The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-01
Senate is Holding Measure up
Despite the Frantic Efforts
of Its Supporters to Pass
It.
SEN. KIRKMAN CAME
INTO THE LIMELIGHT
when Coup Is Attempted by
RepeaIers Wayne County
Man illustrates it by Citing
Senate Rules.
Palladium Bureau,
India nannite M h

indianapolis, March I.
II the county option law is repealed
1t will be necessary first to make lot
of changes in the Tomlinson bill, the
repeal measure which is now before
the senate This bill has passed the
house, but the senate is holding it up
in spite of the frantic effort of the sup
porters of the measure TO bring it to
vote.
Even the neat little scheme laid by
the repealers last Saturday by which
they hoped to advance the bill to sec
ond reading failed. because the friends
of the local option law are ON the alert
and looking for such things to bob up.
Just before adjourning, Saturday, Sen
ator Yarling. one OF the democrats who
have been counted as possibly voting
against the repeal. made motion that
several bills be advanced TO engross-
ment all in bunch. Coming from
Senator Yarling the motion did not
attract much attention for moment
from the republicans who were on the
lookout for a liquor coup. but they soon
discovered that the Tomlinson bill was
in the action, and then the fireworks
started. Senator Mattingly moved to
adjourn.
kirkman Objected.
Senator kirkman objected to the
Yarling motion because it was not the
regular order of business. kirkman
pulled the rule book on the senate and
showed that the senate cannot deviate
hn
without unanimous consent of the
members. When he made his obje-
ction, Lieutenant Governor Hall ruled
that his point of order was well taken.
Had it not been for this action OF
Senator Kirkman the Tomlinson bill
would probably have gone to engross-
ment unnoticed in the big batch OF
bills which Warnings motion covered.
The Importance of Kirkman's action
may be seen in the fact that mediate
ly afterward motion was made by
Senator Stotsenburg to take up the
consideration OF the house bills at
once. The Tomlinson bill was house
bill 1t shows that the plan was well
laid to rush the Tomlinson bill to
passage when no one was looking, but
Kirkman was on the job and it is pos
sible that his action saved the county
option law from repeal.
Bland With Democrats.
Senator Bland, the republican from
Greene county, stood with the demo-
Gratis on the proposition to send the
bills to engrossment. He said later
that he will vote for the Tomlinson
bill when 1t comes on for passage. He
has heretofore been considered doubt
full
But the Tomlinson bill is not passed
Set-not by good deal. Before it gets
through, according to Senator Conner
man. one of the republican senators
who is in favor of repeating the county
option law, it will have to be amended
in two or three important features.
In the first place he points. out thar
to pass the Tomlinson bill would mere
ly remove the liquor question from
state politics and put it into local pol.
itics. This. he says. can only be avoided
by making the bill provide for a fiat Ii
cense fee instead of allowing a maxi
mum and minimum.
Would Remain in Game.
The bill says that the license fee in
cities, for instance. shall be not less
than $3.50 and not more than $500
which, together with the state license
fee Of 500 added would make the
maximum license thousand dollars
But this senator pointed out that the
brewcries would remain in local poll
tics and seek to control the city coun
ellis SO as to have the councils fix the
license fee at the lowest possible fig
ure This. he said, would merely take
the breweries out of the state politics
and set them to work at controlling
city elections, and he is not in favor
of this plan. He insists that whatever
figure the license is fixed at it shoult
be made definite SO that there will be
no opportunity for breweries to gel
itno city politics, elect a city council
and have the license manipulated.
To Limit Salons.
Senator Gonnermann also says tina,
there should be reasonable limit
placed on the number of saloons tha
are to be permitted under the law HI
does not say SO openly, but it is be
lieved that he fayors saloons at thu
ratio OF one for each 900 population
instead of for each 500. as the bill nov
provides. These two amendment.
Senator Gonnerman will insist on befor,
he will vote to pass the Tomlinson bill
He does not approve of TIE county op
ton law, because, he3ssass. II promotes
Continued on Page fhree.)
BOARD or CHARITIES.