Indianapolis Journal, Volume 49, Number 48, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 February 1899 — Page 4

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THE DAILY JOURNAL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1891). Washington Office—lso3 Pennsylvania Avenue Telephone Cell**. Business Office 238 i Editorial Rooms 86 TERMS OF SI RSCRIPTION. DAILY BY MAIL. Dally only, one month $ .70 Dally only, three months 2.00 Daily only, one year 8-00 Daily, including Sunday, one year 10.0 t Sunday only, one year 2.W WHEN* FURNISHED BY AGENTS. Daily, jier week, by currier 13 cts Sunday. Hingle copy '• cts Daily and Sunday, |>er week, by carrier 20 cts WEEKLY. Per year 11.00 Reduced Hates to Club*. Subscribe with any of our numerous agents or ■end subscriptions to the JOURNAL NEWSPAPER COMPANY, Indianapolis. fnd. Persons sending tlie Journal through the mails In the United States should put on an eight-page paper a ONE-TENT postage stamp; on a twelve or sixteen- ge paper a TWO-TENT postage ■tamp. Foreign jKjstage ia usually double these rates. AH communications intended for publication in this paper must, in order to receive attention, be accompanied by the name and address of the Writer. TflEhUI A\ A POL IS JOI H\.\L Can be found at the following places: #JEW YORK—Astor House. CHICAGO—PaImer House, P. O. News To., 217 Dearborn street. Great Northern Hotel and Grand Pacific Hotel. CINCINNATI—J-. R. Hawley & Cos., 134 Vine ■treet. JjOUIBVILLE—C. T. Leering, northwest corner of Third and Jefferson streets, and Louisville Book Cos., 256 Fourth avenue. JBT. LOUlS—Union News Company, Union Depot. WASHINGTON, D. C.—P.iggs House, Ebbitt House and Willard's Hotel. The legislature should be on its guard •gainst movements to whittle away the fee end salary law by special legislation. It may be wise to make sure of the Nicaragua canal while the Democrats In Congress are so anxious to secure it. By another session they may be tired of it, as they have been of the war for a long time. The defeat of the 2-cent-fare bill In the tHouse last night by an emphatic vote kills (hat Project in this Legislature. With the figures presented from the reports of the railroad officials the result could not have t>cen different. The action in the national House in sustaining the point of order that the appropriation of 120,000,000 to pay Spain was not germane to the sundry civil appropriation bill dots not by any means indicate that iAguintldo has a majority in that body. The Indiana State Board of Commerce, jtrhlch has just adopted strong resolutions In taVbr of local government reform, represent* twenty-three commercial organizations. These organizations arc not “in politics,” but they are likely to have some tnflu&jjct. The Hfuncie News takes a broad view of the subject when it says that reform in local government is far more important than the question of who shall do the county priming. That would be true, even if the printing question were Involved to the fullest extent, but it is not involved at all. Senator Brooks's bill establishing the salaries of county commissioners In each county. which has received the approval of the Senate committee on fees and salaries, also provides that such officers shall not make allowance* which shall be paid to themeelvcft. It seems to be a meritorious bill. “Change is not always reform,” say yie •nti-reformers. Perhaps not, but when a system is shown to be wrong in principle, vicious in practice, conducive to extravagance and dishonesty and subversive rather than promotive of public interests there Should be at least an honest effort at reform. Aguinaldo's friends in this country declare that it will cost the United States $200,000,000 a year to govern fche Philippines, Trut Secretary Gage, who has been looking the matter over, says that the revenue derived from customs duties will pay all the expenses. The secretary is the better authority.

Os course, the railroads running through Indiana can carry passengers for 2 cents a sr.ile, because they can take off a part of their trains ami discharge a large number f men employed to run them, and they can cut off all excursion trains wholly inside the State. Possibly the people can learn to dispense entirely with railroads, but it will take some time to do it. Those who are saying that the President's investigating commission has whitewashed •vet ybody but General Miles must have passed over the statement that “in the judgment of the commission there was lacking in the general administration of the War Department during the continuance of the war with Spain that complete grasp of the situation essential to the highest efficiency and discipline of the army.” It seems likely that the United States Senate will give another exhibition of its •batructiveness and lack of patriotism by tailing to pass the army bill. However •pinions may differ regarding the conduct of the war or the policy to bo pursued toward •ur new possessions, it is plain that t!e army must be increased. The President is not asking it as a personal favor, but as a public necessity. If the Senate fails to pass the House bill it will be responsible for an extra session of Kpngress. it is very evident that the Filipino insurgents are not able to make any stand • gainst American troops in open battle, ladling in this, they will probably take to the mountains or jungle and try to keep up a sort of guerrilla warfare, but with our facilities for cutting off their munitions and supplies that cannot last long. The insurrection is based on a complete misunderstanding of the aims and purposes of the Americans, and if the more Intelligent Filipinos can be correctly informed on this point there will soon be an end of the insurrection. The speech of the President in Boston last night on the one issue before the country will not only be read with interest, but will receive the unqualified approval of a large majority of the American people. The President thoroughly vindicates the course he hes pursued by showing that it is the only course that a great nation could pursue. There is special pertinence in his statement that “many who were impatient for the conflict a year ago, apparently heedless of its larger results, were the first to cry out against these far-reaching consequences of their own act.” A London paper suggests that the United States might simplify the Philippine question somewhat by transferring the outlying Island ot Palawan to Great Britain. This

