The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1908-09-23

states ne SAID naO the county unit
Ohio. Missouri, Delaware, etc.
Democrats Viewpoint.
The first democrat to speak was
Stotsenburg of Floyd county. The
minority members declared boldly that
he was going to vote against the bill.
Not a ripple of applause greeted this.
He said that the whole action now is
political, Notwithstanding the repub-
lican expostulations to the contrary.
While disclaiming the pretense of
being a constitutional lawyer Stotsen-
burg declared, with emphasis, that the
bill as drafted is unconstitutional. Nu-
merous decisions were cited to back
up the declaration. The speaker
then spoke of the injustice of the
county unit. He showed how by it
residents of a rural community could
seek to govern the residents of a city
and vice versa, he said. Such legisla-
ton, he said, was not right and not
just and would be resented by the peo-
pie.
He got applause by saying that he
was not in favor of any kind of option
except that which would repeal the
Beardsley law, which legalizes the sale
of liquor by druggists in dry districts.
Following the house adjournment
the representatives came across the
corridors and sought admission to the
already overcrowded chamber. They
wished to hear the argument, but
found access practically denied them.
Slack is frey.
Senator Mock of Upton, chairman
of the morals committees, followed in
a strong speech, supporting the bill
and was in turn followed by Senator
Slack, the democratic leader
Slack's speech was full of fire and he
was applauded literally at the close
when he exclaimed: Il propose to hold
me for the democratic nomination for
governor"
kirkman Eloquent.
Senator Kirkman was next In
part he said:
THE compliments of the senator
from Johnson and Shelby are returned
with double measure. We have, how
ever, a more serious duty to perform.
The republican party has no apologies
to make for it's past record. It's rec
ord, state or national, recounts all the
splendid achievements oe a half CEN
tury. The people are not concerned,
however, with the record of any party.
They are not satisfied with the rec
ord Of any party. They are not sat
isfied with either historical data or
promises. They demand action.
1 shall not discuss the constitution
ality of this measure. 1t is too late
to raise this question. This subter-
fuge will not meet the situation or sat
isfy the people; they fully believe that
the Anti-saloon league and the repub-
ucan party know their business. Both
organizations are full of eminent law
yers and jurists who for months have
wrestled with the question of consti-
tutionality, nor is it our province to
determine finally the constitutionality
of any bill. We are required to be
only reasonably certain.
In 1895 the question of constitution
ality was raised against the Nicholson
bill. Yet it became a law and has
fully stood the test as to it's constitu-
tionality.
THE same question was raised
against the Moore amendments to the
Nicholson law in 1905, yet by its pas
sage, with the assistance of the senator
from Johnson and Shelby counties. and
under its operation S31 townships out
of 1,016 in Indiana are dry.
"The senator says we have a parti.
| san measure. If so who made it such
I will tell you. When these Anti-sa-
loon leaguers, a few months ago at.