Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1883 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Early in the session of the Log-Ma-ture Hon. John H. Winterbothara, of Micliigau City, presented a memorial asking that legislative action bo taken concerning alleged election abuses in the Thirteenth Congressional district, claiming that the employes of the BtudclHikor wagon-works, Oliver chilled plow-works, and other large mannfactories wore compelled to vote the Republican ticket, whereby the memorialist (Winterbotham) was defeated for Congress and his opponent (Calkins) was elected. In response to this Messrs. StudelnUgcr and Oliver presented a iwtttion emphatically denying the charges and demanding a full investigation of them. The communications #ag» referred to the Committee on Elections, mi thotain# them to send for i>ersons and pajiers, and to make a full investigation. In pnrsnaneoin a notice served Senator McCullough, ChgtriuAu of the Senate Election Committee, on the IfK-U Inst,.,moved to reconsldei tho vote by which the investigation was authorized, and to relieve the committee from any further consideration of tho subject. In support of his motion he said that tho committee had not time to make the investigation; that it would be necessary to examine the so vend hundred witnesses, or that, at'any rate, it. referred to a matter entirely beyond the jurisdiction of the Senate —tho election of a Congressman. This aroused the Republicans, and s heated political discussion followed. Seuatoi Foolke vigorously denouncod such a course as proposed. He Add it was not fair, Just not honorable to make such charges on the floor of the Senate against Messrs. Studebaknr and Oliver and then deny them tte opportunity of proving their fajotiy. Other'speea£p<, pro anil con, followed.;* mil action NotlttnfflßM Worthy, cl In'ovi 1 “B ik]i mil{>* . Toe discussion of the cUsohaiue the Committee of Elections‘from the duty of investigating the charges made by J. H. Winterbetham against the Studebakers and Olivers, of South Bend, of bulldozing and intimidating their employes Into voting contrary to thetr political proforenoe, was continued anti concluded in the Senate on Feb. 12. Tho motion was opposed by Senators Foulkc, Spann, Bundy and Campbell, and advocated by Senators Brown, Bell and McCullough. The ;v previous question on the motion was ordered, but adjournment came before a vote was taken. Mr. Vogler Introduced In the Senate a bill to establish a homo for soldiers’ orphans and helpless ox-soldiers of Indiana. Under the provisions of the bill tho Governor is to appoint three Commissioners who Hindi each give $5,000 bonds,and who shall select, a proper location in the Third Congressional district of not more than 300 acres and build a house on tho site. The capacity shall bo such as to accommodate at least 850 occupants. The bill appropriates $42,000 for the purpose. In tho House Mr. Mock introduced a bill providing for the election of a Board of •Regents for the State University. Nothing olso was done bnt to listen to reports from the Committee on Judiciary, and on its recommendation indefinitely postponed forty or fifty bills, most of them relating to tho Decedents’ Estates act. When the Thirteenth district election matter came up In the Senate, Feb. 13, the motion of Senator McCullough was adopted by 23 to ill. This withdrew the Studebaker-Oliver memorial from the Election Committee, a subsequent motion Instructing that committee to inqui re tub) I ho truth of the charges against those gentlemen by ex-Senator Wlnterbotham being rejected by a similar vote. Mr. Hutchinson’s bill for the construction of a sewer from the Northern Neuitcntlary to Fish Lake creek, whioh flown into Lnko Michigan (appropriating $38,000), was read tho second time and ordered engrossed for tho third reading, and the remainder of tho session was devoted to the consideration of tho General Appropriation bill. In the Senate, tho Republicans endeavored to withdraw the Governor’s appointments from the Committee on Executive Appointments, but the effort was unsuccessful. The Democrats voted against it. In the House, the Brown 1)111 to reorganize the State benevolent institutions was passed by a strict party vote, under tho operation of the previous question. It is tho same as indorsed by the Senate, except that tho provision is stricken out that a woman shall bo apixffnted Superintendent in tho female department of the Insane Asylum. The Metropolitan Police bill was next called up as a special order. The Republicans endeavored to stay the tide by raising points of order and appealing from tho Speaker s decision, but Mr. Heffron had his majority well in hand, and iho bill flnnllv passed by 58 yeas to 40 nays, lvcsteii, of Vigo, alone of the Democrats, and Robinson, the Greenbacker, voting with the Republicans. The bill was so amended as to apply only to cities having a population of 29,000, thereby Including only Evansville and Indianapolis, making the Commissioners to consist of two .Democrats mid one Republican, and forbidding officers from being delegated to conventions or taking any part, in the elections.

