT COST
MIR. FORTUNES SUGGESTION VOTED
DOWN AFTER A FIGHT.
Bill Increasing salary Of Tax Conn
missfoners Passed-Other Business
of the Senate-Gossfp-

Senate to decide as TO how broad should
be the application of Representative
Wrights bill making the use of voting ma
chimes compulsory. The result OF the long,
winded debate was the advancement of the
bill to third reading after il had been
amended TO take in counties having in
them cities of 1900 or more population.
The Senate broke the record of the session
in offering amendments to this bill. thirteen
being presented. most of which. however.
were rejected.
Representative Wright's measure-House
bill No. 27-as it passed the lower body
made the use of voting machines COM
pusory only in Marion county. A bill very
similar in form had been introduced in the
Senate by Mr.. Matson. of Indianapolis.
which provided that machines must be used
in all counties OF the State containing
cities of 10000 more population. Mr..
Wright's bill got safely home" first. and
to expedite matters Senator Matson set
aside his own measure and devoted his
energies toward getting Mr.. wright's
through the Senate in amended form. The
Senate committee on elections amended the
House bill that it applied TO counties In
which there are cities of 10000 or more. A
unanimous report recommending the pass
age OF the bill was made by the committee.
When he called the bill up on second read
ing yesterday Senator Matson was appre-
hensive as to its fate. There were almost
as many different opinions in regard to the
application of the bill as there were MEM
bers of the Senate. Each member had par
ticular views. and many. while believing
that voting machines are a good thing for
rhasr afex1H -
pertinent on their constituents. This was
especially true i'm the case of Senator Starr,
of Wayne county and Senator Kittinger, OF
Madison, both of whom made vigorous
fights to amend their own counties out OF
the scope OF the measure. Senator Wood,
of Lafayette really caused the defeat of
these amendments because of his insistent
position that Tippecanoe county should be
covered by the bill Senator Wood also
chimes compulsory In every county in the
State, but there was too much sentiment
against IL.
COVERS FOURTEEN COUNTIES.
AS passed TO engrossment the voting ma
chine bill now applies to fourteen counties
Marion, containing indianapolis; Wander
burg, containing Evansville; Allen, con-
tanning Fort Wayne; vigo and Terre
Haute, st. Joseph and South Bend, Della
ware and Muncie. Floyd and New Albany.
Madison and Anderson. Wayne and Rich
mond, Tippecanoe and Lafayette, Grant
and Marion, Cass and Logansport Elk
hart and Elkhart, and Laporte and Michi-
gan City. Lake. Clark. Howard and Knox
counties were cut out of the amended bill.
Senator Matson believes that the amend
ed bill will be concurred in by the House
in its present FORM
When Senator MatSOn called I'M the hill
he made a brief explanation of its purport.
Senator Starr at once sent up a motion
to amend the bill TO make IL apply TO
counties containing cities OF 1900 or more
The amendment was simply for the pur-
pose of cutting out the city of Richmond.
Senator Starr stated that Wayne county
people had not experienced any trouble
about their elections and that they do not
want voting machines Principally TO get
a line on his strength, Senator Matson
asked Senator Ball TO demand the aye
and no vote. Senator Starts amend
ment was voted down.
Senator Wood followed Immediately with
an amendment making the of voting
machines compulsory IN every county OF
the State. Senator Davis, of Greene, de-
clared himself at once I'm favor Of the
he said, in every county would make for
efficiency and honesty. Senator Ball placed
himself on record against forcing inova-
tions counties that do not want them
The optional clause in the bill, Senator
Ball said, gives the privilege of using ma
chimes in any county of whatever popula-
tion. that may wish TO do so. Senator Hen
dee was of the opinion that the big coun-
ties should try the machines first and IL
they are found satisfactory then every
county might use them Their use, he
said, is more less experimental at the
present time and IL would be reasonable 10
have them tried first in centers of popula-
ton where more complex and difficult
communities Senator Coats said that ne
had received fifty letters on the voting
machine question. over thirty OF which adj
vocated law making general use compul-
sorry He thought, however. that such a
bill would be killed I'm the House. and he
said that he would vote against IL IL the
amendment was adopted.
Mr.. WOODS ARGUMENT.
Senator Wood closed the debate on the
amendment So far as the experiment was
concerned he said. he did not believe
i'm the theory that II hurts less TO cut q
pups tail off by inches. IF It's going TO
hurt he said. lets have the hurt all over
at once have no doubt that a popular
vote of the whole State would be in favor
of general compulsory use"
Senator Fortune opened up a new line
of argument. He took the position that
the use of voting machines will give their
manufacturers opportunity TO reap rich
rewards out OF proportion 10 the benefits
conferred There should be some way. hs
said. to restrict the price 10 be paid for ma
chimes by county commissioners. His idea
was that Is per cent over and above the
cost of manufacturing the machines would
be a handsome profit for the manufacture
ers and he offered amendment provid-
ing that manufacturers shall not sell v0t-
ing machines for more than Is per cent In
excess of the cost OF making them Sena-
tor Matson took a diametrically opposite
position All OF the voting machine COM
panies. he said, have been at great expense
and have received so far little return for
their Investments The amendment was
unreasonable and no doubt unconstitution-
al he declared Senator Wolcott thought
that some restriction ought TO be placed