South Bend news-times., 1915-02-25
DEFEATED NOT AT \ WATER
LOO But \ BULL RUN.

A4tC ID. a tDA LII ~
The amendment 10 the rules Of the
house that was slipped through the
lower body of the legislature, Tues
day, providing for future disregard
Of ali minority reports filed by ccm-
mittees, thus rendering the majority
on any committee, law killing body
without opportunity to test the ma
Jority wishes OF the house, is, cons.d-
ering its purpose. significant OF the
methods proverbially employed by
the interests that were unquestion-
ably back OF the movement A lair
fight. with reason on its throne. and
the public welfare boldly at issue is
not to their liking
AS We understand it. it is not denied
about the state house, but that the
purpose OF the amendment was TO
make easy killing Of the Maston suf-
frage bill already passed by the SEN
ate. and. ditto the Wright state-w wide
prohibition bill pending before the
public morals committee of the house
Seemingly satisfied with what the ma
JOrity report OF the committees hav-
ing charge CT these measures might
De. 10 head off the possibility of a mi
nority report. and end it there, is the
unquesuOned purpose of the maneu-
ver.-which is what it was. d maneu-
yer and nothing else.
But TO Kill the possibility Of a mi
nority report on these bills. the same
possibility has been killed as to ali
other measures. The gullibility of
majority of the house. or its apparent
willingness TO thus tie its hands for
the remainder of the session, in order
that the interests opposed to woman
outrage and statewide prohibition.
might be dOubiy assured OF the sue
cess of such opposition, is quite as
significant as the unfairness involved
in it with respect to the main purpose
Even if it could be taken for granted
that the vote on the rules amendment
had been thoroughly understood as TO
its purpose, and represented the vote
Of the house on the subjects aimed at
il would still be dispicable for it places
shaekles upon every other bit of leg
islation with which the house COM
mittees may still have 10 deal.
One might gather from the action
that the entire future of Indiana had
come to depend upon the defeat by
this session Of the legislature, of wom-
an suffrage and statewide prohibi-
ton. one might even gather from
the reports of the enormous lobby
drawn 10 Indianapolis from all over
fbo s+ofo IN rocpopoa 10 taIaOra ~, ~
appeals for help from certain special
interest headquarters. that the house
was quite excusable for being fright
ened into doing something drastic
It must have looked for a day or two
as though the whole state were pour
ing down upon the capital TO demand
immediate and summary squelching
of such measures. The tension and
influence unquestionably must have
been enormous, and yet, why not fight
il out. open and above board, and let
the defeat if it was TO be defeat, be
directly emphatic and frankly de-
cisive
Such a defeat for suffrage and pro-
hibition is not a Waterloo. The ques-
ton 10 them even in its victory, more
nearly resembles the conduct Of the
union forces at the battle OF Bull
Run-where they ran so fast that the
enemy could not keep up. This is not
insisting, by any means, that the suf-
frage bill should pass the house. or
statewide prohibition become a law.
but it is insisting that all things else
desirable TO the state should not be
placed at the disadvantage at which
they have been placed. in order to
effect the defeat of those movements.
/ Tt resembles penny wisdom and pound
foOiishness. IL is looking through
the legislative telescope; in at the big
end and out at the little one-a re-
versal of legitimate vision.
In addition 10 which it is fitting
10 add that the preseEt house OF the
state assembly should never again
complain OF rule by the mob. when
discussing the statewide primary. II
there ever was an organized body Of
4 legislators frightened out of its wits
hy mob display. this instance should
not be overlooked as registering one
OF them. OF course the particular
mob was not made up of women. nor
Of long visaged prohibiuonists, but
mob's a mob for an that.
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