Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1883 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

In the consideration of the General Appropriation Mil, on Feb. 19, the Senate increased the allowance to the Fish Commissioner from 41,000 to $3,000, the prisons each from $75,000 to $85,000, and the Female Reformatory from $30,000 to $35,000. The remainder of the session was spent in a wrangle over the Metropolitan Police bill, which was finally sent to the Judiciary Committee, the Republicans filibustering to prevent its consideration. The Governor sent to the Senate his veto of the Brown bill, reorganising the benevolent institutions. His reasons for disapproving the bill are that the Legislature of 1879 deemed it necessary to transfer the power of appointment of the Trustees of the benevolent institutions from itself to the Governor; that the Legislature ought not to vex itself With the distractions of patronage-dispensing when there is so much important legislation demanding its attention; that the party spirit is aroused to the detriment of business; that the ;>eople are already complaining of the instability of the laws; that the laws are changed so often that plain people must employ lawyers to tell them what the laws are; that it is a wise rule not to change laws until evil consequences are Shown; that the present law worked well and Ought to be left on the statute books. In the House, about fifty billk were Indefinitely postponed in accordance with the reports of committees. Only one of any importance escaped this fate, and that was Mr. Heffron’s, providing that the semi-monthly statement of foreign insurance companies shall be published in only one paper of the largest circulation in the State, instead of the Journal and Sentinel as now provided. Mr. Huston moved to take up and agree to the constitutional amendment regarding which the House had already decided pending, and the consideration of the question was made the special order for the following day.

The Senate, after spending most of the afternoon of Feb. 20 in discussing the question Of the location of the proposed Asylum for the Incurable Insane, finally referred the matter te a committee consisting of the Senators representing the contesting localities. They will report recommending that the Governor appoint a commission of four persons, who, with himself, shall select a suitable location for throe asylums, none of which shall coat to exceed $200,000, and be more titan fifty miles distant from Indianapolis. Mr. Manck's bill to redistrict the State for Congressional purposes leaves the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Ninth districts unchanged. Crawford is taken from the Third .and placed In the Second. The Eighth gets Sullivan, but loses Widen, Which goes to the Tenth. !oward is taken off the Eleventh and put into ic Tenth. Lake and Porter are taken from the <>nth and put into the Thirteenth, and Koscisko goes Into tnc Twelfth from the Thirteenth. Mr. Wilson, of Kosciusko, introduced a bill in tiie House for the location of an asylnm on the State ground adjacent to the present Insane asylum at Indianapolis, to be largo enough to accommodate 1,000 patients. The House ordered engrossed the joint resolution proposing the prohibition amendment to the constitution, but refused to advance the, other proposed amendments. A bill, drawn by Judge Htozenberg, of New Albany, allowing a bounty to farmers who will plant tbe common yellow willow along the banks of the Ohio river, as a protection against floods, was introduced. The willow is named at the suggestion of Prof. (Collett, State geologist. John J. Cooper, State Treasurer, sent in a communication stating that the cash in the general fund on Feb. 10 was $516,216. Since then the expenditures have been, for the Legislature, $180,000; flood sufferers, $140,000 (posrtblv): and the following demands must be provided for: Coghlen bonds, $189,000; five tenvear bonds, SIO,OOO ; Purdue University bonds, $4,250; and a public-defense bond of $1,060. This is an expenditure in sight of $450,000, leaving a small margin for emergencies ana current expenses. Tho presentation of the “public-defense” bond of 1861 issue was a surprise. It is owned by Fred Rat - zle, of St. Louis, and is the last one out. Ita number is 556, and .it was supposed to be lost when the other bonds were paid. Representston with $600,000 was defeated by the dose vote of 44 to 47. An exciting scene occurred in the Senate oi\ Feb. 21, upon the introduction of the Congressional Apportionment Mil, which was extremely distasteful to Senator Brown, and he moved that it be rejected. In the discussion which ensued he was extremely insulting toward Senator Bell, of ABen county, who, when annoyed beyond endurance, petulantly exclaimed: “Don't interrupt me any more. You are drunk, and I urn addressing myself to gentlemen. Brown jumped up and exclaimed in a loud voice: "Yon are a —— lying —■—— ——. a ‘brainless coward, and a hound. The greatest excitemcrtt ensued, as the chamber was full of ladies, who plainly heard the remark. Senator Bell kept cool, and did not resent the insult, saying that the Senate floor was no place for a scene. After the quarrel, the bill was rejecter! by a vote -of 24 to 23. Th# Senate, by a vote of 34 to 14, adopted the minority report of the committee, naming Evansville as onje of the places for the location of an asylum for the incurable insane, the other two to bo located where a cortimisslon of four men, to bo aiHwlntcd by the Governor, shall determine. Tfie special committee appointed to visit tire flooded districts reported adversely to further aid being voted, but Gov. Porter sent in a message recommending a further apjkopriatiqn. The committee reported that ho nprson was found, ip nil their travels suffering for the necessities of life. The committee visited New Albany, Jeffersonville, Aurora, Lawrenceburg and other places, where about 14,000 persons altogether WeroreooWiiigHUppllesof the necessities of life, which numlier would speedily be reduced so sis to need no. further help. The message and report were referred to the Committee on Finance. In the House, tho Ways and Means Qommittpe reported the Specific Appropriation bill, which provides for the payment of claims amounting, to. $184,000. The report of the House Committee on Prisons was made concerning the Southern Prison. The Brown bill reorganizing tbe benevolent institutions on a Democratic basis passed both houses over the Governor’s veto by a strict party vote.

