The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-01
Conference Committee Cuts Judge
Rasch Out from Salary Increase by
Skillful Manipulation.
1T Is REGARDED AS REMARKABLE
SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
Bills Signed and Vetoed by the Gov
ernor-House Holds Two Ses-
sions-Gossip.

After an extended fight the House yes
ence committees amendments to the en-
crossed Senate amendments to House bill
No. lis, increasing the salaries of the Cir
cult and Superior judges of Marion county,
and If the Senate takes similar action the
bill will go to the Governor as one of the
most peculiar measures the state Legis-
lature has ever turned out.
The House bill originally affected only the
salaries of the judges of Marion county.
The Senate amended the bill so that it
would increase the salaries Of the Circuit
and Superior judges Of Allen, Madison.
vigo and vanderburg counties. The House
refused to concur In the amendments and
the conference committee. consisting of
Senators Thompson and Hendee and Rep
resentatives Bamberger and Slack, amend
ed the Senate amendments so that the bill
will increase the salaries of the Circuit
and Superior judges of Marion, Allen, Madi-
son and Vigo counties and the Superior
Judge of Vanderburg. The salary of the
Circuit judge of Vanderburg, who is Judge
Rasch, of recent unpleasant notoriety, is
not raised because, as explained by Repre-
sentative Bamberger, one of the House
conferees, an increase of his salary might
be construed as tacit Endorsement of
his actions in accepting money from men
whom he appointed to Office after he was
elected.
RASCH NOT MENTIONED.
Judge Rasch's name was not mentioned in
the debate on the bill, but his case was re-
ferred to in manner that left no doubt as
to who was meant. The unusual affair in
which Judge Rasch is concerned has been
more or less before the Legislature ever
since the opening of the session. A deputa-
tion of Evansville attorneys, as well as rem
resentatives of the State Bar Association
were here for some days endeavoring to get
some member of the House to introduce a
resolution instituting impeachment proceed
ings against Rasch. but in this they were
unsuccessful, the members apparently
holding that the case was one in which
they shouu not take part However, by the
action of the House on the bill yesterday
Rasch5 is indirectly condemned and pun
ished for his alleged irregular conduct.
With the bill in its present form ii was
freely predicted by members of both houses
yesterday afternoon and last evening that
the Governor would veto it. These mem
able example of special legislation and one
not likely TO meet with the approval of the
chief executive.
The bill came up in the House Yesterday
morning on the conference committee's s.
report. Bamberger explained the nature of
the amendments to the amendments agreed
TO by the conferees setting out that the
bill would not increase the salary of the
circuit judge of Vanderburg county and
giving the reason for this. He concluded by
moving that the report be concurred in
Representative Sayre spoke at length
against concurrence in the report In the
first place, he argued that the House con-
ferees had gone against the win of the
majority of the House In agreeing to anv
of the Senate amendments after the House
had rejected them. He said that the House
had defeated bill increasing the salaries
of all the circuit and superior judges of In
diana, and could not consistently 70 back
on that record by voting to ar crease the
salaries OF those judges in fo',1 v< the coun-
ties.
SAYRE'S APPEAL
How long, Catilinus. wilt thou trifie
with our patience." began the member
from Wabash. addressing himself to the
member from Marion. Three tiE1es during
this session this House has declared by no
uncertain vote that this bill as amended
is not satisfactory to this body, and yet
here we have it thrust on us again. Had
the Senate passed the original House bill it
might have been law ere this and the
Marion county judges would be secure in
the increases in their salaries. but the
T5ouse conferees have abandoned the POSI-
ton of this House. and IL they wish to TIM
neril the chances of the judges Of this coun-
ty let the responsibility rest on their heads.
sThe argument OF the gentleman from
Marion In urging the House to concur In
this report shows that there has been
fueglery that approaches tnfamy pfact1ced
In liking the amendments 70 thiQ III e
there = any Just reason or excuse xee ~