The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-09

Hdlf a century
bill as the senate had passed 1t because
the house charged that it made appro-
priations larger than the state would
have money to pay.
At Locked Horns.
So there was the situation, with the
special session talk on all sides. Gov
ernor Marshall had intimated In strong
terms that he would call special SEES
sion II the appropriations bill was not
passed and that he would veto it II 1t
came to him in a form that was not
satisfactory, and carried larger appro-
priations than the resources OF the
state would meet.
When the talk of the special session
became SO strong that it looked almost
like reality, the democratic members
of the senate and house were called in
to a caucus and every man of them
signed this written agreement:
THE undersigned members of the
sixty-sixth general assembly OF the
state of Indiana hereby pledge their
sacred honor that in the event the
governor Of the state shall be COM
PEELED to call a special session of the
general assembly for the purpose of
making appropriations that in such
session they will not introduce any
bills nor vote for any bill except the
necessary appropriations bills and they
hereby consent that this shall be eau
Gus measure"
To Avoid Trouble.
This precaution was taken, they said
because they feared certain influences
were trying to force a special session
for the purpose Of bringing to the front
some other matters besides the appro-
priations, and they said they did not
propose to be caught mapping. The
republicans remained silent and said
nothing except that they were stand
ing pat on the appropriations bill as it
passed the senate.
1t was said last night that II the
Governor did have to call a special
session of the legislature to pass the
appropriations bill he would not call it
until about AuC list or September. In
the meantime, it was said, the demo-
Gratis would take the stump through
out the state and make speeches to
arouse public sentiment against what
they term lavish and unreasonable de-
mands for appropriations by the repub-
licans. In that way, they said, they
would be able to arouse public senti-
ment in their favor and by the time
the special session would open they
would have the people thinking their
way. This was the plan that seemed
to meet with favor among the demo-
Gratis.
Had Conniption Fits.
Another matter that caused anxious
hours and made many of the members
throw conniption fit, was the scheme
that was planned to compel the house
to pass the various court bills over the
vetoes Of Governor Marshall. 1t aal
came about because the governor was
holding up the bill that was intended
to give relief to the cities of tho
fourth class. These cities had been
crying aloud for legislation that would
enable them to get rid of some of their
useless and expensive offices, such as
the city judge, the city controller and
the board of public works. and this bill,
the Thornton bin, was intended to give
them that relief 1t was seen as soon
rs the bill was introduced, that it was
almost sure to pass, because It would
afford the relief that was SO universal
" demanded. Then special interests
began lacking amendments to It. First
an amendment was added that would
have repealed the law under which In
dianapolis is getting sixty-cent gas.
Then the Indianapolis Water company
had an amendment tackled on that
would relieve the company Of the ex-
pense of building bridges across the
canal in this city and throw this bur-
den on the taxpayers. Then an
amendment was made that would have
allowed city officers to succeed them
selves.
Storm Of Protest.
These three amendments aroused
storm of protest and the gas repeal
amendment was changed SO as to not
affect the Indianapolis situation. Next
the water company amendment was
stricken out, but the feature permit
ting city officers to succeed themselves
was retained.
When the bill finally went to the
governor for his signature. he discov-
cred also that it would repeal the law
enacted at this session by which the
city council of Indianapolis was reduc-
ed from twenty-one to nine members.
So he decided to veto the bill on the
ground that he did not believe it wise
to repeal the other law so soon after it
was passed.
Representatives Faulkner, OF Michi-
gan City, Racey OF Vincennes. and sew
eral other democratic representatives
from fourth class cities, heard of his
hesitancy In signing the bill. and they
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