island lies at a considerable distance from the main Philippine group, but it would be valuable to Great Britain because It commands the nearest route through the China sea to Australia. “Two good results would be accomplished by the transfer,” says the London paper; “while the gift would be highly appreciated on this side of the Atlantic and so strengthen the ties of friendship between the English-speaking races, the American labor of conquest would be greatly lightened." Discussion of the final disposition of the Philippines is not in order until the treaty has been ratified by Spain. We must first perfect our title; then, if England wants to assist in the job of pacifying and civilizing the natives, we will be in a position to talk to her. THE ANTI-REFORM MRS. The county officers who are lobbying against the county and township government reform bills have succeeded in winning the support of a few state papers, which, having been misled themselves, are misleading their readers regarding a matter of public interest and state concern. These papers must be misinformed regarding the character and object of the measures referred to or they would not so grossly misrepresent them and make statements so plainly a: variance with facts. The fair thing would have been to print the bills, or at least the sections against which their attacks are <Mrected, so that their readers could see if they contained anything of tl;c kind alleged. Instead of tills they attack alleged provisions that are not in the bills at all. This is not honest journalism. One or two of these papers from which better things might have been expected continue to assert, after the Journal has pointed out the absolute falsity of the statement and printed the section of the bills on which it is based, that they require county printing to be done and supplies purchased at the capital, to the injury of county newspapers and job offices. One paper, whose editor one must charitably suppose has never read either of the bills and gets his Information second hand, says: “The Indianapolis papers are frothing at the mouth because the county press opposes that portion of the county and township reform bill that would compel officers from all over the Slate to purchase their supplies in Indianapolis.” Asa matter of fact there is not a newspaper in Indianapolis that has a job ofllee or deals in supplies, and the only job and supply establishments in the city that deal with county and township officers are with the courthouse rings and organized taxeaters fighting the bills. Another paper appeals to local prejudice by asking: “What right have Indianapolis newspapers, whose editors never had anything in common with the people of Ervin township, Howard county. and positively know nothing about the affairs of that township, to provide a form of government for that township?” The Indiana Legislature, which gave Ervin township. Howard county, its present form of government, can give it a now’ one in common with every other tow nship in the State if it sees lit, and when the state conventions of both political parties and nearly all the business organizations in the State have declared in favor of anew system the Indianapolis newspapers ought to be able to favor it without being charged with a purpose to interfere with the government of Exvin township, Howard county. The truth is, the reform bills are not drawn in the interest of any locality, any person or anything except a better system of local government in Indiana. They are not aimed at the present officials, as the opponents of the measures are representing. One paper says: “The men w r ho were attacked are only doing what any one else wrould do under the circumstances. They are defending their records.” No person is attacked and no man’s record impugned unless he has been dishonest and chooses to put on his own head a cap meant not for any individual but for a faulty system. It is the opinion of competent judges and business men that the proposed reforms would work a great saving to taxpayers and a great improvement in the methods of local government, and those who oppose them on grounds that do not touch the merits o£ the bills lay themselves open to the suspicion of being in league with corruptionists and taxeaters.

MALIGNING THE PRESIDENT. President McKinley is repeating the experience of Abraham Lincoln in his inability to please those who are determined to find fault. From the beginning of the civil war till his death Mr. Lincoln was pursued by faultfinders whose criticisms of liis acts foil only a little short of disloyalty to the government and the Union cause. It is not known that Mr. Lincoln ever went out of his way to please these critics, and it would not be wise for President McKinley to do so. In his second inaugural address, his last formal paper, Mr. Lincoln said: “With firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the Nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." That was equivalent to notifying his critics that he intended to follow the dictates of his own conscience, cIo the best he could and trust to time and posterity to vindicate him. Mr. McKinley can afford to take the same position. Just now the President's detractors are trying to strike him through the report of the war investigating committee by charging that he is responsible for the state of unpreparedness in which the war found us. In reality, that condition was the result < f thirty years of peace and of parsimony and shortsightedness on the part of Congress in preparing for war. The executive department of the government can do nothing in the way of preparing for war unless Congress first appropriates funds. And this is the point wdiich the President's critics are now trying to turn against him. The report of the investigating committee contains the following statement: The commission has refrained from criticising certain of the heads of bureaus for not haring acted with foresight in preparing their various departments for actiy * war before war was actually declared, because it has appeared that the national defense fund provided by the act of March 9. 1898, was not made available for use except for the navy and for coast defenses and the ixpenditures incident thereto, until after the declaration of war. On the strength of this statement the President is charged with tying up the national defense fund and making it unavailable until after the war btgan, either deliberately fer a purpose or by peace negotiations which were a waste of time. The Sentinel, voicing this criticism, says: “Unless there was some provision in the bill that was not made public, the President alone could have prevented the money from being available from March 9 for the equipment and preparation of the army.” And after a grossly distorted statement of facts it declares that ‘‘the whole time of prepaid-

THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1899.

