Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 February 1883 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Both branches of the Legislature devoted the entire day’s session, on Jan. 38, to the discussion of' the constitutional amendments.' In the Senate, Messrs. Smith of Delaware, Mny of Perry, Duncan of Brown, Sayre of Wabash and Van Vorhis of Marion spoke. In the House, the discussion was carried on by Stewart of Ohio, Moody of De Kalb, Wiley of Benton and Bynum of Marion. The prohibition amendment received its death blow in the Senate on the 29th ult The debate on the legal status of the meas, ore was closed by Mr. Henry for the Republicans and Mr. Bell for the Democrats, after occupying the greater portion of four days, during which the subject was most exhaustively discussed. Upon the, final question to concur in the report of the majority of the Judiciary Committee, that because of the omission from the printed journal of the General Assembly of 1881 of the full text of tbe proposed amendment it is not pending before this Legislature, the vote stood 25 to 23, as follows—the Democrats voted yea and the Republicans nay, except as noted: Yea—Bell, Benz, Bischowski (Rep), Brown, Brown, Compton, • Davidson, Duncan, Faulkner, Fletcher, Hill, Hillega.se, Howard, Hutchinson, Johnston of Dearborn, Johnston of Tippecanoe, May, McClure, McCulloch, Null, llahm, Richardson, Smith of Jay, Van Vorhis (Rep.), * Voyles, Youche (Rep.)—2s. Nay—Adkinson, Bundy, Campbell, Ernest (Dem.), Fleming, Foulke, Graham, Henry, Hoover (Dem.), Reiser, Lockbridge, Lafdley, Macartney, Magle (Dem.), Marvin (Dem.), Mclntosh (Dem), Overstreet, Ristine, Sayre, Smith of Delaware, Spann, White and Yanoey—23. Messrs. Hal litter, yea, and Willard, nay were paired Senator Campbell presented to the Senate a memorial from the Studebaker Bros.’ Manufacturing Company and the Oliver Chilled Plow Works, of South Bend, denouncing as false the charges of Benator Winterbotnam that they had bulldozed or intimidated voters at-the recent election, and asking tot the appointment of a committee to investigate the changes. The communication was sent to the Election Committee with instructions to fully investigate the charges referred to. Mr. Youche introduced in the Senate a bill defining the Thirty-first and Thirty-ninth judicial oircuits of Indiana—Lake, Porter and Starke to constitute the Thirty-first, and Carroll, White and Pulaski to constitute the Thirty-ninth judicial circuit. Mr. Voyles introduced a bill supplemental to the Fee and Salary act of March 81, 1879, making it unlawful to charge fees not authorized by law plainly specified, nor for services not actually rendered. Mr. Compton introduced a bill allowing the Supreme Court to extend the terms of office of Supreme Court Commissioners for two years from the expiration of tbeir present term. Mr. Fletcher introduced a bill to regulate the sale of medicine and poisons in the State of Indiana, which provides a Board of Pharmacy to be created, to consist of five, vacancies to be filled by the Governor, the terms of office to be one, two. three and four years from first election; to examine applicants or registration; issue certificates to pharmacists or assistant pharmacists to dispense drugs and compound prescriptions for the texm of one year. The pharmacist’s fee for license is fixed at 85 and assistant pharmacist's -fl. No part of the expense shall be paid by the State. The House devoted the entire day to the discussion of the constitutional amendments.

