Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1881 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Saturday, Jan. 22.—The Senate was not In session. The House passed a bill amending the charter of Evansville, and passed a resolution to in the future hold but one continuous session per day, to give the committees time for work. The bill concerning allowances of claims against dßoeda fits’ estates paSseJ: Adjournment until Monday aftern'xm followed. During the morning session the proceedings were interrupted by the appearance of Senator Voorhees on the floor; he having stopped to pay the Legislature a visit while eu route back to Washington, from the funeral of Judge Paterson at Terre Haute. On motion es Mr. Kenner (Republican), Senator Voorhees was received with great ceremony, and, in response to an invitation, addressed the House in a few well-rounded periods, in thanks lor the flattering reception; Monday, Jan. 24.—Senate. —Senator Langdon introduced a resolution expressing the opinion that the management of the State prisons should be consolidated under one board. Referred. The Committee on Revison and Coe ill ation reported a number of new bills, and the establishment of a State Board of Health was made the special order for to-mor-row. A number of petitions were received, asking tbe establishment of schools for dependent children. Senator Vogles introduced a bill virtually doing away with what is called the “Provoke law,” and Senator Spann presented one providing for the employment es -bort-hand reporters for all Circuit Courts in counties of over 50.000 inhabitants, or districts of over 100,000 inhabitants, the salary to be $lB per week when service is rendered. Sendor Kahle’s bill regulating charges by sleepingcar companies was read for the first time. House.—Tho House held an afternoon session. occupying the principal time with introducing and reading bills prepared by the Codification Committee, and reported by the Revision Committee. The majority of them referred to pleading and prac'ice, and chief among them was the Lili to abolish the Assessor in cities and towns, and transfer his duties to the Township Assessor. A majority of the Committee on Education reported favorably on the passing of the Compulsory Education bill, and the minority reported adversely. The latter was voted down by 75 to 15, and tbe bill made the special order fi r Feb. 2. At the time of the adjournment the House was considering the report of the Committee on Claims recommending the payment of principal and interest of the Tipton county swamp-land claims. Representative Moody presented a petition from the Auburn Soldiers’ , Association favoring the removal of the corner- i ■tone of the State House for depositing underneath appropriate military memorials. Tuesday, Jan. 25;—Senate. —The Committee on Executive Appointments asked further time and was given until the 28th. A concurrent resolution was adopted directing investigation of the Soldier’s Orphans’ Home. The re-sub-mission of the constitutional amendments, alter some discussion, was made the special order for Wednesday. The House bill on the same subject’ went to the Judiciary Committee. Comstock’s bill providing for the establishment of a school for pauper children passed unanimously. So did Chapman’s bill for tho organization of waterworks companies. During the day Senator Brown created a breeze by charging that the Republicans were purposely delaying a continuation of Gray’s appointments until Feb. 1, when the offices would become vacant by limitation. To allay his vehemence the committee promised to report oa the date as above. House.—The question of paying the 13-year-old swamp-laud claims of Tipton county, involving $50,000, came up before tho House again to-day and was recommitted for further investigation especially relative to the demand for interest. Gov. Porter presented a communication inclos'ng aud commending a letter from Prof. Campbell on the relation of the United States geodetic survey to the drainage es Indiana swamp lands, in which ne holds that all the main water courses .ire lower than the level swamp land, therefore, making it possible to reclaim the latter. A bill of 286 sections from the codification committees, thoroughly classifying the laws on the assessment and collection of taxes, was introduced. All tho bills heretofore presented from this committee were advanced one stage and referred. Tho Lilis requiring voters to pay ihcir poll tax before exercising the franchise,' and precluding habitual drunkards, confirmed criminals aud parsons of insane parentage ffom marrying, were indefinitely postponed, llio report of the committee recommending a bill creating a Police Judge was approved, and the House agreed with the Senate in order•ng an investigation of the management of the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home and Institute for Feeble-Minded Children. Senator Kahlo’s bill to regulate the charges of .sleeping-car companies provides that they shall not charge more than $1 for a berth, and $2 for a section for any distance less than 200 miles. Over this distance they shall be entitled to charge per mile for berths and 1 cent lor sections. Senator Kaiilo has also introduced a bill to fix passenger fares at the uniform rate of 3 cents per mile. Wednesday, Jan. 28.