tion from March 9 to April 21 was apparently thrown away under the direct authority of the President." This does the President great injustice, as, of course, it was intended to do. The record shows that, so far from any time having been lost after the national defense appropriation was made, its effective use was pushed with great rapidity. The title of the bill shows that the appropriation was not made for the prosecution of w ir. but for the national defense. At that time, .March 9, almost everybody still believed that war could be averted. The national defense appropriation was spoken of as a peace measure, not as a war measure. Members of Congress so termed it and declared that it would facilitate the preservation of peace. The President was authorized to use the fund in his discretion as the emergency might require, but only for the national defense. Congress alone has authority to declare war and authorize the calling out of troops. It passed a bill authorizing the calling out of volunteers on April 22, and on April 25 made a formal declaration of war. Not until then did the national defense fund become available for actual war purposes. But, meanwhile, great energy had been shown in providing for the national coast defense, which was then regarded as our vulnerable point, and in purchasing war ships, which was understood to be the main purpose of the national defense fund when the bill was passed. An Associated Press dispatch from Washington on March 9, the day after the bill passed, said: ‘As the ships are to be first choice in the steps for defense, until their cost is ascertained it is not possible to divide the remainder of the appropriation among the other branches of the military and naval services.” The President, in his annual message of December last, said of the national defense fund: That this act of provision came none too soon was disclosed when the application of the fund was undertaken. Obr coasts were practically undefended. Our navy needed large provision for increased ammunition and supplies and even numbers to cope with any sudden attack from the navy of Spain, which comprised modern vessels of the highest type of continental perfection. Our army also required enlargement of men and munitions. The details of the hurried preparation for the dreaded contingency are told in the reports of the secretaries of war and navy, and need no' be repeated here. It is sufficient to say teat the outbreak of the war. when it did come, found our Nation not unprepared for the conflict. This shows that while the coast defenses and the navy were the first points looked after, nothing was neglected in the way of preparing for the beginning of hostilities, which, it was still hoped, might be averted. The equipping and mobilizing of troops could not take place until Congress authorized them to be called out, but everything else was done that could be in so short a time. It was the concurrent testimony of all competent judges that no government ever accomplished as much in the way of preparation for war, in the same length of time, as this government did between March 9 and April 24, 1898. The charge that President McKinley wasted the time, either purposely or otherwise, is false, unpatriotic and contemptible.

REFORM WILL COME. Those who are opposing reform in township and county government have been given notice that they have an organization to fight which has come to stay. This organization is the State Board of Commerce, which, at its meeting on Wednesday, gave notice to that effect. The bills for the improvement of local government now pending are the bills prepared by direction of this body. It is a strong and growing organization. It will grow rapidly when it shall be understood that its present purpose is to correct the evils which exist in local governments, whether county, township or city. If the fight is invited by those who oppose such reforms, there will be a branch of this organization in every county in the State, It will find out who are the real opponents of these needed reforms, so that if opposition is continued the battle will be directed against them. If there is an association of officeholders who contribute money to be used about the Legislature by lobby agents, the State Board of Commerce will doubtless be obliged to give attention to it in an effective manner. Nor will this organization wait for the next election. If the reform bills are defeated, the Board of Commerce will appoint a commission to inquire into alleged abuses in local government, beginning in those counties in which officers and members cf the Legislature have been conspicuous opponents of the pending bills. It may be said that such a commission can have no authority to investigate. That is true, but taxpayers have a right to examine every record in all public offices, which will enable experts to lay bare illegal, careless or dishonest methods. It. could show where there has been waste, bad management or corruption. Calling the members of the State Board of Commerce vile names will not be effectual. Argument by epithet will not do. Lying about Indianapolis newspapers and Indianapolis interests will deceive no sensible men. The fight is against a bad system of local government, and it will not end until It shall be overthrown. Jf some good men choose to he buried beneath the ruins of the evil system, it is because they are its defenders. An organization could not have a better purpose than to secure clean and economical local government; moreover, tho organization which takes it up in earnest will win sooner or later, but, probably, at an early day. TIIE STREET-RAILWAY PROPOSITION The statement which Mr. McGowan, the representative of the new street-railway company, made to the legislative committee on Wednesday night is frank and explicit. No company really intending to operate a street railway lias made so fair a proposition. So far as the city as a city is concerned and the owners of property along the streets through which tracks are laid down, the offer must be -icceptable. There is, however, no concession in lares made to the large number of people who patronize the street railway. The conditions may be such that a 3-eent fare cannot be adopted at the present lime, but if it was profitable for roads in cities to sell twenty-five tickets for $1 or six for 25 cents several years ago, there seems no good reason why it cannot be done in Indianapolis without loss to tHe company, since it is probable that the difference would be made up in a larger patronage. Furthermore, thirty-four years is a long period to grant: a charter based upon a 5-cent fare or even a 4-cent fare. The lifetime of the company’s bonds is a thing to be considered in this connection. The application of electricity as a motor for street curs has revolutionized the business during the past dozen years. In this age of invention it is probable that anew and much cheaper motor may he invented. Already promising experiments have been made with compressed air. It may be provided that after a given number