Mr. Johnston, of Tippecanoe, offered a resolution in the Senate, on the 30th nit, to. amend section 1, article 16, of the constitution, requiring farther proposed amendments to be spread at length on the journals of both houses, with the yeas and nays The resolution was withdrawn on a point of order, but will be renewed. Mr. Brown introduced a bill requiring county offlcers to advertise for proposals to furnish books and stationery. In the House, the discussion of the amendments continued. Mr. Jewett, Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, introduced the general appropriation bills for the years 1383-4 and 1884-5. The appropriations for the Executive and Judicial Departments are the same as those made for the past two years. For the benevolent, penal, educational and miscellaneous institutions, they are as follows for each year: Insane Asylum, maintenance, $330,000; clothing,- $12,000; current repairs, $15,000. By Nov. 1, the woman’s department will be so far completed as to afford accommodations for more than 200 inmates; then the appropriation for maintenance shall be increased by $45,000. Blind-Asyi'um, #30,000; Deaf and Dumb Asylum, #53,000; Institute for Feeble-Minded, #10,000; Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home maintenance, $20,000; repairs, $2,000; salaries, #2,400; State University, #23,000; Purdue University, #2,000; State Normal * Bchool, #5,100; State Board of Health, #5,000; Mine Inspector, #1,500; Fish Commission, SI,OOO, including the salary of the Commissioner, #BtW;-Btate Prison South, #75,000; State Prison North, #75,000; State Reform School, #50,000; Female Reformatory. #30,000; interest on the non-negotiable bonds of the State, #281,000; State Horticultural Society, #4OO. Mr. Smith's bill authorizing school teaohers to continue teaching the remainder of the school year when their, licenses expire during a term passed the Senate on the 31st ult. The Brown bill for the reorganization of the benevolent institutions was passed by a strict party vote, with the exception of Senator Magee, who voted with the Republicans against it The bill changes the present system of managing the benevolent institutions by taking away from the Governor the power of appointing the Trustees and giving It to the Legislature. It is a measure of party necessity and will pass the lower house and become „a law. Mr. Ristine’s bill authorizing counties to assume an indebtedness of 114 P er cent of the total taxable value of real and personal property for the construction of free gravelroads was under discussion in the Senate. The Voyles bill to reorganize the House of Refuge was advanced to third reading. In the House, the discussion of the constitutional amendments was concluded, the speakers being Messra Best,' Hanson, Howland, Campbell, Henderson, Hoeler, Weaver, Peters, Pettibone and McMullen. Representative Chittenden, of Allen countv, introduced a bill which proposes to create the office of State Inspector of Gasmeters, such official to be appointed by the Governor, at a salary of #2,500 a year, and to have authority to test and examine ail gas-meters in use in the State at least once a year, or oftener if desired. The annual examination is to be at the expense of the companies owning the meters, and inspections made at other times, at the request of the consumers, are to be paid for by the parties making the request, if the meter 1 correct, and, if otherwise, the company & to pay the inspection fee, which is at all times to be #l. Provision is made for the appointment of deputies, who are, to be paid by the feea ■ ' The greatest part of the day’s session, on the Ist inst, was devoted to clearing the flies, and.probably 100 bills of minor importance were indefinitely postponed. A bill to reorganize and maintain the State m ! litia on the plan proposed by Adjutant General Carnahan was Introduced in the Senate Senator Van Voorhis introduced a b 11 to reduce the number of Justices of the Peace He proposed that there shall not be more than three Justices in any township, with one additional for each incorporated eity situated therein The sensation of the day was the action taken in the Senate in removing Vincent Kirk, of Marshall county, from his office as doorkeeper. The tight upon him has been kept up constantly by Senator Duncan on the ground that he had too many employes. Hlh resolution, which brought about the action of to-day, recited that he had twelve employes to do the work |vhich had been done in other years by seven, and it also directed that the Senate proceed immediately to the election of Mr. Kirk’s successor. The resolution was passed by a vote 24 to 20. Senator Benz, Duhcan, and Mclntosh voting with the Republicans for Mr. Kirk’s removal. Amidst considerable confusion, the Senate proceeded to a new election. The movement had been made in the interest of Dick Huncheon, of La Porte, but in this respect it failed. To his nomination an amendment was moved, appointing Q A. Edmonds, the present Assistant Doorkeeper, to the office, which was adopted bv 25 to 2L Mr. Jewett’s bill, giving to Grand Juries jurisdiction only over felonies, came up in the House and was indefinitely postponed. The principal objection to It was. the claim that it was in the interest of the whiskyselletp, relieving them of the fear of prosecution for violation of the law. Mr. Aiken presented a bill providing for the appointment of a fee and salary commission, to be selected by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and State officials, to consist of one representative of each Congressional district, and one from the State at large, mak~

tag fourteen to all, seven of whom are to be Republicans and seven Democrats, The Commissioners are to have authority to submit a series of interrogations to the various oounty officers, and compel answers as to their emoluments and the expenses of their offioes, and are then to frame a bill from the information thus obtained, regarding fees and salaries, which is to be reported to the General Assembly. Mr. Van Voorhis’ bill, limiting the number of Justices of the Peace in each township to two, with one additional for each town, passed under a suspension of the rules on the 2d inst Mr. Faulkner introduced a bill to abolish the State Library. Mr. Fletcher's bill to make the crime of rape upon a femala infant or insane woman, punishable with castration, was reported back to the Senate with a recommendation that it He on the table. The Committee on the Judiciary had serious doubts as to the constitutionality of the law there being a provision to that instrument precluding the Infliction of unusual or cruel punishment The House spent most of the dav discussing the County School Superintendent bill. It was voted to make the office an elective one by the people; making the term four years, and restrict eligibility to one tend. *