The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-02-24

1
legislature in many years except the
one of 1905, which is now in force, and
the one of 1885. which was passed by
a democratic legislature.
If the Wise bill passes 1t will repeal
the 1905 law. Then II the legislature
passes legislative reapportionment
act ana makes 1t SO unfairly democratic
as to make 1t unconstitutional and II
the supreme court should happen to I
knock 1T out the 1885 act would then
be the. only thing left for the legisia-
ture to fall back on. and this was so t
democratic as to shut out the repub1i- |
cans most effectually. OF course. thu |
new act. IL passed would be entirely |
satisfactory to the democrats but II it |
should be knocked out the law of 1885 |
would be equally satisfactory.
Little attention has been aid to the |
Wise bill thus far and 1t has escaed
notice, but some of the politicians who
have been thinking about the matter
can see other object in 1t than this.
OF course. they say. If this is the pur-
pose. then 1t is likely that a new leg
islative apportionment act will be
passed
But 1t is on the liquor question that
the democrats are all ripped up. and
there seems to be little possibility of
their patching up their differences. 1t
is the intention to have the Proctor
liquor regulation bill on the floor of the
house this afternoon for amendment
and advancement, and If this program
is carried out there will surely be a
red hot scrap. The split has come over
two propositions. the amount of sa-
loon license fees and the limitation of
the number Of saloons. There are said
to be forty democratic members of
the house who are in favor of reducing
the license fees below what are set out
in the bill. The bill makes $500 the
highest amount that can be charged
for a license in any city
From the southern Indiana counties
and from Laorte county comes the cry
that the amounts proposed to be charg-
ed in the bill are too high and that the
saloons In those counties cannot afford
| to pay the amounts. Then there
declares that the license is not made
high enough and that 1t ought to be
raised. some of them even insisting on
| a thousand dollar license. Others arc
satisfied to leave the figures where they
are.
Then there are some democrats who
believe that the legislature should fix
a maximum and minimum license fee
and then leave it to the city council or
the town board to fix the license at
any figure within those two extremes.
They say they are going to fight for
this plan. Those who oppose this plan
say that 1t would be dangerous, because
4 1t would leave the saloon question in
politics in every city and town. the effort
of the saloons being to elect a city
council that would favor low license.
| 1t is said that the republicans in the
house have agreed to support a thous-
and dollar license amendment to a man,
and that they will stand by their
agreement. There are forty republican
members of the house. and 1t will only
be necessary for them to get elevea
high license democrats to join them to
put in their amendment. With a thous
and dollar clause in the bill it would
certainly fail to pass, because of the
ldemoralized condition of the democrats.
There is some talk of an amendment
being offered in the house which would
limit the number of saloons to one for
each Ave hundred population. and CIV
ing the city councils the right to furth-
err limit the number to one for each
thousand. This would be in the nature
of a compromise arrangement with the
telement and that is demanding a close
Limitation on the number of saloons
| Another evidence of the fact that
the democrats were far apart and in
La demoralized condition is found in the
fact that while the house scaled down
1.-The appropriations bill and refused alb
solutely to make any increases in
salaries for state officials and deputies
1.-THE senate yesterday afternoon went
, through the bill and made a large num-
, Der of increases, striking nearly ever,
office and department in the state ad-
lministration. The democrats have al
along talked about economy and have
promised to save every cent possible
, for the state, and the house refused
to increase any salaries. The appro-
priations bill will have to go back te
: the house from the senate with the
Increases stuck in. and 1t is a question
as to what the house will do with 1t
!, 1t is believed the house will refuse te
agree to the amendment made by the
, senate.
So. the democrats find themselves a
the tag end of the session with theil
program shot to pieces and their ranks
, divided on some Of the most importan
J features of their plans. Their platform
} promises have not been fulfilled and I
: is believed that they cannot be fulfilled
: in the remaining few days.
|