of years the question of fares may be considered. For the immediate-future street-car patrons should have six tickets for 2-5 cents, and, as the proposed franchise is to run thirty-four years, a provision for 3-eent fares, contingent on greatly increased business or inventions reducing the cost of street-railway. operation, might very properly be included, to become effective some time during the life of the franchise. The Journal believes that those representing the new company are acting in good /aith. and that the company will carry out any agreement its officers may make. They seem to understand the importance of having the good will of the people with whom they are dealing and on whom they must rely for patronage. The details of the franchise must be made by the city authorities and not by the Legislature. All that the latter can do is to enact such laws as will enable the new company to clear the way to obtain a franchise from the city. The bill for the reorganization of the Indianapolis School Board which has been introduced in the Senate is the result of very careful deliberation by several committees of citizens and educators, all friendly to the schools. Its object is to increase the executive force of the board by reducing its membership, to improve its character by prescribing new qualifications for the members and to remove the board from ward politics by making its members elective by the city at large. It also makes some changes in the business methods of the board which experience has shown to be necessary. There is no politics in the bill, and although it has been introduced somewhat late in the session, there is lio reason why it should not pass without opposition. Indiana can scarcely afford not to show at least a friendly interest in the Ohio centennial and Northwest Territory exposition to be held at Toledo in 1902. This State was part of th Northwest Territory along with Ohio, bone of her bone and flesh of her flesh, until 1802, when Congress, by the same act, created the State of Ohio and the Territory of Indiana. The first Governor of Indiana Territory, William Henry Harrison, had previously been secretary of the Northwest Territory, and the Ohio man has been more or less in evidence in this State ever since. After becoming acclimated and used to his environments he makes a very good Hoosier, and there Is enough of him in this State to justify taking an interest in the Ohio centennial. The Bloomington (Ind.) Progress prints the public buildings appropriation bill with the headlines: “Sharpen Your Channelers;” “Send Me 200 Cars of Scabbled Stone, Quick;” “Congress Is Helping Us Out." The cause of this rejoicing is the prospective demand for Indiana oolitic limestone, which is quarried extensively in the vicinity of Bloomington. No doubt the new government building in this city, when it is authorized, will be constructed of that material, and it will probably be used at other places. The Martinsville Republican says many ducks are being killed on the river near that place and that a few days ago a local sportsman killed a duck and a nine-inch bass at one shot. “The duck.” says the Republican, “hud already made a meal off of the fish and it was not found until the duck was cleaned. The fish had evidently just been swallowed.” No doubt a hungry duck might swallow a nine-inch bass, but how, did he catch it?

HI RULES IN THE AIR. Tilt* Corn fed Philosopher. “Tact,” said the Cornfed Philosopher, “consists in not asking persons in their second middle age if this isn’t an old-fashioned winter.” The Kternnl Row. “So old Ordscrabble’s housekeeper has left him?” “Yes; he told her she could not make as good biscuits as his first housekeeper used to make.” An Overnight. The Elderly Person—Have you read "John Halifax, Gentleman?” The Young Person —Oh, yes, but the author was so stupid. The hero might have been named “Jack” just as easy! I nfortunate Blunder. “My record,” shouted the candidate, “is white as the driven horse ” It was truly unfortunate, but they ought to have known better than to have sent a red-haired stenographess to report him. The Farmer’ll Future. The Pessimistic Farmer—l want to know what is to become of the Great Corn Belt when them there horseless wagons and things gits to be all the go. The Optimistic Farmer—Wy. we'll raise corn for fuel, of course! STATE PRESS OPINION. It is objected by some opponents of the proposed reform legislation regarding county and township business that it would be impossible to find good men to serve on the council to regulate the tax levies and pass upon the requisitions of trustees or commissioners. It would indeed be singular if taxpayers with sufficient patriotism and public spirit could not be found in tha counties of Indiana when excellent men are found in the cities to serve on the School Board without pay.—Terre Haute Express. There is not a county of the ninety-two in the State that could not be governed at from one-linlf to two-thirds of its present cost of government if its affairs were conducted on strictly business principles. The courthouse rings, political bosses and those who seek the offices from a pecuniary standpoint, however, will not permit it to be so governed. Merit does not have a chance. Both the obnoxious and usually conscienceless elements in county management have their hands in everything and reach down into the pockets of the taxpayers. When the people throttle these courthouse rings, as they have already started to do in Wells county, there will be relief from burdensome taxes and gang rule. The taxpayers must take the matter in hand. —Bluffton Chronicle. The defeat of the proposition in the legislature to give to county commissioners the right to give away any or all of the highways or public roads to electric railroad companies without such companies first getting the consent of the farmers alongside whose farms such roads run was the proper thing to do. To destroy the usefulness of public roads, whether turnpikes, gravel roads or common dirt roads, by having railroad tracks laid down in or over them is an invasion of the property rights of every one owning lands or lots alongside such roads. It is more; it is a virtual closing of such highways to ordinary travel to a very large extent. If an electric railroad company organizes to build a road it should purchase the land for Us right of way just as steam railroad companies have to do.—New Albany Ledger. There should be no effort on the part of newspapers to discredit the county reform business by charging that possibly the printing required by a law' on the subject might be kept away from the local offices and eentialized at Indianapolis or other city. What does a small thing like a job of printing amount to in comparison with the undoing of a defective law affecting deleteriously the welfare of hundreds of thousands of taxpayers and the framing of one which will not only correct that bad effect, but remove, temptation to wrongdoing from a thousand officials? What matters it that a possible profit of a few dollars fail to materialize to needy local publishers if the entire body politic and the moral status of the country be improved, although one firm be appointed to do the printing for the entire State? The passage of the proposed reform law may save hundreds, in some cases thousands. of dollars to a county, besides simplifying and correcting a bad system; the cost of the stationery and printing for that

