AID TO RAILROADS
Mr. Gilman's bill [H. R. 18] declaring it unlawful for Counties and Townships to aid in the construction of railroads, was reported back from the Committee on Railroads with th e recommendation that the emergency clause be stricken out.
Mr. FRAZER moved that the bill be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. GILMAN believed that the principle by which one man votes money out of the pocket of another is wrong. He was opposed to the motion to indefinitely postpone.
Mr. ANTRIM thought it would be safe to allow the majority of the people to settle this matter. He referred to those Counties in the State that have but one railroad, and believed this bill would practically leave the Counties at the mercy of this one railroad, there being no competition. He thought that in such Counties the people should have the privilege of voting for another load if they so desire.
Mr. SHIVELY was of the opinion that the wisdom of the present law had never been questioned, and he hoped the present law would remain unchanged.
Mr SMITH, of Tippecanoe, was of opinion that in some of the southern Counties of the State there was need of more railroads, and he was not in favor of denying them the privilege of voting for more railroads if they so desire.
Mr. SHOCKNEY said: This is one of the bills formerly reported to this House by the Railroad Committee with instructions for indefinite postponement, and was by the House referred back to that Committee. After a second careful examination of all the provisions of the measure, it was unanimously ordered that the bill ought not to become a law. The Committee was unanimously of the of the opinion that the law ought to be left as it now is, and that people should be permitted to govern this matter in each Township as they think to their best interest.
The motion to postpone indefinitely was agreed to.
