The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-03
Declares He stands by Railroads
When They Are Right, but Not
when They Want the Earth.
ACTION ON HASTINGS BILL
PARKS SUCCEEDS IN KEEPING THE
MEASURE BEFORE THE SENATE.
Debate on Anti-Cigarette Bill Causes
Mcrriment-Senate AccompIishes
Good Days Work.

The Wolcott railroad commission bill was
headed off i'm the Senate< yesterday after
noon largely by the efforts of two men.
Senator James p. Gray, of Evansville.
talked the bill half way into the grave, and
Senator Edgar A. Hendee, of Anderson,
gently covered the measure over with a
motion that Ii be made a special order OF
business for tomorrow morning at II
O'Clock. To make the bill special order for
day so late in the week is tantamount 10
killing it, since only two days would re-
main to get IL through 10th Senate and
House and into the hands of the Cover
nor. The bill may be regarded as dead.
Senate bill No. 276 was called up yester-
day afternoon on third reading. Senator
Gray obtained recognition from the chair
and sent up a list OF amendments which
took the reading clerk thirty minutes TO
put before the Senate. The amendments
changed in some way nearly every subdi-
vision Of Section 3, regarded by many as
the most Objectionable part OF the measure.
II have gone into. this bill at length"
said Senator Gray, "and / am convinced
that it has undergone radical changes in
the hands Of the committee on railroads.
1t is evident TO me that some clever rail-
road attorney has got in his work, for /
see all through Section the fine Italian
hand of a practical railroad lawyer. II
occurs to me. however, that in protecting
the interests of the railroads whoever
changed the bill went too far. AS IL stands
now Section q is drawn 80 per cent. in fa--
vor of the railroads, and only 1 per cent
I'm favor of the people OF Indiana. Mo-
where in this section are the rights of the
people protected, and IL seems to me that
whoever amended this bill fixed IL In such
manner that the changes would nullify
and render useless the entire measure,
CLAIM OF THE LOBBY.
''It has been claimed by the railroad lob
by that such a commission would cost
the State of Indiana $4,000 year. have
investigated the matter and l find that
$4,000 year would be outside figure
for the salaries and expenses Of the COM
mission. including all clerk hire and other
expenses, and that enormous amount
of money would be saved the people OF the
State. This money would not go directly
into the State treasury, because the la
bors of the commission IL well done, would
pay it directly into the pockets OF the peo-
pie, and the money would be taken from
the railroad companies. which find. have
rates, excessive car service and unjust
switching charges.
81 have stood on the floor of the Senate
road companies, but when they attempt 10
impose upon the rights OF the people OF
Indiana | stand fairly and squarely for
the people. L appeal to the senators TO
protect the rights Of their constituents and
not TO go back with the admission that
the railroad companies.
Senator Gray during the session has
been the father of two bills in favor OF
railroad companies-the bill to relieve the
Southern Railroad Company and the IA
nous railroad consolidation bill Yesterday
he came out fatty with the assertion that
the bill drawn simply I'm the in
terests of railroad corporations and against
the interests OF the people.
The long list OF amendments proposed by :
the senator from Vandsrburg, Pike and
Warrick sought to remove the ambiguous
phraseology of the railroad commission
bill. They specified Just what the com,
left nothinS TO guesswork or language Jug
gery.
The discussion for a time threatened TO
be lengthy and warm. IL was evident that
the bill stood little chance for passage
with the amendments. and Senator
Hendee came forward with motion which
put an end 10 discussion and in all prob
ability to the bill. IL will be taken up to-
morrow morning at IL O'Clock and viii be
almost surely killed In some way.
ACTION ON HASTINGS BILL.
The Hastings anti-gamblng bill was re-
ported to the Senate yesterday morning for
passage by the committee on judiciary No.
l. of which John w. Parks is chairman The
report was not signed by Senator Lawier.
of Salem, and Senator Wood. of Lafayette.
No minority report was made, however.
and the report of the majority. signed by
Parks, Dausman, Hendee, De Haven aud
others. was adopted without a fight No
one anticipated the lively scrimmage which
took place in the afternoon.
While Senator Parks, who has fatheredD
the bill i'm the Senate, was absent from thd
"A motion TO have the bill recommitted "a
the committee public morals, OF which\
Senator Wood is chairman. The motion
prevailed and the bill was ordered recon-
mitted. When Senator Parks returned he
Immediately discovered what disposition
had been made OF the measure. and after
a conference with Senator De Haven the
latter sent UP "A motion that the vote TO g.
recommit be reconsidered. Senator Lawler
Immediately moved that Senator De Ha-
ven's motion be laid upon the table The
roll was called, and when finished there
were p ayes and q nays. The absentees
were called for, and Senator Gray and Sen
ator Smith voted against the motion 10
table. The bill was. therefore. brought
back from the committee on public morals.
and will be called up tomorrow In all prob
ability.
OF Mr.. Parkss anti-clgarette BILL The
measure prohibits the giving away and -
of cigarettes and cigarette paper In Ind
and the bringing into this State OF the
articles The bill was introduced I'm
Senate over month ago by Mr.. Par
and attracted a good deal OF attention
that time. Since It's introduction. howeY
nothing has been heard from IT, IL
entered upon a Rip Van Wrinkle slee
the committee on public morals.
Yesterday morning Senator Parl
played nervousness and some deSrea
ger He wanted 60 know why
Woods committee had not reporte
out He moved that the bill be WI
from the committee on public moral
IL be read a second time. and under