The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-31
A Fiuht In State Senate Be-
tween Beveridge and Fair
banks Forces.
ENDED BY ADJOURNMENT
BATTLE OVER THE PRIMARY ELL
ECTIoN BILLS PROMISES TO BE
INTERESTING BEFORE SESSION
Is ENDED.
(By Demas S. Coe.)

(By Demas S. Coe.)
indianapolis, Ind, Jan. 30.-The line
peing drawn between the Fairbanks
and the Beveridge forces in the gem
eral assembly, and the first of the
series of preliminary battles over the
two primary election bills, one of
which is backed by the Beveridge for
ces, the other being, it is asserted.
supported by the Fairbanks wing, was
fought out this afternoon on the floor
of the senate.
Politically considered, it was the
warmest and most exciting debate of
the session thus far, and simply in
dicates what is to follow in the course
of few days, and possibly tomorrow
morning when further consideration
will be in order.
The primary election bill offered
in the senate by Senator Roemler is
the Beveridge bill. II is revolutionary
in character, and according to its au-
thor it proposes to make the selection
of all candidates for office, of both
the great political parties, a duty for
the voters. Conventions are elimin-
ated entirely. Not even a state con-
vention is TO be held should the Roem-
Ter bill become law, which tonight
looks doubtful. The people are also
to show their preference for congress
men and United States senators in
primaries, thus eliminating congress
fonal conventions and leaving the
general assembly nothing to do in sell
ecting United States senators, except
ing to ratify the will of the people.
In the house the Fitch bill is under
consideration. 1t provides for primary
elections in cities of the first y-seeopds
third and fourth classes, and in coun-
ties wherein such cities are located,
but the remainder OF the state is left
under the existing law. The Fitch bill
does not provide for the selecting of
state officers by primary, but keeps
intact the state conventions of both
parties. Congressional conventions
are also to be held and United States
senators are to be elected in the same
old way.
This afternoon at 2:30 the Roemler
bill which had been made a special
order of business in the senate, came
up for consideration and When the
dust lifted after two hours fight, there
was such parliamentary tangle that
nobody knew just where he was at
and had not adjournment ensued the
upper branch would have been in a
hopeless snarl
Senator Roemler outlined his bill
and told of it's superior provisions.
He denounced the convention system
as manifestly unfair TO the rank and
file of the party. Senator Martin
Hugg. who like Senator Roemler. halls
from Marion county. made vigorous
speech against the bill saying that it
did not seek to correct the evils in the
existing methods of selecting candi-
dates for office in county. munich
pality and state but it sought to
wreck the whole system and to sub
stitute something therefore which
would not be acceptable to the people
as a general thing. In concluding his
address Senator Hugg made motion
TO postpone indefinitely the consider
alton of Senator Roemler's bill Then
the rumpus started. Senator Slack.
(Dem.D who as a leader of his party
has hopes of stirring up sentiment for
n democratic primary BILL iumped in
to the fray and moved 70 amend the
Roemler bill by substituting therefor
the democratic bill. Slack's motion
to amend took precedence over the
motion of Hugg to postpone the con-
sideration of the Roemler bill and
when noses had been counted on the
vote. the Slack motion to amend was
deader than door nail, % to IA.
Senator Springer moved to lay the
motion of Hugg's on the table This
was defeated. Senator Cavins, of Ter
re Haute then moved to amend the
Roemler bill by substituting therefor
the Fitch bill. pending in the house.
This motion took precedence over the
motion by Hugg to indefinitely post
pone the Reomler bill The debate
on Senator Cavin's amendment ragged
furiously for thirty minutes In the
midst of il Senator Farber moved to
postpone consideration of the whole
business" until Monday. February 4,
when at three in the afternoon it
should be made a special order of
business Then wrangle followed
as to whether Farber's motion was
in order. There were so many mo-
tions hanging fire that things looked
dubious and Lieutenant Governor Mil
Ter recognized IT, While the debate
waxed hot. he quickly wrote on slip
of paper: Move TO adjourn" and sent
Ii by his page TO Senator Springer
who occupies the front seat just be-
low the presidents desk Springer
glanced at the bit of paper and Jump
ing to his feet moved to adjourn.
The motion was put There was a
loud chorus on both sides and many
of those in the room believed that
the noes" had ii. but the lieutenant
governor ruled that the motion pre-
vailed. and the stormy scene was oy-