Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-04-30
ALMOST A RIOT
IN LEGISLATURE
Disgraceful Scenes Follow At
tempt to Crowd Street
Car Bill Through.
WILD UPROAR IN THE HOUSE
Speaker Miller Called liar When He
Declared Amcndent to Bni Carried Re-
caicitrants Remain In Seats and Reor-
ganire House with Temporary oncers

Springfield, H., April 2i.--Slugging
and rolling over each other across the
speakers platform In a frenzied gen.
eral fist fight at the feet Of a score OF
women guests, the members of the
Illinois legislature yesterday sur
passed the widest scenes Of the Aus
trian reyehstrath. Last night charges
by the speaker Of the house, Isaac
Miller, that attempts had been made
to bride him were formally made az
an explanation for the extraordinary
actions on his part that precipitated
the riot,
The interior OF the legislative cham.
Der last night resembled In measure
the track Of tornado so general was
the wreckage of chairs and desks.
Chicago street railway franchises
more valuable than gold mines were
directly at stake. federal court receiv.
ership proceedings against the Union
Traction company OF Chicago yester.
day having brought the matter to q
sudden issue.
Tho federal recelvership was held
by many to indicate an intention by
the Street Railway company to fight
out claim to ninety-nine-year fran.
chises instead OF negotiating with the
Chicago city council for renewal of
franchises on twenty-year basis with
municipal ownership option on the
part of the city.
The stormlest time ever experienced
in the Illinois legislature began almost
without warning In a whirlwind Of
wild disorder which arose yesterday In
the house of representatives over rival
traction measures. or so-called munic'
ipal ownership bills. .....
The municipal ownership fight now
In progress here Ia the most interest.
Ing that the state capital has witness
ed In many years. Chicago sentiment
Is said to favor the Mueller bill. and
Mayor Harrison, Graeme Stewart, the
recently defeated candidate for mayor
OF Chicago, John M. Harlan and others
of influence. have been here several
days working for 1t. The Lindley
bill, the municipal ownership meas.
ure, favored by an active minority.
has, however, been forced ahead. We'd
nesday the speaker arbitrarily refused
| roll call on motion to postpone con.
| majority Of the house demanded tho
roll. The postponemeEt motion was
declared carried, amid the protests Of
the majority. The postponement was
desired by the Llndley forces because
II was feared that they had not votes
| enough to defeat n motion TO substi.
| tute the Mueller bill. Yesterday
| Speaker Miller ordered the Lindley
measure advanced to the third read
! ing. A tumult of voices arose In oppo
sition during which the attempt was
made to pull the speaker from his
| chair.
The bill was read and as each
amendment was read. despite repeated
calls for roll call. the speaker. amid
din which drowned his voice, dc.
clared 1t carried Finally, the previ.
GUS question was moved and despite
all protests, the movements OF the
gavel indicated that the speaker had
declared the bill passed. The speaker
then declared the house ljourned.
Nlnety.seven members then made
Representative Allen temporary speak
err and the Mueller bin was adopted
as q substitute for the Lindley bill. A
resolution was then passed that the
speaker be informed Of the action OF
the majority.
When Speaker Miller returned he
stated that his action was due to the
fact that money was being used to
pass the Mueller bill. he himself hav-
ing been approached. A resolution
for investigation Of the charges by a
committee Of five was adopted and the
house adjourned.
During the recess five representa-
tivos of the speakers friends and five
Of the opposition went into conference
to agree on a settlement. The confer
ence lasted nearly three hours. II
was finally agreed that the action OF
the house on tho Lindley bill should
be reconsidered and that today there
should be a roll call on amendments
that were adopted yesterday morning
under the gayel. Last night when the
house reconvened. a motion &c recon
slider was entered in accordance with
the agreement and tLen postponed
until today.