The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-28
HALL WILL ONLY
Be F|GUREHEAD
IN THE SENATE
Democrats Now Realize That
Supposedly "DoWn and
Out" Republican Senators
Hold the Whip in Hand.
NO DEMOCRATIC RAID
ON STATUTE BOOKS
Lieutenant t-Governor Not Ev-
en- Permitted to Enjoy the
Privilege of Naming Demo-
crat Committee Members.
Palladium Bureau,
indianapolis, Dec. q

Palladium Bureau,
indianapolis, Dec. %.
WHO is this man Hall, and what
does he work at?" is the position TAX
EN- by the members of the committee
that was appointed a week ago by the
republican senators to make the SEN
ate committee assignments for the
coming session Of the legislature
This developed when the committee
held a meeting in this city and took
up the question of the policy to be
pursued in making the committee as
signments. The committee finally de-
cided to ignore Lieutenant Governor
Hall entirely and make up the COM
mittees to suit themselves.
Is Sad, Sad Blow.
This will be the saddest blow of all
to Hail. When, after the election, it
was found that the republican senate
would be presided over by a democra-
tic lieutenant governor the democrats
took it for granted that the lieutenant
governor would have the naming Of
the members of all the senate stand
ing committees. They could not un-
derstand how the republicans could
take away that time honored perqui-
site of the office. But finally there
arose the question of changing the
rules Of the senate so as to enable the
senate itself to appoint the commit
tees, and this threw scare into the
democratic ranks. They began then
to realize that the republicans still
held the whip hand in the senate and
that there could not be the democratic
raid on the statute books and on the
pie counter that the democrats had
anticipated. They found that the re-
publicans would have as much to say
not be done by the legislature as the
democrats would have in the house.
Hall Thunderstruck.
Lieutenant Governor Hall could
scarcely believe what he heard along
this line. When they told him that the
republicans would probably make a
new rule that would take all commit
tee appointments out of his hands and
that the republicans would probably
also make all appointments to jobs in
the senate he said he did not believe
they would do anything of the kind
But he is due for rude awakening.
The committee on committees ap-
pointed by the republican senators
last week Is composed of Senator Os-
car E. Bland, Of Linton. chairman;
Will R. Wood. Of Lafayette and Will
liam e. Springer, of Elizabethtown
These three came to town and held
a quiet meeting In an effort to frame
up the committees. Senator Bland
gave out the word that the committee
will wholly disregard Hall. 1t was
suggested that Hall might be allowed
to name the democratic minority mem
bers of the senate committees, but
Bland said the committee would not
even allow him this privilege. 1t pro-
poses to name the democratic as well
as the republican members, thus
shearing Halls power down to a very
fine point.
Was Not Consulted.
We know that there has been talk
about allowing Hall to name the
democratic members of the commit
tees" said Bland. But nothing of
the kind has been suggested to the
committee. We have not even had a
request of that kind from Hall, there
fore We shall go right ahead and make
all the appointments without consult
ing him."
1t was suggested some time ago that
r..
make some of the appointments to
jobs in the senate, too, but this is not
the case. He will not be allowed to
do anything that the republican ma
jority can do itself
Are Many Applicants.
Bland said that neither he or any
other members of the committee on
committees will seek the chairman
ships of important committees. They
will give them to other republicans.
The committee is swamped with ap-
plications from senator's for places on
the various committees. Many of the
senators would be glad to have places
on the senate elections committee
which viii act in connection with the
house committee in settling the state
officers election contest. The repub-
lican state committee will probably
give some suggestions as to the make
up of that committee.
Among those who would like to
have a place on the committee on pub
lie morals is Senator Edgar Poe King.
of Peru. Senator Horace Hanna. Of
Hendricks county. chairman of the
Legislative visitation committee. has
(0ootinasd en Page Four.)