Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1905 — THE DAY HAS GONE BY [ARTICLE]

THE DAY HAS GONE BY

When ah Indiana Legislature Can Be |fc. Purchased by Corrupt influences. -y<* ~ • AN INTERESTING CASE IN POINT Cigarette Lobby's Bold Use of Money Operated in Inverse Ratio to the Expectations of the Fatuous Corporation Employing Such Reprehensible Means Legislation and a Lesson Thereon. V [Special Correspondence.] Indianapolis, Feb. 28. —When Representative Ananias Baker of Cass and Fulton counties arose In his seat the other day and sent to the speaker’s desk five S2O bills given to him by a lobbyist for the purpose of securing his vote against the Parks cigarette bin, the success of that measure became so certain that the corporations which employed ex-Senator O. A. Baker to defeat it lost nothing by the absence of their chief lobbyist- from the scene of action. The truth is that the Indiana state capltol is not a profitable field for the employment of the corrupt lobbyist, and the surprising thing, is that the cigarette manufacturers have been so blind to the situation as to entrust their interests to ® “fixer” of the Baker type. Those who are familiar with ex-Senator Baker’s career say that he has been signally successful in manipulating legislation in other states, but it was evident for some time before Representative Baker performed his famous “coup” that anti-cigarette legislation had become a certainty, as much through the recognized presence of a professional lobby against it as for any other reason. Other interests have made the same mistake. The day of purchasing legislatures has gone by in Indiana, if indeed there ever was a general assembly in this state having in its membership any considerable proportion of members susceptible to corrupt influences, which is exceedingly doubtful. The reflex influence of the lobby has been apparent during the past Week in the attitude of the general assembly toward every measure having the suspicion of corporate backing connected with it. The testimony of those who have been familiar with Indiana general assemblies for many years, is that this legislature is to an unusual degree lacking in-susceptibil-ity to lobby influences. Money and Legislation. The influence of money upon legislation either in the state or national capitol is always exaggerated. The number of men who deliberately sell their votes in the general assembly Is exceedingly small. There are scores of men both in the house and senate whom a lobbyist of the Baker type would not even have thought of approaching. There are .few who would have permitted such a lobbyist to even discuss with them a proposition to purchase their vote and influence. There never was a bill so actively opposed by railroad influence as the track elevation measure for the relief of the city of Indianapolis—yet it was unable to muster even one vote in the house against it, and the vote in its favor in the senate was overwhelming. Perhaps the Baker episode had a wholesome effect, and yet if debauchery was so prevalent as many people assume, purchased votes would have been delivered in defiance of public sentiment. The present general assembly has given its approval to every measure opposed by a professional lobby.

Governor Uses the Veto. In Indiana the governor, under the constitution, is given the power of veto, which is denied the. chief executives of several other states. The power ■would seem to be no more than nominal, because a bill once vetoed may again be passed by the same vote which originally sent it to the governor’s desk. But the moral effect of a gubernatorial veto is such that the success of a measure after it has received such a setback is most unusual. Governor Hanly has not hesitated to exercise the prerogative wherever he has discovered legal or other objections to bills which have come before him.. Up to the end of last week the governor had vetoed seven bills. The first of these was the bill against “spite” fences introduced by Senator Barens. It is said that this measure was Intended to reach a single case at Terre Haute, and Governor Hanly characterized it as “petty” legislation. Governor Hanly also vetoed the Lyons bill providing that preference in public employment should be given to ex-sol<iiers. Governor Hanly called attention to the fact that the bill would compel him to fill all appointive boards with soldiers so long sis it was impossible to allege unfitness against veterans who might apply. Governor Hanly Is known to be In full sympathy with the soldiers of the state, so that this action was prompted only by a conscientious desire to prevent the appointing power from being embarrassed in the effort to secure the very best material available from any source for positions in the civil service of the state. Governor Hanly also vetoed a number of special relief, measures, including bills to reimburse local officials who have lost public funds through the failure of banks. It is evident that Governor Hanly is giving to every bill which comes before him the most careful scrutiny, and he has sustained his po-