Both houses of the Legislature passed the bill for the relief of the sufferers by the Ohio flood to the amount of 560.000, in addition to the HO,OOO previously appropriated. In the Senate, Mr. Lockridge’s bill making it a felony for lie officers not to turn Over to their successors all , the mopes<i on haQd passed, as was also the Vo view Wil making it a cause for removal for eounty officers to charge illegal or constructive fees. The Senate also jwu»scd the bill to provide' for' the erection of three *200,000 hos})itals for the insane, one of , which shall be ocated at EvansVHle. Mr. Youehe introduced a Hill to craate ,a commissiop, consisting of the Governor, Attorney General arid two residents of Kankakee yaUey,w|Uch shall have control of the drainage of that region. There was a long diseuSskm.'fca the Senate bf -Gov. Porter’s the l>ill rcorganjaing the House of Refuge which turn* the Republicans out es rinfee and puts the compelling railroad companies to pay employes atTleaM once Ift thirty days was passed, with a provision Khat in case the companies should tie tfble to show id the court a reason why the monivi ah4nl4*otbepaid in the time specified, an extension of sixty days should bo granted. Mil iewwf*'Wilt'piaffing promissory notes on tho same basis as bills of excliango was also passed. The House declined to adjourn in honor of the memory of the "Fathowf his Country." . 1 iwsatuTiOH was adopted by the Senate, on Feti 23, authorizing th* summary removal the Secretary of the Senate, A. F. Kelly, of Terre Haute, and‘the Doorkeeper, Capt. W. M. EdMaivtiv Howard «nd Davidson, and Cyrus T. Niton, of Indianapolis, and Vincent T. Kirk, of MarshAtl conntyTwere elected’ to fill the vacancies,!.'the former being”» Republican. The cause qf the revolution goes back to Feb. 1, when Kirk was deposed as Doorkeeper by Messrs. Duncan; Mclntosh, and Beam who voted With the. Republicans to that cud, qn the ground that Kirk had abused lite trusfin appointing too many doorkeepers. Kirk, howekbr, Was succeeded by Edmunds, a one-ey-soldier ppd a.Damocrat. Kirk’s friends had been ,wanting,to zet even ever since. The Senate 1 spent mncbl ‘time in discussing the bill TO.aiiotiab the contract system of letting out convict labor. The claim of Mrs. Edwin May, wltjow ’ Of the architect of the Htate ? House, • for ibomixmsation te the tor 1088 . by tile death of her TmsbAnd previous to the oOnipiffitoh of tire' Work, on Which he was engaged, also exqitod a protracted debate. A long letter was read from President White in the Seriate, annouriffing his resignation from the management of Purdna University. An evening session qf the Senate, was held, at which a compromise Wari-made among the Democrats, by which Mr/ Molly waa reinstated as Secretary, Air. Kirk to retain his .position as Doorkeeper. In the Tfouse, the Specific Appropriation bill was under cdnaidefaUoh,( no other business being done. . ■;, ,il vj „ The. Chinese have the art, of dressing jqpst „ Uie Germans of enjcyiug theinselyesmost' rationally, the French of Kving most economically and the away money most uselessly. Change of climate, though supposed to produce great effects on t)ie human race, does not seem to altei- tlicse peculiar traits.— Prov idence Telegram. ■. ■ -A .. . . . ........... if In the' dqze'n rears since Dickens died, over 4,u00.00b copies of his books have been sold fn Great Britain, and he is the author of ivliorii the elder Bennett once asked! “Wild ’is Dickens? Nothing but & reporter. arid I’ve got plenty of better ones on the Herald.”