The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-08-24
FLAYS LESLIE
IN ANSWER TO
drunk SLUR
Sen. RoWley Says DryneSS
of Governors Taxation
Message a Cause.
PROBLEM Is UNS0LVED
NibIack Backs ChaSey on
Charge of Drinking in
Legislature.

Icy tolQl o
Dryness Of Governor Harry G.
Leslies legislative message dealing
with taxation might have driven
some legislators looking for leader
ship on the subject to drink, Sena-
tor Earl Rowley rep, Laporte and
Starke), declared today in defend
ing his legislative colleagues from
attack by the Governors office.
L. o. Chasey, secretary Of Leslie,
charged in a speech to the Grant
County Taxpayers Association at
Marion Saturday night that many
legislators were more interesting in
drinking and getting drunk than IN
tax reform
The La Porte senator, one OF the
leading Republican figures on the
senate floor, who led the fights TO
sustain Leslie vetoes, urged re-
reading of the Governors message
as one answer to why the tax prob
lens remain unsolved.
Merely Cited Problems
Under the heading, Taxation
Problems" Leslie made on recon-
mendationS whatever He merely
cited the problem as existing and
I expressed the hope that the legisla-
ture would solve it.
The Governor said the special tax
commission would have some recon-
mendations. but offered no comment
on them. The nearest approach to
the concrete on the subject is the
following paragraphs from the Les
lie message
Il wish strongly to emphasize the
fact that I am not concerned as to
The form that tax relief shall take,
but I am very greatly concerned,
and the taxpayers are very deeply
concerned, that relief shall come"
It was such indefiniteness on the
part of the administration and the
total lack of a program on either
the Democratic OF Republican sides
that left the problem where it was
before the session, Rowley said.
Hits at Cooperation
Senator John l.. Niblack (Rep.,
Marion) was inclined to agree with
Chasey regarding drinking among
members of the legislature, but he
said none was intoxicated on the
floor. and it didn't interfere with
the work of the session.
From all parts of the state to-
day, voices of legislators were raised
in denial and protest to the charges
that Chasey hurled at the Marion
meeting.
Many of the Legislators, in their
denials of drinking, also indicated
that tax measures would have
been acted on to the benefit of
Hoosier citizens had there been "a
little more cooperation down.
stairs" referring to Leslies office.
mo one can deny that many of
the legislators were more inter-
ested in drinking liquor and get
ting drunk than they were in adopt
ing measures that would tend to
correct many evils" Chasey charged.
Chasey Holds Ground
Today Chasey held his ground
that drinking was prevalent among
legislators but refused to name any
of those whom he could point to
rs having been doing more drink
ing than law-making.'
Lieutenant Governor Edgar D.
Bush. president of the Senate, was
the first to rise against the charged
hurled by Chasey.
1T Is premature criticism that
comes from a fellow who ought to
know better" Bush said from his
home in Salem, Ind.
Walter Myers, Speaker of the
house of representatives, said he
had not seen drinking among mem
bers of the house. He demanded
that Chasey be more specific and
cite instances that he knows
about
"A fellow with any Judgment
hardly would say anything like
that" Walter c. Chamber, Demo-
cratic floor leader, said
James M. Knapp, house Repub-
lican floor leader, said he had IAN
idea" a number of fellows took a
drink, but if there was any down.
right drunkenness didn't see it,
Other denials registered by legis-
latorS and political leaders:
''NO Worse Than 1929"
Lee j. Hartzell. FIT Wayne, senate
president pro tenn: There we're only
two or three members OF the legis-
lature that did any excessive drink
ing, but the rest of them seldom
drank, the majority being abstain
ers."
Earl Crawford, Milton. house
Democratic caucus chairman:
There's been drinking at all legis-
latures that know of, but no more
during the last session than any
other"
Roy M Friedley, Muncie, senate
Republican caucus chairman: u
don't know anything about the eX-
cesSive drinking ChaSey referred to
but I do think there was less
drinking this year than in 1929"
DELPHI McKeeSon, Plymouth
Democratic floor leader of the
house: There was no more drink
ing this session than the last"
r. Earl Peters, Democratic state
chairman: IF there was any evil
dence of drinking, I never became