Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-23
TO
HAVE CHANCE
TO AID PEOPLE
Should Get to Ground Floor on
Tax Injustices of G. o. P.
at Promised Session.
CITE GOODRICH FAILURE

Some time in the month Of March, ac-
cordlng to the pronouncements of Gov.
Goodrich, another special session of the
Indiana Legislature will be inevitable"
The question that confronts the people
of Indiana today is whether that session
win be open to them for the presentation
of the matters in which they are vitality
interested, or whether it Will be limited
by some nefarious scheme to the in
terests of the republican machine which
recently demonstrated its ability to limit
a special session
When James P Goodrich called a spe
cial session for the ratification of the
suffrage amendment and brought about
it's adjournment Immediately after that
ratification, he demonstrated his ability
to control the legislative action of the
general assembly of Indiana exactly as
he desired to control it.
The people of Indiana wanted then
and want now, relief from the measures
that Goodrich forced through the regular
session of this legislature. Goodrich rea
Lies that he is responsible for these
measures. He knows that any amend
ment of them must carry with it an
admission that he was wrong in forcing
the enactment of them.
Therefore, in order to obtain redress
of these legislative wrongs, the people
of Indiana must appeal to the man who
wronged them and who still controls the
legislature.
ADMITS TAX LAW
NEEDS ALTERING.
Goodrich has admitted that there must
be some amendment of the tax law. This
admission has been forced by a revolt
general over the state against the pro-
visions of this law. The revolt has
reached a point where the courts have
been beseiged by more republicans than
democrats for relief from the measure
Goodrich has grudgingly admitted must
be changed.
But Goodrich does not propose that
the changes shall be made by any one
who does not recoIlect that the law is his
pet measure, framed by himself and as
socistes and forced through the legisla-
ture. .
If it Is amended. Goodrich insists. it
must be amended by its friends And
Goodrich is now in a position, as dem
onstrated at the last legislative session,
to control the legislature which will
amend the act. No amendment that does
not originate in the Goodrich camp and
received the Goodrich stamp of approval,
can be forced through the legislature
without the solid support of all the dem
Ocratic members.
This tax law can be amended to make
it a serviceable law. 1t will not be so
amended by the Goodrich followers. II
might be so amended by a combination
of the republican legislators who are
not chained to the Goodrich chariot and
the democratic legislators who have had
ample time to see the evils of it as it
stands
MUST HAVE
DEFINITE PROGRAM
But until there can be a definite pro
gram worked out by and for the demo
cratic members of the house and senate
there is no chance of an alliance with
any Part of the republican majority in
the assembly.
1t is regarded as imperative, by the
democratic leaders of the state including
members of the assembly themselves,
that the minority prepare for a special
session Of the legislature. 1t Is proposed
that they prepare measures for intro
duction in this special session along
lines that they can conscientiously sup
port, lines that are demanded by the peo-
pie of the state, and lines along which
those members Of the legislature who are
not bound to Goodrich can follow with
out alternating their own constituents
1t is pointed out that IN this coming
special session of the legislature there
is chance for the democrats of Indi-
ana to get together and lay the founda-
tiOn for their whole campaign. It 8
declared that they can, in the sessions
Of the house and the senate. bring TO
public. attention the issues Of the state
campaign and by defining their positions