The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-21
They Also Discussed With In
terest About the Fiji
Public Debt?
WAS NOT OPTION POW WOW
THIS LATTER SUBJECT WAS A
MATTER OF SMALL CONCERN
COMPARED WITH THE TWO
FORMER BURNING QUESTIONS.
Especial correspondenee.)

Indianapolis. May 21.-The ways
and means committee" of the brew
ers of Indiana which met in this city
yesterday gave careful consideration.
lit is said. to the question Of how best
to further the cause of foreign mis-
sions in Darkest Africa. Another
matter that received attention at the
hands of the committee. SO it is under
stood. was how to arrange for re-
funding of the public debt in the Fill
Islands. There was long and solemn
discussion of both OF these important
subjects, for the committee realized
fully their importance and the bear.
ing the correct settlement of them
will have on the destiny of the human
race.
Speeches full OF burning thoughts
and teeming with brilliant eloquence
were delivered by the various men,
bers of the committee. Arguments
were made that should have been saw
ed and handed down to posterity.
Talk Fiji Public Debt.
Nothing else was discussed at the
meeting of the ways and means COM
mittee. These two subjects occupied
all Of the time of the members of the
committee. leaving no time for the
consideration of other common place
matters such as the county local op-
ton law. The members of the COM
mittee said SO themselves. and they
ought to know. They said the local
option question was a matter of small
concern. as compared with the great
questions of foreign missions and the
|refunding of the public debt OF tho
Fiji Islands. The local option matter
is not troubling the brewers-not in
the least. Far be 1t from them to
worry over that. But they are sorely
distressed over the lack of interest
in foreign missions and the Fiji public
debt. The members of the ways and
means committee. especially Albert
Lieber. Of this city, Joseph Schaaf. of
this city. Steve Fleming, of Fort
Wayne, Mr.. Schillinger, of Mishawaka
and one or two others. expressed deep
concern over these problems and their
utter disinterestedness in the local OPP
tlOu SAtu0IAOu anu WuSu tucy 6QIult
that the local option situation does
not interest, of course. the public is
almost certain to believe what they
say.
Behind Closed Doors.
The meeting of the ways and
means committee was held at the
Claypool hotel. behind closed, doors.
No outsiders were allowed to hear
the plans that were laid to push mis-
sionary work in Africa and to refund
the Fiji national debt. The commit.
tee felt that topics of such weight and
importance had best be settled with
out the aid of the public and away
from listening ears and prying eyes.
Long after the close of the committee
meeting the members stood around
the lobby of the hotel and admitted to
anxious inquirers that they did not
even discuss the local option question.
It was not even mentioned. they said.
When they were asked IL 1t were not
fact that the committee gave DELHI
crate consideration to the best plan
for heading off the local option wave
in the larger counties of the state,
such as Marion, Allen, st. Joseph, VI
go. Vanderburg and Lake, they ans
wered that they never thought of such
a thing. Mr.. Schaaf even grew hilar-