A bill passed both houses of the Legislature, under a suspension of the rulos, Feb. 14, appropriating $40,000 for the relief of the Indiana pufferers by the overflow of the White, Wabash and Ohio rivers. The vote in tho Honate on tho measure was 39 to 7, snd In the House H 4 to 4. The measure with various amendments and Changes proposedoeeuj>led nearly the entire attention of both houses during the day. It gives t.lie Govcrnorddeutenant Governor .Hocrotary and Treasurer of tho State tho custody of tho fund, and directs them to dispose of it In what manner may seem ,lo them best. The Anally passed the Brown'bill reorganizing The benevolent institutions, the Hilligar bill to allow County Commissioners to purchase toll roads, and the Benz bill re-enacting tho ltoad law repealed last, session. The Yancey bill,preventing the running pt large of all kinds of stock, was defeated on account of the lack of n constitutional majority—yeas 22, nays 2i. The House ordered engrossed the bill providing for an Apliellato Court. The I>lll originally provided that the court should consist of three Democrats and two Republicans, but Mr. Robinson, of Clay county, the only Greenbacker In the Assembly, offered an amendment that one of t.lie Judges should be a Greenbacker, which was carried by a vote of 63 to 30. The House bill to establish a hospital for • the incurable insane at Evansville came up In the Senate on the morning of the 15th, and, in order to permit Logansport to try the effect of their blandishments on the Legislature, it was rondo a special order for next Tuesday. The Honate spent the entire afternoon session in considering the General Appropriation bill, the point under discussion being the rider to comiiel tile (acuity of Purdue University to abollth its restrictions against the existence of secret societies in that institution. In the House, Mr. Jewett, at the opening of the morning session, obtained unanimous consent for the introduction of a bill making a further appropriation for the relief of the sufferers in the flooded districts of SIOO,OOO in addition to the $40,000 voted yesterday. The rules were suspended and the bill read. A motion to refer it to the Ways and Means Committee was adopted. Mr. T ll ley moved the adoption of a resolution asking for uu appropriation by Congress for the relief of the sufferers in the flooded districts along the Ohio river and throughout the entire valley, which was unanimously agreed to. The House laid on the table the bill proposing to make the office of Connty Superintendent elective, and limiting eligibility thereto to one term of four years.

The Mngee bill, which abolishes the prosent Statistical Bureau and recreates it, but consolidates in one office the present statistical and geological departments, was passed by the Senate Feb. 16, after a long and animated debate, the Republicans opposing nnd the Democrats advocating the measure. Mr. Bell, from a majority of the Committee on Elections, submitted a rei>ort, signed by himself and Messrs, Fletcher, Sayers, Spann and Lookridge, that ail the speciflcaljkros in the contest of Johnston vs. Overstreet, except the charges of bribery, are not sustained by sufficient evidence to entitle the contcstor to a seat in the Senate, and that the legal effect of the evidence as to t.lie charge of bribery is not such as to sufficiently sustain the direct charge of bribery, and, believing the contest was made in good faith, the report recommends that the con tester lie allowed per diem and reasonable exismses. Mr. McCullough, Chairman, reported with the majority as to all charges hut bribery, but that the charge of britiery Is made out and sustained by the evidence. The General Appropriation bill was under consideration, and the attack upon President White, of Purdue University, was successful by a large majority. The appropriation for the institution was increased from $12,000 to s2o,ooocoupled with the provision that none of it shall l»e used until the regulat ions against mernlHrrs' secret societies wove removed. The House indefinitely' postponed the bill to repeal the Slab) Board of Health act, thus Insuring thu continuance of that department It also passed the bill to reorganize the House of Kefngc. The Legislature adjourned until the afternoon of the 19th in order to allow those who desire to accept the hospitalities of Logansport in behalf of the location of the proposed asylum for the incurable insane, and others to visit the flood.

In a single block in Philadelphia, embracing five acres, there are 150 buildings with an aggregate value of £0,000,000, whose contents have a vakio of from $25,000,000 to $30,000,000, ■nakiqg the total value from $28,000,000 to s33,ooo,ooo—insured probably for about three-fourths of this amount;, say $25,000,000. Five millions of iiisuruble property to the acre. Bobkbt Collyer says one way to be young at 80 is to keep faith in the common manhood and womanhood, and iu the ever-advancing progress of the day. “Never say that the past was better than to-day is; read the new books, understand all the new ideas; and keep to your faith in God and in man, uild in the victory of good over eviL ”