The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-01-31
Grubc's Measure to Refer all
Franchises to Voters Made
Public Service People
Wrathy.
PARTY LINES BROKE
ON IMPORTANT BILL
Bipartisan Machine, Howcv-
cr, Was in Splendid Work
ing Order-A Very Signifi-
cant Sight.
(Pauadium SpcciaD

(Palladium Spccial)
Indianapolis. Jan. S1.-Public ser>s
v!ce corporations showed their teeth
in the senate Monday in the fight
against Senator Grubc's bill for refsr-
endum vote In cities upon public fran
chises. The bill provided that when
a city council reported favorably up 1
On q franchise The matter was laid
over for thirty days before final ac-
tion. III within that time twenty per
cent. of the legal voters sign ! petit
tion to call an election upon the fran. I
chise the election must be held and
council must be bound by the result OF I
the election. II there Is no protest.
ut the end Of thirty days council takes
final action and lets the franchise.
The bill was set for special order
Of business Monday afternoon and
the senate chamber was crowded with
lobbyists and attorneys and officials
OF interurban companies, telephone
companies. light and gas companies,
and other public service corporations
real aud prospective. For several
days active work was IN progress
against the hill by public, service cor
p0ratfons. who saw In the bill m ef-
fectual check to their manipulation Of
city councils and their grabbing of
franchises by dark lantern methods.
The discussion and votes upon the
various amendments offered the nrstI
| real lineup of the senate when ~ comea
Ito ssAowA6wn bstupee TIN la1aeowts
and the people. There was A entire
breaking down Of party lines and the
bipartisan machine worked very nice
" considering it was Its first real
test. Democrats pledged by platform
and pledges to the glorious doctrine 0f
home rnle abandoned It when the In
terests OF corporations stood IN danger
OF being subjected to the terribse test
Of publicity and thirty days discussion
before the people. Republicans who
fear the will Of tho people II not the
safe and sane thing when II comes to
dealing with corporations wanting
franchises Joined with the Democrats
who refutcd the idea that the voice of
the people Is the voice Of God.
Altogether II was IN interesting ana
very significant sight to zee the states
men who were 30 willing to listen TO
the voice Of the people last fall rush
to the defen8e OF the d0wn-trodden
corporations from having 70 make
thoir case with the people, were Sens
tors Gavit. Kane, Kistler. Wood, Stot-
senberg, Hunt. Strange. Sexon. Rats
and Trautmap. There were others.
also.
csvit Dattied First.
Senator Gavit came to the bat ffrse
with m amendment making II neccs-
sary for the petition for m election
upon franchise to contain 81 per
cent. OF the voters. He announced
The was constitutionally opposed 70 any
referendum bill which required less
names on the petition than number
sufficient to constitute q majority In
elections. He thought one could get
fifteen orstwenty per cent. OF The rot
ers to sign = petition for m election
upon any proposition. and he was Ger
tain that In Lake county the voters
were 30 enamored with elections t1IAt
under those provisions they would
have one every morning with their cof-
fee and rolls. He thought aIaO that II
franchise was bad II would be easy.
to get over half the voters to sign =
petition calling for m election. Upon
roll cal his amendment lost by " 10
i17. but the following Senat0rs agreed
with him: Brady. Crumpacker, Far
L Vn1 ~xrfr