South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-25
STATE SENATE WILL
BE SCENE OF BATTLE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNE)


declared he will file a contest be-
fore the senate when 1t first opens
that the constitution of Indiana
protects him in his right to serve
four years as a senator after he once
is elected by the people and that
his term did not end with the eX-
piration Of the term of Sen. Jack
son.
If Eikman files his claim in the
early days of the senate. the polit-
zeal complexion of that organization
will be democratic, because William
Z. O'Neill, democratic lieutenant
governor, would be presiding. Elk
mans case could be handled by
special committee, appointed hur-
riedly, and il is not at all suppose
tiOus to advance the belief that he
might retain his seat throughout
the session of the legislature. thus
preventing a republican majority in
the senate.
Some leading democrats here. dis
cussing the Eikman situation, said
they believed Eikman has a valid
right TO the seat in the senate and
that ne viii win his case. Others
declare they do not believe investi-
cation of the statutes and the con-
stitutiOn would uphold Eikmans
contention. Dobyns was elected to
succeed Eikman after the redistrict-
ing of the states legislative dis
tricts, had tackled the town of
Greensburg on the district from
which Eikman formerly was elect
ed.
From this peculiar situation in the
general assembly, political eyes are
turning towards the big questions
that undoubtedly will animate this
legislature. Among them are the tax
revision problem, good roads legis-
lation, economy in office legislation,
woman suffrage problems, the liquor
problem and many others.
1t now is generally conceded that
this legislature will pass a resolu-
ton, calling for the converting of a |
convention. For a !
long time prior to and Immediately |
after the recent election, the pas
sage of a state wide prohibition law |
seemed imminent in this legislature |
But the prophecy, made in these |
columns some weeks ago, that the |
assembly eventually would pass the |
buck to the constitutional conven-
ton on such questions as woman |
and the abolition of the liq- |
uor problem, with all its varied an
giles, will be lodged successfully by |
this assembly. or so it looks now
and it is known that GOv.-elect |
Goodrich feels that the liquor issue :.
should not come formally before
this legislature. since the people did
not vote on it at the last election,
IN any form.
Convention is Certain.
It is declared privately here that
the brewing interests of the state
are 10 spring a big surprise here
during the coming week. but what
form il will take cannot now be
made public.
The real fight over the liquor
question. it now appears. will be
leftly transferred 10 the constitu
.ional convention floor, if one il
there seems nothing in
he way now Of one being called.
Political leaders here believe. in
some notable instances. that the
present legislature will adopt some
sort of a limited woman suffrage
bill But that nothing definite. or
permanent can be done along that
inc without radical revision of the
present constitution is the feeling Of
he better lawyers. who have given
line TO the problem. Thus, il APP
pears. the woman suffrage problem
also will be something for the con
ititutional convention 10 solve. Re
-ision Of the taxation system in In
LLAMA is TO be one of the big talking
lOints in the coming legislature. A
iozen different Official and semi-of-
icial ideas as to what forms such re-
.ision should take. have been ex-
.ressed and no two OF them seem TO
alike.