county could hardly amount to more than a few dollar?, possibly not more than what the cost now Is. The conventions of both parties have demanded reform, because the necessity was apparent. These small obstructions ought not be advanced or considered.— Muncle News. The defeat by the House of Representatives last Friday of the bill providing for a uniform system of county and township bookkeeping is a great disappointment to the taxpayers of the State of Indiana and will increase the apprehension for the fate of the other two measures which the prolonged delay of the Legislature in acting upon them has given rise to in the minds of all honest men. The defeated bill and the two yet to be acted upon rounded out a proposed system of local government from which the greatest results in economy and efficiency could reasonably be expected. The bill was defeated because its meaning and purposes were misrepresented on the floor of the House and because members did not rise to the importance of the work that has been expected of them by the great body of the taxpayers of Indiana.—Brookville American. Our state lawmakers should speedily and fearlessly pass these reform measures and trust to the people for their vindication. Indeed, what have they to gain by voting against the reforms? If the county and township associations are so powerful now as to defeat reform, what will be their influence after they succeed in thwarting this needed reform? Our legislators regret the power these associations possess, and yet they intend to so vote as to augment and perpetuate this influence. Now is the time to stand for the public. Now is the time to stand for reform. Now is the time to stand for business-like methods in public affairs. Indiana never had so serious a problem to face. Shall corrupt practices control her Legislature? Shall officeholders defy the people? Shall the power of spoils and money when cast in the balance outweigh public necessity and honest laws?—Richmond Item. The Republicans of the General Assembly will lind it difficult to prove to their constituents that they are not responsible for the failure of the county reform measures if the defeat of those bills is brought about. The pow'er of the caucus is supreme where matters of party politics are concerned say the voters: why then cannot it be exercised if necessary in matters which concern the taxpayer and the citizen in general? There is reason in the position, and if the obstructionists who are acting the dog-in-the-manger role cannot be convinced in any other way the power of the caucus should be invoked. The Review is not a devotee to caucus domination, but it ever it is right it is in cases where the representative puts his whims or personal desires in opposition to the expressed will of the people he is sent to represent, particularly on questions of party pledge and economic reform.—Elkhart Review. RECORDONSKYSCRAPERS NEW LAW BUILDING GOING I P IN REMARKABLY Ql IfK TIME. Arrow-Shaped Lilies front Tawpath Fui-ulnli the Exterior Decorative Design.

The new twelve-story law building on East Market street is almost ready for the beginning of interior work, and it is said that all sky-scraping records have been broken in the rapidity with which the structure has gone up. The steel frame is completed and the masons are now working on the eleventh story. The building will be ready for occupancy in July, three months ahead of contract time, which gave the builders till the latter part of September. On Dec. 20 the contractors “left the sidewalk,” and Jan. 27, about five weeks later, the steel' frame was finished, the terracotta for nine stories was on and the brick work of ten stories had been set in place. This unusual rapidity is due to the fact that the people interested did not start to build till they were quite ready. The building will contain a million brick, and the weight of the steel will amount to SOU tons. There are 200 office rooms, three storerooms, a law' library, 24x04 feet, on the top floor, and several consultation rooms to be used for larger gatherings than could be accommodated ordinarily in a lawyer’s office. Threq-fourths of tiie building has been leased. In the exterior decoration of the Law building are entirely new ideas. Mr. Gibson, the architect, with a view to making the building partake of an American architecture, resorted to a decorative scheme that has not only furnished striking effects, but has drawn its theme from Marion county flora. Up along the towpath the arrowshaped lily plants to be found in the low lands between the river and the canal and in the canal itself are a part of the natural beauties of this attractive stretch of scenery. These lily leaves the architect has studied carefully, and after noting the curves of the leaves and the peculiarly graceful, flowing effects of them he has worked these into no less than thirty-five designs, each different in its scheme, yet all following the central idea of the leaf. These designs, some of which make fine geometrical shapes, have been reproduced in the terra-cotta blocks which make up the front of the building, and every decorated block in this extensive front is marked by some idea from the towpath lilies. One block has a circle of the leaves, and the flowing effect spoken of almost gives the appearance of moving leaves. It is surprising that so much life can be given to a conventional design. Mr. Gibson first, made blue prints from the leaves themselves, and. notwithstanding he has obtained thirty-five different designs, he by no means exhausted the possibilities. Once before, on another building, he obtained decorative designs from the peculiar seed of the maple. As far as lie knows, the arrow-shaped lily leaf has not been used in American architecture heretofore. On the building’s front several columns run from bottom to top. and on each column are five different designs, used alternately. The cross-pieces are made of still another design, and even to the balcony, far up to the top of the structure, the lilies appear in other forms. A lawyer asked the architect what relation a lily leaf, particularly an ar-row-shaped one. had to a law building, and the reply was that the arrow was originally the only form of law, and the use of arrow-shaped lily leaves in a decorative way was only an instance of poetic justice. This, however, did not move Mr. Gibson in making his selection, his only idea being to secure a beautiful decorative leaf. All the terracotta used was made in this city, as well as the iron work. The steel came from Pennsylvania and the white brick from Brazil, Ind. NVeaklingx t tle Rear. [“Tell the folks at home to stop quibbling.”— Letter from a private at. Manila.] No time for quibbles of the law When patriot trumpets blow; Damned be the man who splits a straw To praise his country's foe! You may be nervously’ sincere. Going backward on the hunt; But brave men hate you for your fear When thunder shakes the front. You laud the gold-bought, savage Don; You dub us Christian thieves; It makes you think of Washington When Agulnaldo grieves! Choke back those words, or quit the land. Ye recreants pocr and stunt, While the full-statured, hero band Are falling at the front! No longer ape the Pharisee. Let fall the mask, be men, And show your breeding doughtily. Though odds be one to ten; Press to the outmost danger line. Where honor bears the brunt; Help fill the patriot ranks that shine Far on the flaming front. Or back! give room for men who dare Beyond the reach of fear. I Quail, if you must, but have a care Os carping in the rear;For we who take the flag and go Through hell to bear the brunt Are not exactly saints, you know, And power is at the front! - Maurice Thompson. Not Iceahle. Washington Star. It is noteworthy that no canned-beef concern is trying to' use the fact that It supplied the government as an advertisement.

