South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-23
Proposed Bills Are Not Allowed
to Drag But Meet Summary
Action if Hearings Disclose
They Are Unnecessary.
n NDIANA's SO TA
GEN ERAl ASSEMBLY
FROM THE NEWS-TIMES
III INDIANAPOLIS BUREAU


general assembly OF the state of In
diana so far has lived up TO all the
good things prophesied for il a month
ago. Few bills, relatively, have been
introduced in either house. The ut
most care is being given TO all pend
ing legislation. Committees are be-
coming graveyards for many bills
but not in the old, outrageous sense,
so far as has been discovered. In
former years bills came from commit
tee hopperS in great grists each day,
and IL was somewhere else along the
line OF progress towards the statute
books that they were stopped-if they
were stopped at ALL Usually they
were not stopped but filed the statute
books with hundreds Of measures
without which the state would get
along Just as well.
The threatened cataclysm among
the majority in either house has not
developed, although critics have de-
clared IL 10 be just around the corner
for many days. 1t threatened little
in the anti-lobby legislation situation,
which has held the attention OF the
state during the past three days. But
the action OF the house democrats
Friday seems to have effectively
squelched any opportunity for rup-
ture OF party lines that might have
been imminent
the house and senate thus far. 1t
may come when the senate takes hold
OF the anti-lobby bill in earnest, but it
is probable IL will not. This same
anti-lObby bill will make every lobby
ist, VINO appears about the legislature
or who supports or fights bill for
hire register and tell about himself
and his connections. There has been
great fear for II. House members
in the early stages OF the fight have
opposed 1t. But today the house finds
itself with perhaps / 0 democrats who
would vote against the measure. The
republicans, SO Of them, and the bull
mooser, will vote for the bill.
First Weeks Model.
Those who have watched many
legislatures, are pointing to the first
three weeks Of this one as almost
model. Vicious legislation, so far, has
had no place.
The expenditures OF both houses, so
far. have been far less in proportion
than those of 1919. In the house the
printing bill has been cut down by
various methods until thousands Of
dollars have been saved. The clerks
and other employees are much less nu-
merOus and the payrOlls in each
house are being guarded with the
most jealous care. In the senate, so
they say, the payroll had taken on all
1
established idea of the maximum
when a little. tow-headed boy appear
ed and pleaded for a job as page.
This boy hung around the legisla-
ture for several days and remarked
10 several whom he knew, that he
guessed" he wasn't going TO land this
time.
You see. nobody is backin' me this
time" he explained.
Suddenly fha hOV was given n nlaCR
IS a page and everybody wondered
how ne had managed IL. Then tCe
story came out. The little fellows
persistence had appealed to Sen.
stephen b. Fleming. i very rich man,
and, SO the story goes, Steve put him
on the payrOll-but not the senate
payroll. IL was a little personal pay
roll that Steve keeps entirely TO him
self. They say also that there were
one or two others that Sen. Steve be-
Heved we're worthy OF appointments.
but places could not be found for
them And IL is reported on good
authority that Sen. steve is digging
down into his own pocket 20 pay the
salaries OF each OF them. Two years
ago a similar situation would have re-
suited only in the petitOning ones be-
ing placed on the already top-heavy
payroll But not this year. There is
a limit. or so they say, TO every pay
roland II is reported TO be a meager
limit when viewed in the light OF the
great patronage lists that have been
the spoils in former legislatures.
Would Crystalline sentiment.
The passage OF the anti-lObby bill Un-
doubtedly Will crystallize some of the
sentiment that has sprung up OF an
adverse nature 70 the governor, prin-
cipally because some democrats be-
lieve him responsible for starting the
investigation OF the 1913 legislature,
which resulted in the indictment of
members and employees of that body.
What effect that may have on SEN
atorid boom that has been under way
with Ralston as the headliner for
some time. is problematical. halston
says he does not care for further po-
litical hOnors. that he desires 20 re-
turn 20 his farm IN Boone county
when his days as governor are over.
But some or his ardent friends de-
clare they will push him as success
sOr TO John W. Kern. when the lat
ters term expires in 1916.
William J.. Bryan is coming here
4 .wI e Nd will address the fau-