—Senate. —The Senate passed a joint resolution instructing the Senators and Representatives in Congress to labor ; for the repeal of so much of the acts of Congress I as confer especial jurisdiction upon the Circuit and District Courts of the United States of suits by and against national banks, resident of a State, without regard to the amount involved in such suit; The Lili estal li-hing a State Board of Health came up, and was engrossed after tedious discussion, it provides for a board of seven members, six to be appointed by the Governor. • with consent of tho Senate, and a Secretary I elected by the board, who shall hold office four I years, the term of one-half of the members to expire every alternate two years. It also pro- | vides a complete system of gathering statistics, and makes the State Board of Health the center of the system, giving it supervision of the registration of the births, deaths, and marriages. and provides for the collection of statistics through county, city, and township officers, and defines their duty, with certain powers in the investigation of an epidemic or unusual outbreak of disease in any part of the State. Mr. Poindexter’s bill permitting the formation of companies to dredge the Ohio river at certain points passed unanimously ; also Mr. Woolen's bill, making it a misdemeanor to buy or sell votes at an election. The first-named bill te a scheme to permit Angus Dean, of New Albany, to obtain from Congress the privilege of im proving the Ohio river opposite Madison or New Albany in low water, to test the feasibility of a plan which he has invented lor river improvement. House.—The House had the usual wrangle over the purchase of Revised Statutes by the State Librarian for use of Legislators. Several hours were spent in advancing bills to second reading. Five new bills were introduced, among them the proposed consolidation of the blind, deaf and dumb, and insme under one board of management. Tue Senate resolution directing an investigation of the Coal-Oil Inspector was concuried in and an invitation was accepted to visit Purdue University, near Lafafette, by special train Luesday next. Representative Robinson, ol Dec itur, introduced a bill making six months’ failure of a husband to support his wife suffici >ut grounds lor divorce. Ihe concurrent resolution petitioning Congress to pass a law preventing tbe spread of contagious diseases among domestic animals was passed, and also me bid enabling manufacturing and mining companies from other States to purchase, hold and convey real estate in this state. Thursday, Jan. 27.—Senate.—A dry session of the Senate took place, owing to the absence of members on committee duty. Bills were passed: Providing for recording land patents issued by the G •,vernor ; prohibiting of poolselling, and reducing the number of peace Justices to three in each township, with one additional for an incorporated city. The resolution to meet in joint session Wednesday next ; to elect Prison Directors was referred to the Prison Committee. House.—The House held a business session, and accomplished a great deal of necessary routine work. A large number of bills were summarily disposed of by indefinite postponej ment. The claim of Benton county for prosbcui.ing James L. McCullough for murder, although favorably reported upon, was practically killed by a decisive vote, upon the general ground that’it would establish a dangerous precedent. The bill increasing the per diem of the Speaker to $8 was rejected, ana the bill fixing the liabilities of employers for injuries to employes went to the Judiciary. A strong ' attempt was made to repeal the law creating I a Coal Oil Inspector, as recommended Ire a I minority report, but the report was rejected. It 1 was agreed, however, that amendments were

needful to the existing law, the chief objection against which comes from the border counties, who assert that owing to its restrictions oils which can be purchased in Illinois at 11 cents per gaUon, cost 16 in this State.' A compromise medical bill, agreed upon by all the medical men in the House, came from the special ' committee, and was ordered printed. Among I the new bills introduced from the Codification Committee was one grouping together all the laws relative to holding property by married women, and one making a general codification of the laws relative to’mechanics’ lien, in which there were also a number of new features simplifjing the methods by which persons supplying material ■ for buildings can secure payment. A commit- ! tee. headed by Representative Mason, was directed to investigate the management of the Deaf and Dumb Institute. A bill was introduced appropriating $19,712.63 to cover the deficits of Willi im D. Gaston, late Trustee of Patoka township, Gibson county. Fam AV, Jan. 28.—Senate.—The Senate confirmed the appointments of Gov. Gray in connection with the benevolent institutions, owing to the absence of the Republican Senator from Vigo, and Poindexter co-operating with the Democrats. It was a strict party vote enforced by the previous-question 'A’fie appointees confirmed were: Joseph Gilbert, Trustee of the Normal School; James P. Hurney, Trustee to the Feeble-Minded Children; Mrs. Eliza Dodd. Manager of the Reformatory ; Daniel Mower and Wm. V. Wiles, Trustees of the Blind Asylum ; James A. Creavens and Milton James, Deaf and Dumb, and Robert H. Tarlton, Insane. During the afternoon, resolutions in memoriam of the late Gov. Williams, were presented and adopted, and eulogies were pronounced by Senators Cornstock, Woollen, Bell, Brown, and others, after which adjournment followed, until Monday. House.—The Codification Committee came in with several new bills, including propositions for a Board of Pardons, amending the law choosing Presidential Electors, concerning a Bureau of Statistics, and providing for an enumeration of males in 1883. Mr. Furnas introduced a bill permitting women to vote in Presidential elections. An investigation was ordered, the .Senate concurring, of the House of Refuge, and a resolution unanimously adopted favoring control of railroad rates by Federal legislation. The example of the Senate was followed in the afternoon by eulogistic tributes to the memory of the late Gov. Williams. Ex-Speaker Cauthorn, of Knox, 1 d off in these addresses, and was followed by Kenner, Ryan, Neff, Berryman and others.