TWO-CENT FARE DEAD HOl>E DID NOT BELIEVE THE niLL FAIR TO RAILROADS. Report of Coipmlttee to Indefinitely Postpone Concurred In by a Note of ii) to 2(1. A FEE AND SALARY SCHEME ♦ OI'CT PIED MI CH TIME. BI T WAS FIN \LLY HEADED OFF. Anti-Lynching Rill Fails in Senate— Long Debate Over Pharmacy Hill. As was the case two years ago, the House devoted its first evening session to a consideration of a 2-cent-fare bill, and it took this House just a little less than two hours to kill and bury the bill. The bill selected for the test was that by Mr. Neal, of Hamilton. and the question was on accepting the report of the committee on railroads, recommending that the bill be indefinitely postponed. There was some question as to whether enough members were in the hall last evening to make a quorum when the hour arrived to which the House had adjourned, and Speaker Littleton waited a few moments before calling the members to order. The seats for spectators on the floor were well tilled when the House began proceedings, and Mr. Neal was first recognized. He spoke at some length and said that to vote for the report of the committee was a vote against the people the members were supposed to represent. He declared that the right of a State to regulate fares has been settled in the famous Nebraska case, and that the State should reduce the present fare. He asserted that the present rate of fare is a discrimination of the rich against the poor, and said that the average fare now is but 1.9 cents a mile in this State. He cited the reductions in strcet-car faro in Toronto. Detroit and other cities where the increased traffic has more than made up the decrease that might have resulted from the reduction, and he claimed that this action would increase the traffic of the roads. To prove his claim he read statistics regarding the reduction of freight rates and the constantly increasing business. He would withdraw the bill, he said, if he thought it would reduce the. pay of employes, but ho believed that labor should be consistent. He said the laboring men claimed that this would reduce the wages of the railroad employes, and hence wanted it defeated, and then they turn around and demand reduced street-car fares in Indianapolis. He said that since 1870 there has been no reduction in fare, although there has been a reduction in all other lines. The average has come dowui, he said, because of the increased number of excursions. He acknowledged that the roads should have fair returns on the money invested, but he declared that they wanted returns on watered stock and not on the actual investment. lie stated that the Wabash is capitalized at $135,00') a mile and pays taxes on a valuation of $25,000 a mile. Much is made by the roads about the payment of taxes, said Mr. Neal, but he did not think that should be considered, as it was merely the return of a portion of the money of the people. He argued that passes are given to those able to pay fare, and that the poor man is the one who is required to pay cash for his rides. Mr. Loutitt expressed himself as in favor of a 2-cent fare. He does not think this State alone should enact such a law, but it should be a general law. He was of the opinion that the railroads would remove their shops from the State if this bill was to be passed, and this would be a serious blow' to Fort Wayne. Mr. Lief, a Populist member, argued for the bill and stated that the State is greater than the corporations. He regarded Mr. Louttit’s statements as an argument for the bill. He argued that corporations should be subordinate to the State. ALL HAVE PASSES.* SAYS WJLLOUGH-

