Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1881 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Monday, Feb. 2L —Senate. —The Senate was largely occupied to-day in the eonsid era tion of Bell’s bill practically remodeling the road system of the State by abolishing Supervisors and making township Trustees superintendents of roads. The measure eventually passed to a final reading. The bill regulating and improving the practice of medicine was under way at ihe time of adjournment, and was meeting with strong opposition. A resolution was adopted setting off the afternoon session for consideration of the report from the Codification Committee. House —Floyd's bill for the purchase and conversion of toll roads into free roads was the cause of a wrangle for several hours, after which it was referred to a committee. The Judiciary Committee submitted a number of reports, among them recommending that Carter’s bill fixing the liability of employers for injuries to employes be amended so as to provide ihat tho carelessness of company servants is no bar to recovery of damages, and declaring that •ill contracts between corporations and employes, where the latter shall not bring suit for iamages, be null and void. This amendment was accepted and the bill engrossed. Tuesday, Feb. 22.—Senate.— The Senate worked on the Medical bill establishing a board of examiners and prescribing who shall practice medicine, during the morning session, and numerous amendments were suggested by the opposition to weigh it down with objectionable features, so as to eventually insure its defeat. The proposed amendments to the civil code consumed the afternoon, and a section was incorporated admitting women to practice law, but afterward voted down on reconsideration. The Senate confirmed tho nomination of Dr. William Freeman, of Switzerland county, as Commissioner of the House of Refuge. House. —The House wrangled during the forenoon over the 6-per-cent, interest bill, and all attempts to amend by allowing higher rates either on short loans or on contracts were defeated. Eventually the bill was engrossed, 46 to 44, with ten absent members. The Women’s Suffrage bill came up on special order and was defeated, 46 to 43. The afternoon was passed in consideration of the Tax bill as reported by the Codification Committee, and the measure finally passed with but slight amendments. Wednesday, Feb. 23.—Senate.— The Senate temporarily disposed of tbe Medical bill by ordering its engrossment, after accepting an amendment in effect that the fact of a physician advertising as such shall not detract from his professional standing as far as tho provisions of this measure may bear thereon. Consideration of the civil code consumed the afternoon, but it was ordered that the House Tax bill be taken up as soon as printed copies thereof are distributed. The Governor sent in a notification of the appointment of Samuel Green, of Rush county, Trustee of the State Institution for Feeble-Minded Children. A telegram was received from Booneville, Warrick county, announcing the dangerous illness of Senator Hart House. —The General Revenue bill was introduced into the House this morning. It provides for a State levy of 10 cents on SIOO, and a poll tax of 50 cents. A reconsideration of the resolution was had favoring the taxation of United States treasury notes, and, by a vote of 32 to 38, the matter was indefinitely postponed. Bills were passed : Repealing the section requiring separate polling places in incorpoiat <1 towns ; relating to legal practices ; prohibiting pool-selling ; relative to decedents’ estates ; enabling County Commissioners to establish schools and asylums for indigent childrenproviding for the payment of arrearages to the Indiana Legion; ” authorizing and legalizing the recording of patents issued by the United States on the State of IndianaThe bill was rejected authorizing throe-fourths of a jury in civil cases to render a verdict. Mr. Cauthorne introduced a bill amending the new State-House Tax law, and providing for a lax of 2 cents on each SIOO for 1881 and for each successive year to and including 1838, all the money so raised to be kept separate, and con- * stitnte a part of the new State-House fund. In case the tax should not prove sufficient the Governor, State Auditor and Treasurer are permitted to borrow money, provided they do not borrow more than $50,000 during the present year, $200,000 in 1882, SIOO,OOO in 1883, SIOO,OOO iu 1884, and $150,000 in 1885, in all $770,000. In order to do this, ten-year bonds will be issued.

Thursday, Feb. 24.— Senate.— Fhe Senate took up the majority report of the temperance committee recommending the passage of what is known as the Temperance Council Local Option bill, and a free discussion lasting several hours resulted in a recommittal with instructions to strike out the emergency clause a,nd report to-morrow. Consideration of the Civil Code was resumed in the afternoon, ending with the engrossment of the bill as mainly proposed by the Codification Committee. House.— A bill was introduced by the Ways and Means Committee, providing for tho usual 1-per-cent, tax for interest on the temporary loan, and authorizing a 4-per-cent, loan of * 2Cf(),000 to replace tbe bonds now falling due. Bills were presented : Providing that none but physicians shall hold the office of Coroner, and giving them jurisdiction over insanity cases ; to define, suppress and punish tramps, and to prohibit the taking or receiving of lifeinsurance policies upon the tontine plan. The bill authorizing County Commissioners to say what animals, milch cows excepted, shall ran at large was voted down, as was also the bill abolishing the Grand Jury sysoqi oi po.U9j9J Snioq joojjs ivqi 02 uoijnjosaj n ‘jpq uoijdo-psooi v nodn A'[qiuoA -uj 2-iodoj 02 oo2l|ramoo gouaiedraoj, oq2 l on ri K -ui 02 posiijoi osnoH gill £8 02 68 jo u Al ‘ZZ 02 69 JO 02OA « Aq Sanpj j J922«1 oqi ‘miq hamed without action. The Prison Committee recommended that unless a special appropriation of $35,000 be made for necessary repairs to the prison south, that the prison be discontinued and tho convicts be transferred to Michigan City. The committee investigating the Female Reformatory reported, exonerating the management, but noting that the bath as a punishment had been abolished, recommended that whipping on the naked person of girls also be omitted in the future. The afternoon was taken up with cohsideration of the Criminal Code, the House progressing as far as section 148. Friday, Feb. 25.—Senate.— The Senate engrossed the Coal Oil bill after striking out the section offering rewards to informers and providing that all adulterated oils shall be sold for the benefit of the State. The Woman’s Suffrage bill came up on special order, and, under an amendment offered by Senator Hebron, relieving women of foreign birth from the restrictions of naturalization, the discussion assumed a scope wider than the provisions of the bill. Consuming the remainder of the morning and nearly all of the afternoon before a vote was reached. The bill was defeated on final passage—lß to 25. The appointment of Mrs. Rhoda E. Coffin, of Richmond, as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Female Reformatory was confirmed. House. —Bills were introduced : To license druggists by payment of $5 annually, but prohibiting them from selling intoxicants except upon physicians’ orders ; empowering Circuit Courts to make allowances to Grand Juries in cases where presentments have been made the subject of action for damages. The Committee on Education reported the Common School Education bill, and, after a spirited debate, the word “white” in section 5 was stricken out, so that in effect Trustees will be compelled to furnish educational facilities for all children in the townships, irrespective of color. The bill then passed. The committee also reported approving the management of tho Purdue University at Lafayette, the State Normal School at Terre Haute, and the State University at Bloomington, and recommended an appropriation of $60,000 for the mutual benefit of these institutions. The Criminal Code came np for consideration, and some time was fruitlessly spent in trying to change the present method of challenging grors. The General Appropriation bill was troducod by Mr. Kenner as agreed upon by the Committee of Ways and Means. The State House Tax bill was called np in committee of the whole, but went over inaeanitely. The bill providing for a lucent levy on the general tax was approved, so also were bills providing for the payment of the war-loan bonds of 1861, and ordering a 1pent tax for the payment of tbe temporary-

loan debt. After the committee a rqpe, Mr. Hdton introduced a bill dissolving the Provisional Board of Commissioners of the Insane Asylum, and adjournment followed.