The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-06
Legislative sideIights.

IlsSu III ttlS city yeSteiudys
Legislative SideIights.
Representative Decker. of Evansville, ar
rived in the city yesterday TO find that his
fame had preceded him. AS the youngest
such attention by the indianapolis news
papers that he is already better known
than any of the other new members.
XXX
A number of the Republican members of
the House who are veterans of the session
OF 1901 got together yesterday afternoon
and decided that social session for for
mer members, to be held tonight, would
be about the proper arrangement NO DEN
mite programme was outlined, but session
of some kind will be held.
XXX
Benjamin F. Shively. of South Bend. who
is of the receptive candidates for
the honor of receiving the complimentary
vote for United States senator from the
minority, returned to the city yesterday,
and will be here for the love feast tonight.
He may tarry until the Legislative wheels
are set running. Hugh Dougherty, of Bluff
ton, who is also mentioned for this honor,
came in yesterday and is guest at the
English.
Senator Oliver Gard, of Frankfort, who
was almost a physical wreck at the close
Of the session two years ago. suffering from
severe hemorrhages, has regained his
health and assured his friends last evening
that he is i'm first-class condition A few
weeks after the Legislature he went down
into Texas and he has spent most of his
time since then on the ranch, riding the
range with the cowboys. The senator owns
a ranch in the Panhandle district, and he
expects TO return there in the spring.
Edward w. Mickey. city attorney of East
Chicago, arrived in the city yesterday to
remain during the session of the Legisla-
ture. Mr.. Mickey does not agree with
Mayor Knots, of Hammond, in the pro-
Jected consolidation of Whiting, Hammond,
East Chicago and Indiana Harbor In one
city. THAT is one of Knotts's dreams
which will not come true this year, at
least" said Mr.. Mickey last evening. 1.-The
people of my city are opposed to the ioea
for several reasons, one good one being
that Hammond is several hundred thou
sand dollars in debt now, while East Chi
| cag0 Is out of debt. The consolidation may
come in time. but 1t will be some years
yet"
Joe Cunningham, of Peru, who was a
member of the House in 1899, mingled with
his Democratic brethren in the lobby OF
the Grand last night. Cunningham is one
of the biggest men ever elected to the State
Legislature, so far as avoirdupois is con-
| cerned, at least, and when he came down &c
the Statehouse in 80 and attempted to
take his seat he found that he was. barred
| because there was none in the chamber
large enough for him. He was compelled
| to send back home for chair which he had
made especially for him, of double strength
and capacity, and he occupied that
/ q l. Il .l,sx H.
the only man ever elected to the Indiana
| General Assembly who had to bring his
own chair with him.
| A group of six or eight representatives
| gathered in Henry Marshalrs room at the
English yesterday afternoon for little
social chat" and by some freak of chance
Representatives Statesman of Peru, Stuck
| ey of Warsaw. Beckman of Brunswick anC
Cantwell of Hartford City, unconsciousls
ranged up in line one side of the room
A newcomer entered, took a second lool
at the quartet, and asked abruptly without
fellows attend tonight" The member.
of the quartet looked at the man with sur
prise and questions written all over thei
faces; then they looked at each other. anC
as the light of understanding came int
! their eyes they passed their hands caress
ingly over the crowns of their heads-eacl
of them is as bald as the baldest firstnight
| er that ever sat In the front row. Whel
! the laugh at their expense died down the,
| decided to organize a "baldheaded quar-
| tet, and Representative Statesman wa
unanimously chosen business manager.
Senator John d. Roche, of Mount Yer
non. one of the new members the mi
nority side, claims three distinctions-tha
he is the youngest member of the Senate
that he will receive the most mileage o
any member of the Legislature. and that h
represents the most fertile district in tn
State. the veritable land of milk and honey
He is thirty-two years old. Mount Vernon
is located just a few miles farther from
Indianapolis than the home of any othe
legislator, and. In his opinion at least Glib
son and Posey counties comprise the gar
den spot of the earth.
Senator Roche is one of the coming me-
in Indiana Democratic politics. Early i
the last campaign, when the party force
were forming for the fight, he hitched hi
wagon to star. and while the star di
not gain the ascendancy at that time 1t
conceded to be beacon of growing powe
In the Democratic wilderness. Stephen f
Fleming. OF Fort Wayne. is that star. an
Roche was on the slate which he heade
in his fight to gain control of the stat
committee. If the Fort Wayne man ha
been made state chairman Roche woul
have become the secretary of the commit
tee.
Senator Thomas j. Gibson, of Branchvills
who represents the shoestring district G
Crawford, Perry and Spencer counties, wa
a conspicuous figure i'm the lobby of tn
English last evening and he will attrac
some little attention in the Senate this wiz
ter. Incidentally he will be what may b
comprehensively termed picking for tn
cartoonists, and he was spotted by one c
two black-and-white artists last nigh
Tall and lean OF figure. rather loose jointe,
with a pair of piercing black eyes tina
look out from under bushy eyebrows a
aquiline nose. square jaw and small wr,
black moustache, he possesses the person;
characteristics that would draw CONNER
in any gathering, but. add to these certai
mannerisms and peculiarities of dress, an
he becomes at once conspicuous La:
night he was attired in a gray suit wit
long cutaway coat that accentuated n
height and slmness, and he topped tn
off with big black SLOUGH hat that is N,
often seen this far north of the Ohio exceI
ii be on the other side of the footlights
Senator Gibson is one of the new member
of the Senate, but he is by no means
. novice in legislative affairs, as he hs
served two terms in the House, having bee
member of the General Assemblies ,
1895 and 1897