Mr. Willoughby began his remarks by saying: “If I hail a shotgun that would shoot every member of the legislature in this room who has a pass in his pocket there would be no one left to answer to roll call in the morning.’’ He considered a proper course for those who thought there was discrimination against the poor would be for them to go home and pay the amount they would have had to pay in railroad fare, had they not ridden on passes, to their poor neighbors. Mr. Lief jumped up and stated that he had two or three passes, but that did not prevent him from voting as he believed to lie right. Mr. Willoughby continued that he was tired of hearing this ranting about corporations, and said the members of the Legislature come here on passes, talk about reducing the fare to make people think they are doing something when they are really saving their mileage and feathering their own nests. He argued that the cost of stopping trains was great and that the reduced fare on through trains was because they carried more people and stopped less frequently. He stated that Wabash stock never has and never will pay a dividend. Mr. Huff took the ground that railroads have done more to develop the State than anything else, and he opposed the bill because of the reduction he thought it would make in the wages of the employes, and because he thought the roads would increase freight rates. Mr. Cunningham op- , posed the bill because of the opposition of the employes of the road and their belief that their •wages would be reduced. Speaker Littleton interrupted him to ask if he thought a railroad should carry a man who weighed four hundred pounds at the same rate it carried a man who weighed two hundred? Mr. Cunningham replied: "If a man can raise hogs and hominy enough to get as big and as fat as I am. I think he is entitled to two seats." and he sat down amid great laughter. Mr. Knotts spoke against the bill, because, he said. 270,000 laboring men of this State w’ant it killed. Speaker Littleton then announced: "There is one phase of this question that has not been brought out. I understand that a member of this House rode on a pass by proxy the other day and the proxy was a small page in knee breeches. I think that feature should be discussed, and I recognize the gentleman from Jefferson. Mr. Roberts." The members shouted with laughter, and Mr. Roberts rose long enough to move the previous question, which was ordered, although there were shouts of "No" from all parts of the house. THE VOTE THAT KILLED IT. The roll was called and the committee report to indefinitely postpone was accepted by a vote of 4? ayes to noes, as follows: Ayes—-Baker of Whitley. Baker of Martin, Barlow, Beardsley. Clark. Corner, Compton, Cat ley. Cunningham, Durham, Furness, Gants, Glossbrenner. Graham. Hall, Hays, Holcomb, Huff. Kerwood, King. Knotts, Lawrence. Ixiuttit. McGarv. Manifold. Messick. Miller. Murphy of Marlon, Marsh, Myler. Noel, Osborn, Owen. Powers. Patterson, Roberts, Roots. Schrader, Scott of Montgomery, Scott of Ltwrence, Shideler, Stevens. Strong. Schaal. Shirley, Vogel, Whitcomb of Marion. Willoughby and Littleton. Noes —Altman. Blankenship Burrier, Burkhart. Canada. Caraway. Cravens of Washington. Cutty. Downey. Fuller, Geisel, Green. Hayes, Herod. Kirkpatrick. Kriek, T.arr. Lief. Madden. Morrison. Neal. O'Bannen, Rifenburg. Somers, Titus and Williams. Paired—McCarty with Murphy, of White. Absent—Aikin, Bcnham. Brown, Claycomb, Clements, Cravens of Monroe, Dtlley. Eichhorn, Feist. Heuring, Hedgecock. Herrold. James, Marshall. May, Mull, Reece. Reser. Roose, Ross, Sullivan. W hitcomb of Vigo and Wise. Nearly all the members occupied their minute to explain their votes hv "inki'c brief speeches for or against the bill. As soon as the result was announced Mr. Willoughby moved that the vote be reconsidered, and then moved to table his flrr.t rno-

tion. This was done and the House adjourned v iut delay. ATT T TO RAISE SALARIES. There out two breaks in the monotony of day's proceedings yesterday. The first was the flurry over a bill by Mr. Rifenburg to increase the salaries of the auditor, treasurer and recorder of Lake county and some of the officials in Porter county. The bill came up on second reading, and Mr. Huff presented a rider to increase the salary of the auditor of Daviess county sso<). Mr. Rifenburg had stated that the officials of his county were poorly paid because their compensation had been fixed before there was the great increase in the population of the county that has since occurred. Mr. Huff claimed that his auditor was underpaid and that the people of his county desired that the salary should be increased. Mr. Blankenship protested against increasing the salaries of any of the county officers and said there were no petitions asking for such action. This was denied by Mr. Huff, who stated that he had one in his desk asking for this very action. Mr. Rifenburg and Mr. Furness protested against this being added to the bill, and urged that a special bill be brought in to cover the point. Mr. Furness moved to table the amendment but the motion was lost and the amendment was adopted. The Democrats voted almost solidly for the amendment. Mr. Hedgeeock next presented another rider to increase the salaries of Clinton county officers, and Mr. Clark indorsed the rider. Mr. Rifenburg moved to table this amendment and the motion was lost. Mr. Blankenship jumped up with the letter sent out by the officers of the County Officers’ Association and protested against such action. He said that he could not understand this increase in the salaries and stated that while In some cases the salaries may be inadequate, yet the fee and salary law should not be tampered with. Mr. Roots demanded that these amendments should go to the fees and salaries committee in regular order and not tacked on here. Mr. Williams said the bill was a dangerous one, and that he could see no reason for the increase in the salaries, as there is never a dearth of men who want these offices and take them with full knowledge as to the salaries paid. Mr. Iynotts moved to engross the bill and Mr. Eiehhorn and Mr. Bonham, with many others, protested against this action, as they said there were many other amendments which it was desired to add to the bill. In the midst of the discussion as to engrossment the House adjourned lor noon. The members w’ere much excited, as it was not known whether this was an attempt to kill the bill by loading it down with amendments, whether it was a scheme of the Democrats to force the majority to pass a bill with many increases of salaries, for campaign .purposes, or whether it was a plan by the County Officers' Association to so load this private bill with amendments as to make it in effect a fee and salarly bill. When the House assembled in the afternoon the motion to engross was at once taken up. The vole was taken and the motion to engross was lost by 37 ayes to 38 noes. Mr. Hedgeeock demanded the ayes and noes on his amendment to increase the salaries of the Clinton county officers. His amendment w’as adopted by a vote of 44 to 42, as follow’s: Ayes—Baker of Whitley. Brown. Ciark, Claycomb. Cravens of Washington, Cravens of Monroe. Cotnep, Cutty, Dilley, Durham, Downey, Eiehhorn. Gcisel. Graham, Greenhall, Heuring. Huff. Hedgeeock, Herod, Herrold, James. Kriek, Lawrence, Lief, Manifold, Murphy of Marion. Madden, Marsh. May, Morrison, Murphy of White, Myler. Noel. O'Bannon. Patterson, Reser, Schrader, Strong. Shirley. Sullivan, Willoughby, Wise and Littleton. Noes—Baker of Martin, Barlow, Beardsley, Blankenship, Bonham, Burrier. Burkhart, Canada, Caraway, Compton. Cunningham. Fuller. Furness, Gants. Glossbrenner, Hayes, Hays. Holcomb, Kerwood. . King, Kirkpatrick, Knotts, Larr, McGary, Marshall. Miller. Neal, Osborn. Owen, Powers, Reece. 'Rifenburg. Roose, Roots. Scott of Montgomery, Scott of Lawrence, Someth, Stevens, Tipis, Whitcomb of Vigo and Williams. A *r. Bonham next offered an amendmeht. to add a section increasing the salaries of the Blackford county officials, and Mr. Rilenburg. In hopes of saving his bill, accepted the amendment. Mr. Artman was the executioner and moved to strike out the enacting clause, and Mr. Hedgeeock moved to table the motion. The roll was called twice because of the great confusion in the hall, and the motion to table was lost by 29 ayes to 52 noes. Mr. Huff made the last pica, and said that the motion to kill the hill was due to a fear of Republican loss on account of change in votes, when it might he charged that salaries had been increased. Mr. Whitcomb of Marion moved the previous question, and the bill was killed bv a vote of 61 to 28.