Bition in each case cf adverse action by citing legal precedents and authorities of the most convincing character. , Helping Poor Townships. Governor Hanly has signed the Kean bill, providing for an increase of /three-fifths of one cent in the tax levy for school purposes. The money thus brought into the state treasury is to be employed in giving relief to ninety Indiana townships now unable to provide schooling during a period of 120 days in each year. This additional levy will raise about $84,000 annually. This measure was proposed by State Superintendent Cotton, and Jiad the hearty support of the Democratic members of both house and senate, partly because most of the townships favorably affected by the law are situated in the southern part of the state, which provides most of the few Democratic members of the general assembly.. This three-flfths of a cent will represent Jn all probability the sum total of the increase in the state tax levy. A bill presented by Representative Sayre, chairman of the ways and means committee, on Saturday, and which will doubtless have the approval of that committee, provides for the abolition of the 3-cent state debt sinking fund for a period of three years, and for its restoration during the succeeding two years. The addition of this 3-cent levy to the general fund will, it is thought, make ample provision for the unusual demands upon the state treasury created by the necessary establishment of new state Institutions and the enlargement of those existing. These unusual demands will necessitate extraordinary expenditures aggregating fully a million dollars, or about the amount that will accure from the addition to the general fund. Happily the state debt is provided for by the payments made during the past few years. The restoration of the sinking fund levy in the fiscal years 1909 and 1910 will meet all of the debt payable by that time. The next two or tnree years will, witness unusual activity in new institutional construction. During that period the new insane hospital for the southeastern district will be erected, the girls’ industrial school will be completed •on the site already purchased in the northwestern part of Marlon county, and the institution for the deaf and dumb will find a new home. The Purviance bill for the establishment of an epileptic village is meeting some opposition in the house, but the friends of the measure feel certain of its enactment. The Boyd Divorce Bill. By a vote of 52 to 35 the house passed a bill introduced by Representative Boyd of Putnam county, although it was attacked by opponents as a measure of bad policy. It resembles very closely the Smith marriage bill which was defeated in the senate. It provides that licenses are not to be issued to persons Known to be imbecile, epileptic, of unsound mind or under the guardianship of a person as one of unsound mind; also license is not to be issued to any male person who has been an Inmate of any county asylum or home for indigent persons unless it can be shown that the cause of such experience has been removed and the applicant can support a family. Marriages contracted cutside of the state to evade the Indiana law, according to this measure, are to be declared void. Persons afflicted with an incurable disease, or under the influence of liquor when making application, are to be denied a license. Applications for license shall be uniform throughout the state and the blank forms shall be furnished by the state board of health.

No Sunday Baseball. The friends of Sunday baseball had counted noses in the house and expected easy sailing for the Ruick bill, but on Friday it was defeated by a vote of 44 to 48. Every two years this measure bobs up for consideration and winds up on the legislative scrappile. During the general assembly of two years ago one of the most exciting contests of the legislature took place while this measure was up in the senate for consideration. This year the bill has aroused, little public interest. Indianapolis is in a ferment over the codification commission’s bill on cities and towns, which extends the terms of city officers from two to four years. Indianapolis always gets a great deal of amusement and excite ment out of its biennial mayoralty campaign, and many of those who take an interest in politics dislike the idea of having municipal elections four years apart. The friends of the present city administration In Indianapolis are convinced that it would be the right thing exactly to extend its tenure, while those opposed to it would line to have a chance to overthrow the present regime In 190 C. Considerable progress has been made with the bills of the codification commission. The criminal code bill passed the senate on Saturday afternoon, with amendments which send the measure back to the house for con currence. The General Appropriation Bill. The general appropriation bill has fteen completed by the committee on ways and means, and is now before the house. It represents the result of much patient investigation and discussion, first by the legislative inves tigating committee, and then by ths. ways and means committee. The to tai general appropriation will not dis fer much in size from that of two years ago, aggregating about $3,500.000. The bill carries very few salary increases, nearly every ordinary item of appropriation remaining as It was In the bin'of 1903.