The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-10
Privilege Smiles

The people get as little as a hungry dog,
seeking bone, obtains from sausage fac
tory.
Big business is safe. Special taxation is
safe Political gratis are protected. All the
old irnpositions are continued. All the old
forms of private pillage are in force.
At the finish, when tired men, sleepy men,
voted upon motions which they little under
stood, the forces behind Leslie must be
credited with the final slaughter of good leg
islation and the passage Of some that is evil,
very evil.
The Democratic party energies with the
hollow victory of having passed every plat
form measure promised the people through
the one house that they controlled.
The Republican party should be able to
draw large drafts in the form Of campaign
funds from the privileged interests, for
with the single exception of the registra-
ton bill, forced into law by an indignant and
organized womanhood, every one of those
platform pledges failed to become a law.
At the finish, the statehouse presented
the spectacle of a Governor seated with his
private mentor, able to force from timid
opposition of legislators practically every de-
mand he made in behalf of the forces he rep
resents.
There will be no Old Age Pension. That
was assassinated by the Governor after it
had been passed with cheers by the Demo-
cratic house and grudgingly by holdover
senate. cover the hilp' was the sentence
given to those who are old and, growing
older, find themselves no longer self-support-
ing
The utilities may continue, unhampered,
every device of loot which now permits them
to escape proper regulation. Not all of the
blame for this rests upon Republican SEN
ate, which ruthlessly killed the measure to
regulate holding companies. Other bills,
which might have saved some of the pen
mics of the people, aggregating millions in
the total, mysteriously were suppressed or
defeated by Democratic house. The utility
business in Indiana is good for another two
years.
To those same utility interests which
have been thus saved should be given thanks
for the small favor that this session saw
Old faces were missing. Some of the boys
who have lived in other years upon the pick
ings from this source are disappointed. But,
of course, expect no reduction in your gas or
electric or water bills Perhaps the habit
was too strong.
Not even so mild a measure against out
rage and imposition as a reduction from az
to-30 per cent year charged by loan sharks
in a taxation upon the defenseless and the
desperate received majority vote in either
house. Usury waves it's black flag in glee.
1t also rules.
The Governor should be very happy.
When the session started he was unhappy.
In fact, worried. A campaign issue had been
made of $50 ash trays while people were
starving and unemployed. He will still be
able to buy such ash trays to care for guests
at the mansion. His emergency fund, cut
from 100000 to $125,OOO year, still will
be available. The people of the mines and
the drought district will get all they got be-
fore-which was nothing.
The Governor had expected investiga-
tons. There were no Investigations, except
that of the highway commission in which
brave minority promptly was outvoted by
Leslie's political friends, and the same old
commission, with the same old powers, the
same old funds, received new letters of
marque to prey upon the auto owner.
In the matter of carving the state into
new districts for electing members of con-
gress, Leslie finally, in the small hours of the
morning, had his way. A tinnid opposition
surrendered to his wish Notice was given to
the nation and those who live upon political
favors that there will be, as long as party
labels count, three servants of Big Business
from Indiana in the national house of repre-
sentatives. Two of them, Republicans, have a
long record of servitude. The third resents
any suggestion of progressivism.
What is the picture as a legislature ends
its futile session?
There is a Republican majority in one
house, with a few belgerent and active dis
senters, which boldly jingles the chains of
privilege.
There is the picture of stalwart group
in the Democratic party which fought to
make good its pledges Fooled at every turn