HALL SUGGESTED, FOR HIM. The second diversion of the afternoon wan over Mr. Blankenship, who has claimed to be a farmer nearly every day of the session. In the House directory no Occupation is placed after Mr. Blankenship’s name and Mr. Eichhorn sent up a motion that "lawyer" should lie inserted after his name and produced a copy of the Morgon county bar docket in which Mr. Blankenship's name appears as one of the members of the bar. There was great laughter over the motion and Mr. Blankenship defended himself. He acknowledged that he is a member of the bar, but said that he claimed to he a farmer because he considered it the greatest profession in the world. Mr. Shideler tried to stop his speech by suggesting that there was much business before the House and suggesting that Mr. Blankenship Hire a hail and make his speech there. Mr. Blankenshin continued his speech, and at some length told of the large fees he made. He was constantly interrupted by numerous questions from all parts of the hall and In the course of his remarks said he did not "impunge” the motives of any member. There was a great shout at this and a motion was made by Mr. Shideler that "impunge” he made a part of the record. In the end Speaker Littleton said that it was not necessary to put the motion and the fun was ended. Mr. Willoughby presented a bill to forbid book making or pool selling at any point in the State, except by county and state fair associations. The hill provides a maximum fine of SSOO and imprisonment for six months for a violation of the provisions and for selling pools to a minor the penalty is a fine of not less than SSOO and imprisonment for from three months to one year. Mr. Burkhart’s bills declare contracts wherein employers are released from all liability for damages from negligence to be null and void, requires that freight trains shall have at least two brakemen and passenger trains at least one, and the antitrust bill is the same bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Winfield. The Indianapolis police pension bill was passed and Senator Early's resolution to amend the Constitution so that the General Assembly shall prescribe what qualifications shall he necessary for admission to practice law in all the courts of the State was adopted. Mr. Licf's anti-trust bill came up on second reading and Mr. Marshall moved to strike out the enacting clause, hut the motion was tabled by a vote of 60 ayes to 18 noes and the bill went to engrossment. Senator Wood’s bill to make it larceny to steal a dog caused much sport. A number of amendments were made, but the choice one was offered by Mr. Louttit and was declared out of order by Mr. Willoughby, who was in the chair at the time, on the ground that “it is not intelligible. ’’ The amendment was to strike out all after the enacting clause and insert some doggerel verses. DAY n THE HOUSE. County and Township Reform Hills Presented—X Minority Report. Both the county and the township reform bills were presented to the House during the roll call of committees. Mr. Reser rose and stated that the ahsenee of a report from the minority of the committee did not mean that he was not opposed to these bills. He said he had not made a minority report because he hoped the bills might be so amended that lie could support them. He is opposed to them in their present form, but he hopes that the features lie considers objectionable may be removed. Mr. Green stated that he is in favor of a reform, hut he is not in favor of these bills. He said he had not signed the report, but did not desire it to be understood that he would not oppose the bills as they are. now. Mr. Rifenburg reported for the committee appointed to consider the extra appropriation for the clerk and the assistant clerk. The committee lecommended that the amount to be givt n to each be reduced to SSOO and this was accepted. Senator Joss's bill to stop the practice of bringing suit under Barret law assessments without notice to the party assessed, that such assessment was on the property, was passed under a suspension of the rules. Mr. Bonham's bill makes a general charge in the incorporation fees to be charged by the secretary of state. The new scale is as follows: For the incorporation of companies whose capital stock is $10,001) or less. $2); from $10.00) to $50,000, one-fifth of 1 per cent.; over $50,000, one-fifth of 1 per cent, on the first $50,000 and $1 for each additional one (Continued on Sixth I'nge.)