Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1919 — BEST LEGISLATURE IN 50 YEARS [ARTICLE]

BEST LEGISLATURE IN 50 YEARS

Special Session of Legislature Called to Correct Errors of “Best” Legislature. Indianapolis, Ind., July 8. —Although Governor James P. Goodrich |ias stated publicly that the primary purpose of the proposed special session the first week of September Is to ratify the equal suffrage amendment, it is now apparent that he and other leading Republicans desire an extra session in order that some of the blunders of last winter may be corrected. - The state is to be put to an expenditure of at least $25,000 —and iprobably twice that much in order That the Goodrich administration may clear up errors that were so flagrant and so numerous that it is •difficult to see how they escaped notice ar. the time they were made. In this connection it may also be recalled with interest that Governor Goodrich issued a statement immediately after the regular session adjourned last spring, saying that It was the “best legislature in fifty years,” 4 and that the Republicans assumed all of the credit as well as the responsibility for everything that was done.

It will be remembered that the 'Governor’s glittering statement was sent to all of the Republican papers in Indiana, rnd given a prominent place so that the good word would not escape general attention. It also will be remembered that within ten days or two weeks after the legislature adjourned the errors began to bob up and that the necessity for a special session began to appear at that time. The Indianapolis News reoently printed an article showing that several state Institutions face a deficit because of the short-sighted policy of the Republicans who have been trying to make a false record, for economical management of the institutions. It will oe remembered how Governor Goodrich, Will Hays and other Republicans were .accusing the Democrats of incompetent and extravagant management of the state institutions in the 1916 campaign and how they promised they would save the state a lot of money. The state Institutions have had a hard time getting along on the penny-wise-pound-foolish policies of the Republican administration and now a special session of the legislature is necessary to make additional" 8 appropriations. It is a fine finish for the “best legislature in fifty years.’’ The Governor proposes to amend the county unit rciad law to clear up a number of confusing features due to the incompetency of the last legislature. Amendments will be offered to the tax law, which is causing the Republicans so much concern. If an effort is not made to repeal the tax law it will be surprising. Lieut.-Governor Bush and his followers are opposed to the tax law and some of them are expected to introduce a bill to wipe it out.

It is no wonder that great anxiety is felt by the Republican state officials and party leaders generally over the proposed special session. They know that It will not be welcomed by the people who can not be forced to believe that a large expenditure might have been avoided by competent management during the last session. The Democratic state committee and party leaders generally—women and men—have gone on record favoring an extra session to ratify the suffrage amendment. There will be no objection to the ratification which could be accomplished in one

day if the Governor did not have! a program that must be considered.' Although Chairman Hays, of the Republican national committee, is working hard to land the nomination for governor and the machine has everything arranged for him, there are indications of trouble for him. Lleut.-Gov. Bush is to be-, come a candidate on a platform opposing centralization of authority in the hands of the governor, and favoring the repeal of the odious tax law. Bush Is Hable to develop more strength than anticipated by the Hays following. | Judge Owen N. Heaton of Fort Wayne, also is a prospective candidate for governor, and if he gets in it is almost a certainty that Warren T. McCray wijl make the race. It is said that the feeling of uneasiness is growing among the Republican leaders over the plans made to nominate Hays and. to perpetuate the present state organization and that a revolt is coming very shortly.

Indianapolis, July 10. —History is repeating itself among the Indiana Republicans who are discovering that the special session to be called for the last week of August or the Mirst week of September is to be another “personally conducted” affair like the lamented session of last winter when the Republicans were in a 60-day snarl over everything they tried to put through. Governor Goodrich was accused then by Lleut.-Gov. Bush and others with trying to run the entire legislature because he submitted a program to abolish many offices and to give the governor wide control over the management of state affairs. Time and again lately it has been charged that the tendency of the present Republican state administration is to wipe out the last vestige of local self-government by putting into the hands of various 1 boards here authority over nearly 1 everything that was done in former years by the cities and counties. 1 The fight that was started in the ■ last legislature against that tendency still rages—and now the fear 1 is expressed that it will brealr out 1 anew when the special session of ' the legislature is convened. It is I being charged that Governor Good--1 rich and the party organization are I determined: 1 To organize the legislature to suit themselves. To limit the program to suit their plans. To say what appropriations shall be made for the state institutions. To say who shall be elected speaker of the house. To say how long the session shall last and to direct it in everything it takes up. '

If half what the Republicans themselves are saying is to be believed the same methods are to be pursued in running the special session as were so odious last winter. This, however, may be due to the well-grounded fear of the leaders on the Republican side that if the bars are thrown down the legislature may repeal the tax law and other measures which were the center of a hard fight last winter. While the Republican leaders are worried about the tax law they are afraid to have it repealed at this time. Already the confusion regarding it is almost more than they can stand. It is said that their determination to control the special session goes to the point of having determined who shall be speaker and that they also are determined that whoever becomes speaker this time shall agree not be a candidate in 1921—which certainly is count- 1 ing the chickens before they are’ hatched, as the Democrats feel they have every reason to be confident <that their party will be in control) of the legislature then. In the meanwhile there is a lot of disgust and bad feeling among' Republicans not belonging to the 1 organization because the state is to be put to the expense of an extra session to remedy the errors made by the Republican members last winter.

The Republican organization is breaking into print wherever it can to make the people believe the tax law is going to be a mighty good thing for them. An Illustration of their propaganda was shown here this week when Leo Fessler, auditor of this county, issued a statement predicting that the tax levy in Indianapo’is will be $1.75 or SI.BO on the SIOO next year. He said the rate would be reduced one-half; which would make the taxpayers throw up their hats In joy If the statement were not necessary that the valuation of property has been increased on an average of 100%. Even if the rate was half what it is now the amount of taxes would be the same. There isn’t the slightest doubt but under the plan now being followed by the Republican administration that taxes will be muqh higher next year for many people. However, if the people generally can be misled about taxes

for the next year the reform law will not be so unpopular as it is now. The business men who have been led for so many years to believe that the Republican party is their greatest asset and greatest friend, are to get the hot end of the stick under the new tax law, because they haven’t as many votes as other classes and because it is expected that Senator James E. Watson and Senator Harry S. New will be able to pull the wool over their eyes by telling that the * president is a socialist; that the country is going to the dogs because labor is being considered more than in former years, and that everything will be all right for them as soon as a good, old-fashioned high protective tai iff law is enacted. The attitude of the Republican administration and organization towards the business interests is that they will line up for the party next year regardless of the action that is taken under the new tax law and that it is a lot safer to put the increase on them than on other classes. r

It is understood, for instance, that the Oliver plow plant at South Bend was raised 1,000% in its tax valuation this year. Other large concerns in that part of Indiana, employing thousands of men, were raised from 800 to 1,000%. It would be idle to tell men at the head of those concerns that their taxes will not be higher next year. However, there is still the hope among the Republican leaders that such men' can be deluded for yet another campaign.