South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-25
Secrecy Guards Preparation of
Measure, However, to Pre-
vent Appearance of State
wide Lobby Against 1t.
T MDIAMA'S 6S ITA
| GENERAL ASSEMBLY
| FROM THE NEWS-TIMES
II INDIANAPOLIS BUREAU

TNDIANAPOLIS. Jan p. The
| first bill that was to be handed
down after the house of representa-
/ tives convened Monday afternoon was
| the now famous anti-Iobby bill intro
| duced in the house by Rep. Perry
| Davis, and said to embody all the pro-
| visions of an anti-lObby bill sought
| by Gov. Ralston from this legislature
| Information that this bill would be
! handed down by Speaker Bedwen at
| the first possible opportunity Monday
was forthcoming from house leaders
late Saturday.
The democratic house caucus Friday
afternoon decided to pass the bill and
/ the speaker decided to make it the
! first order Of business for Monday
/ Thus, it seems, will end temporarily
the first real political fight that has
! developed in either house this session,
| SO far as the house is concerned. But
| that there is another fight impending
as soon as the senate really gets down
| to work on the anti-lobby question Is of
course, certain. The same influences
! that opposed the measure in the house
caucus will oppose it in the senate
where, it is known, Gov. Ralston in
tends to use his big stick" methods
again To smoke out all opposition to
the bill
This he will do, it is known, il he is
/ forced to publish To the state the in
/ huences that are behind each ipdi-
ViduaPs opposition TO the measure.
/ Following the anti lobby fight will
come. perhaps primary legislation, but
! that now is lost sight of completely,
pending the final outcome of the other
situation. 1t may be the anti-lOOby
bill will be radically amended in the
senate and the governor. as explained
later, will not stand for that, either.
Stand Against CaucuSeS.
The experience of the house mem
bers on the first two secret caucuses
that were held here seems TO have in
huenced some members to take de-
cided stand against any more eau
cuses. where the members are sworn
to secrecy as to what transpired there.
Certain members feel that in the pub
lished press accounts of these eau
cuses they were done an injustice and
they declared forcibly that hereafter
during this session the attempts to
bind members in a caucus to secrecy
will have no effect upon them.
The appearance of the old. familiar
anti-cigaret bill. is just upon the
threshold Of this week. WOmen's
organiza tiOns, churches, ministerial
/ organizations and others are TO be be-
hind the measure, which, it became
known today, already has been draft
ed and is in the hands of John a.
Lapp. legislative reference librarian,
for final revision. The utmost Sc
crecy so far has prevailed with regard
TO the bill as its appearance instantly
arouses n lobby that Is statewide in
character. The bill failed of passage
two years ago. The measure now pro-
posed contains complete prohibition
Of the manufacture or sale of cigarets.
! cigaret papers or wrappers. Mrs.
/ Edward +. White Of Indianapolis is
one of the principal sponsors for the
measure. Mrs. White says she is not
quite ready TO tell the details concern
ing the measure, but will announce
who will introduce il in the seth gem
eral assembly some time Monday
! To the Independent thinker the most
apparent situation that now is evident
IN the assembly is the manner in
which the republican minorities dur
ing the weeks passed have assisted
the democratic administration In held
ing recalcitrants in line on admins
tratiOn measures. 1t appears that the
- republican minOritieS in both houses
? will continue 10 have much to say
+ from now on regarding the doings and
- votes CT whatever insurgents exist
p among the democrats in either house.
p The most glaring example of how the
= minorities We're used by the demo-
; cratic administration leaders TO whip
Z the recalcitrants into lire came in the
y house caucuses over the anti-lObby
Dill and the same conditions VIII be
, evident when the senate caucuses on
4 the same measure early this week.
Demands Measure Have Teeth"
e Gov. Ralston was determined upon
2 the passage Of an anti-lobby bill with
2 teeth" in it. he said. The teeth"
consisted principally in the inclusion
c of a provision for an emergency
clause. thus making tho law affect the
I present session Of the legislature
? There We're L frank opponents OF
= such law in the first caucus the
2 house held. There were many more
& than who would have voted TO kill
e the bill could they have done so with
= out the general knowledge OF their
G vote becoming public. But the gov
: ernor and his he1tenants Speaker
Bedwell and Floor Leader Branaman.
used the biggest club, apparently that
. they have in their category, viz: The
I republican minority threat 1t was
known that the IS republicans in the
E house and the lone bull mooser, would
vote solidly for the enactment Of the
e bill IL they ever got a chance 70 do so
! on the floor. There were more than
enough democrats in favor OF the bill