The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-06
The Aged swatch Dog VALVES Age
and Gray Hairs, and Assumes q
Bellicose Attitude.
INCIDENT TURNED INTO COMEDY
BOXING GLOVES PRESENTED TO
EACH OF THE WARRIORS.
Harmony Restored, but the Bill Killed
by Decisive Vote-Work of
Senate and House.

The House maintained its reputation yes
terday for furnishing the sensations OF
the session, with a passage-at-arms be-
tween Representatives Sayre, of Wabash,
and Statesman. of Miami. in which the
lie was passed and the relations between
the two members grew so strained that
for moment it seemed that a personal
encounter would result When the smoke
of battle cleared away and comparative
peace was restored. it was found that the
scalp of another bill had gone TO adorn.
with many others, the totem pole of the
doughty warrior from Wabash. 1t was
Senate bill No. 19O increasing the salaries
OF the state tax commissioners.
The bill was amended by the House on
second reading that the increase in SAL
ary from 5000 TO $1,000 was wiped out. but
the provision that the commissioners should
hereafter devote all their time to their
work instead Of but four or five months OF
each year. they do under the present
law, was left in the measure. When the
bill was handed down on second reading
yesterday forenoon Sayre Immediately
moved that further consideration Of II be
indefinitely postponed and followed up the
motion with a speech, in which he said
that the tax commissioners were doing sat-
isfactory work under the present law, and
that il the bill was passed and they were
required to work twelve months I'm the
year at their present compensation the
next Legislature would be forced 10 In
crease their salaries. which the Hocse had
decided should not be done.
Several members. among them Stutes-
man, spoke against the motion to kill the
bill. Statesman urging that the bill should
be passed because IL would provide that
the State would get twelve months work
from the commissioners for the same COM
pensation for which it now gets but four.
SAYRE AFTER sTUTEsMAN.
Sayre closed the debate and he went after
Statesman in short order.
1.-The arguments of those who favor the
passage of this bill do not appeal to me"
he said, because the gentlemen who make
them, the gentleman from Miami. Mr..
Statesman, in particular. have not at any
time during this session indicated that
they favored any measure affecting public
officials other than measures increasing SAL
aries The gentleman from Miami has an
Interior purpose In urging the passage of
this bill. He is party to a plan whereby
this bill passed in order that the Serat
will not concur In the House amendment
and the bill will go to a conference COM
mittee which will report recommending
that the House amendment be stricken out,
and we shall thus have the original salary
grab foisted on US against the will of the
majority of this House"
Statesman, as he heard this charge, red
Mr.. Speaker. Mr.. Speaker" he shouted,
"a question OF privilege. L deny the state
ment that have any such purpose In mind
in favoring the bin. or that nave been a
party TO any such plan.
sayre-I repeat my statement just as
venemently the gentleman from Miami
THE LIE PASSED.
This enraged Statesman still further. His
face turned white and his voice trembled
with rage as he shouted again: Mr..
Speaker. 1 declare that the statement OF
the gentleman from Wabash is an unquai-
flied falsehood,''
Sayre came back just as hotly. but speak
ing with careful precision: "The gentle
man from Wabash again repeats his state
ment and declares that the gentleman from
Miami is an unqualified falsifier."
The effect OF this caustic repartee was
feet and added their shouts to the confu-
sion, while Representative Slack, who was
in the chair. pounded vigorously for order.
calling on the belligerents 10 take their
seats. Statesman started up the aisle to-
ward Sayre, then restrained himself and
exclaimed: THE gray hairs and physical in
firmities OF the gentleman from Wabash
are all that save him."
The gentleman from Wabash valves all
alleged infirmities, returned Sayre, and he
himself advanced down the aisle toward
Statesman.
The situation was intensely dramatic.
At first the House had not believed that
the two men were in earnest. but the menu
bers soon realized that the encounter had
passed beyond a joke and an exchange OF
pleasantries. and at the climax they fully
expected TO see the thing carried to its
logical conclusion. However, both the men
had the self-restraint TO control themselves
under the trying circumstances. and they
turned walked slowly 10 their seats and
sat down In obedience 10 the stentorian
shouts OF Slack that they be seated.
THE BILL WAS KILLED
Slack. as soon as peace was In a measure
restored. put sayre's motion to kill the bill.
and in the face of vigorous aye vote and
numerous demands for division declared
the motion lost. Then the roll was called
on the passage of the bill and Il was shown
that large majority of the members was
with Sayre. as there were but 81 ayes 10 s.
noes
Those who voted for the bill were: Bam-
berger. Beckman. Boulden. Caldwell. Deck
er. Edwards. Hamilton. Harley. Harter.
Kirkman. Kirkpatrick Luhring. Matthew,
Miller. Morgan, Mummert. Nehf. Owen.
Parrett, Schroeder. Sherman Slack. Stans-
bury, Stechhan, Statesman, Trapp. Warner.
Wells. Wilson, Veneer. Mr.. Speaker.-To-
tai. 81.
Those who voted against ths bill we're:
Adair. Allen. Bader. Baird. Bearss. Bell
Berndt. Boyd. Carmichael. Conaway Corn.
Cravens, Gully, Curry. Denbc. Dirkson
Farrow, Fear. Garman, Green. Hainea
Hail. Hastings. Henrickson. Holman Hull
Hume. Jackley. Jakways, kimball. KiinS