The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-12-07
DEMOCRATS DON'T
WANT TO |AJUREPARTY
1overnor-lect Is Calling on State In
stitutions With a View to Getting
Estimates on Running Expenses
and Getting Acquainted With Con-
ditions. .

Especial to The Times.)

Especial to The Times.)
indianapolis, Ind, Dec. 5.--There is
a movement on foot among democratic
members of the legislature to compel
the republicans to take the initiative
In bringing about a repeal of the coun-
ty local option law, If 1t is repealed at
all. Some of the democratic members
of the house are behind the scheme.
They argue that the republicans are
responsible for the enactment of the
county option law. and that the repub-
licans must accept the responsibility for
its repeal They point out that the
law has proved unpopular as political
measure and ought to be wiped off the
statute hooks. 1t is as distasteful to
the republicans as to the democrats,
they say.
Don't Want to Take Risk.
But these democrats say they do
not propose to run the risk of injur-
ing their party with the people by try
ing to bring about the repeal them
selves. If they introduce a bill in the
house for the repeal of the law they
say it Will pass that body without
a doubt. But it might have tough
shedding in the senate, in which the
republicans will have majority. If
the democratic house passes the repeal
bill, they say, and it goes to the SEN
ate afterward the republican senators
can vote against it and sprevent it's
becosling a law. Then the republicans
would be in a position, they say to go
before the people and claim the credit
for saving the county option law from
repeal and thus make the republican
party moro solid than ever with the
temperance forces of the state, while
the democrats would have to stand the
shame OF having attempted to get rid of
the law.
Doubt ms to Ability.
Some influential democratic repre-
sentatives are behind this scheme and
they will work to carry it through, but
it Is doubtful If they will be able to
do SO. The democratic party is pledged
to different kind of local option and
1t is believed that a majority of the
members will demand that the platform
pledges be carried out to the letter
along that line If they depend on the
republicans to start the machinery to
repeal the law they will wait in vain.
That much is certain, for the republic
ans will not do anything of the kind
But the scheme OF these democrats
is likely to cause a serious situation
with reference to the local option law,
Why He Is Making Rounds.
Considerable speculation has been in
dulged as to the reason why Marshall
is making a round of the state insti-
tutions prior to taking office as gov
ernor, but story leaked out here to-
day that may throw some light on the
matter. A few weeks ago Governor
Hanly appointed committee of mem
bers of the Legislature to visit all these
institutions in the state and ascer
tain their needs. This committee is tc
make a report to the legislature will
recommendations as to the amount o.
money that ought to be appropriated
for their use. This has been the prac
tice for years and no one before ha.
ever raised question as to its pro
priety or Justice. But the question ha,
been raised at last Governor Hanl,
appointed on that. COMMITTEES this yea
Senator Horace Hanna of Hendrick
Guilty, rus OIS1SeT U
Laporte county and Representative
Henry P Sticks of Boone county. Whel
Hanna was member of the house tw,
years ago he was one of the governor
most loyal supporters in everything h
wanted the Legislature do. Sticks wa
one of the democratic members of tn
house that voted for the passage o
the county local option bill, which tn
governor supported. Greiger was op
posed to the county option bill, tu
came around and voted for it becaus
he wished to be loyal to his party.
Won't Pay Attention to 1t.
The charge is made now that it
practically a unanimous republica
committee. and that it will do wha
Governor Hanly wishes done. The stor
now is that the democratic portion {
the legislature will not pay any al
tention to what this committee doe
and that the house will send its CON
mittee on benevolent institutions aroun
over the state to visit the institution
and make a report of its own. TT
story also says that Marshall is NAL
ing histour to get information of h
own. so that he, too. may be able I
ignore the visitation committees repo
ST he takes a notion to do so.