Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1881 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Monday, Feb. 14.—Senate.—The Senate held a short session, and the consideration of the bill authorizing the purchase and maintenance of full-toll roads elicited a spirited discussion. So, also, the bill appropriating 66,000 for the improvement of the Calumet river. Both were engrossed. The customary amount of new bills were introduced, the only one of importance being an act repealing the law enabling counties to aid in the construction of railroads. House.—The House concurred in the Senate amendments to the bills resubmitting the constitutional amendments, and changed the date of popular election from April 4 to March 14. The investigating committee made a report commending the general management of the House of Refuge, and favoring an appropriation of 645,000. A petition was received from numerous mechanics asking that the laboring men be protected from competition with convict labor, as it is impossible for honest labor to survive when contractors can employ convicts at 45 cents per day. Tbe Prison Committee was given permission to’visit the Northern Prison on Wednesday. Tuesday, Feb. 15.—Senate. —The Senate session was interesting to-day, owing to the spirited discussion of several measures, notably the bill providing for the care and maintenance of abandoned children. The bill providing for non-payment of notes secured under false pretenses was engrossed. This measure is specially applicable to notes secured by “ hay-fork ” agents. The bills removing disabilities of coverture were made the special order for Tuesday. The resolution looking to the perpetuation of the memory of Indiana soldiers by a memorial in the State House corner-stone went over until Wednesday of next week. Consideration of semi le suffrage went over until Thursday. The committee made a favorable report on the measure providing that hunting and fishing on the Sabbath shall be considered a special misdemeanor. By a decisive vote the Senate declined to concur in the House resolution to petition Congress to legislate in favor of the Wabash and Erie canal. House. —Forty-four new bills were introduced.' The committee reported favorably on the bill reorganizing the management of the benevolent institutions, and the same was engrossed, A resolution passed calling for an itemized report of receipts and expenditures of the Terre Haute Normal School and the Bloomington University. The new criminal code and insurance bills were introduced. Also bills compelling railroad companies to transport freight in the order in which it is offered for shipment; reducing salaries of Trustees of benevolent institutions to SIOO and prison Directors to $l5O per annum ; authorizing the appointment of a Superintendent and Board of Managers to prepare for the World’s Fair in 1883, and appropriating 620,000; preventing and punishing the adulteration of food, drink and medicines, and constituting the Governor and State officers a Commission en Claims. A resolution favoring the taxation of United States treasury notes was adopted by 43 to 82. Among the claims presented was a demand from Clarke county for money expended in convicting William Kennedy, a prisoner in the penitentiary south, who murdered his keeper. A joint resolution passed asking Congress to open to settlers that portion of Oklahoma not belonging to Indians. Afterward, however, the vote was reconsidered, and the resolution referred to the Committee on Federal Relations.. Mr. Berryman, of Shelby, introduced a bill giving the right to advertise legal notices in whatever paper the person desired, at such prices as are mutually agreed upon. Wednesday, Feb. 16. —Senate. —The Senate was occupied largely in considering the amendments to the code, as reported by the revision committee. The amendatory sections were accepted as a rule. The House joint resolution calling for Government aid to the Wabash and Erie canal was withdrawn from the table and adopted unanimously. The bill establishing a State Board of Health was ordered to be taken up to-morrow. During the session ex-Vice President Colfax appeared upon the floor, and was accorded an exceedingly-flattering reception. House.—Bills were introduced: To appoint State examiners of county office books ; constituting a State board of visitors for the benevolent, penal and reformatory institutions. A resolution calling for a reform of national shipping laws was referred. A recess was taken to enable Mrs. Dr. Haggait and Mrs. Helen M. Gaugar to advocate the passage of the bill granting women the right to vote at Presidential elections. Upon reassembling the friends of the bill attempted to cut off debate and crowd the passage, but were voted down, 49 to 35, and further argument was made the special order for Tuesday night. The Compulsory Education bill went over until Wednesday. Thubhday, Feb. 17 —Senate.—The Senate gave the female-suffrage advocates a hearing to-day, and Mrs Mary Haggart and Mrs. Helen M. Gougar presented the claims of the ladies. A motion for immediate consideration of the bill was peremptorily voted down, and, by consent, it went over until the 25th. A greater part of the day was taken up in considering the amendments to the Civil Code. House. —The Tax bill was taken up by the House, and 145 sections accepted, with little amendment, as proposed by the codification committee. The bill for the purchase of roads was made the special order for Monday afternoon. A night session was ordered, but not held for want of a quorum. Friday, Feb. 18.—Senate.—The Senate frittered away several hours with the introduction of resolutions intended to expedite business, .but which had a contrary effect, in that the Senators mado them an occasion for filibustering. The amendment of the House, fixing March 14 for a vote of the whole people on the constitutional amendments, was accepted by a vote of 24 to 20. The bill passed establishing a State Board of Health, and, after a short consideration of the proposition to reform and reconstruct the present system of State Road laws, an adjournment was had until Monday afternoon. House.—The House engrossed the bill creating a State Department of Geology and Natural History, and also the measure proscribing consanguinity as a bar to marriage. Bills were introduced : Providing for the annual distribution of the surplus dog tax ; authorizing Indianapolis to levy a special tax for the construction of a city hall and market house; making keepers of houses of ill-fame guilty of felony with from one to three years’ imprisonment, and the inmates from six to eighteen months, and legalizing theacts of the Blackford County Commissioners in draining wet lands. A resolution passed calling for reports concerning the soholastio and financial condition of each benevolent institution. Consideration of the Tax bill consumed the rsmtinder the day

session. An amendment was adopted in effect that County Auditors shall compel all companies, organizations, partnerships and persona loaning money In the State to report to him on April 1 of each year, under oath, the amount of money loaned and held by parsons m his county, that the same may be luted for taxation. A night session waa held to clear away the sections of this bilL Saturday, Feb. 19.—House. —The House passed a bill repealing section 12 of the game law, prohibiting railways from transporting game outside the State at any tinm. The section had always been practically inoperative. Mr. Schweitzer’s bill also passed, compelling hotels to provide all possible arrangements for escape from fire, but the bill abolishing attorney fees in the taking of contracts failed for want of a constitutional majority. Bills were introduced: Encouraging the improvement of live stock; enabling married women, when abandoned by their husbands, to convey their separate real estate : making the keepers and inmates of houses of prostitution guilty of felony, and providing that the former shall be liable to a punishment of one to three years’ imprisonment, and the inmates of six to eighteen months. Further consideration of the Tax Mil went over until Monday, and the Educational bill was made the special order for Wednesday.