Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1885 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

The most important feature of tlje Senate proceedings on the 22d was the regular order, Mr. Foulke’s bill for a constitutional convention. The bill was read a second time. A maiorlt of the Committee on Judiciary had previously v oted adversely to it. The question was, “Shall the majority report prevail?” Senator Foulke moved that tue Senate adopt the minority report, and on this he made a long speech. He was followed by Messrs. Hilligass and McCullough in opposition. Petitions were presented tor the abolition of capital punishment and for an appropriation for Purdue University. The Jndiciary Committee reported bill 48, with amendment, and a recommendation that it pass; also that bill 47 be amended and pass; also that bill S 3 be Indefinitely postponed. In the House the Moody resolution providing for the appointment of a siteclal committee to investigate the question of the need of add - tional accommodations for the Insane was called up. Mr. Moody moved that the resolution be referred to the Committee on Public Expenditures, with instructions to oonsider the same, and report whether tho appointment of such committee would be advisable. The Committee on Judiciary, in its report, reoommended the indefinite postponement of the Patton b.ll to abolish the Grand Jury system. Mr. Patton made a vigorous speech in opposition to this action. He declared that the Grand Jury system was a relio of barbarism, and he complained that the Judiciary Committee had not given his bill a fair consideration. In deference to his wishes the measure was recommitted by the House to the same committee. The indefinite postponement of Mr. Jameson's bill to amend Section 4 of an act entitled *An aot concerning husband and wife," approved April lfi, IHBI, was also recommended by the Judiciary Committee, which led to a prolonged discussion. The provisions of the bill were that “a married woman shall not enter Into any oontract of suretyship, whether as Indorser, guarantor, or in any other manner, and such contract as to her shall be void; provided, that nothing contained in this act shall prevent a married woman from joining with her husband in mortgaging her real estate, or that held by the husband ana wife by entirety to secure the debt of the hatband or any other person.” The friends of the measure made a gallant fight, but the bill was defeated, 64 to 30. Patton's resolution, providing for an investigation of the State Treasury, was discussed. A motion to refer it to the Committee on Wavs and Means was lost. Mr. McMullen offered, as a substitute, a resolution for an Inquiry as to why Gov. Porter failed to do his duty In tho premises during the four years he was In office. This was, after a long debate, adopted. Mb. Foulkk’h Constitutional Conveutton proposition was defeated In the Senate, Jan. 33, after a prolonged discussion. Committees reported on bills in the Senate as follows: That Senate bill 7fl, exempting proseouting attorneys trom liabilities when prosecuting ex-rclatlo, do pass; that bill 74, defining the Twenty-fifth and creating the Forty-sixth Judicial orcuits, do pass; that bill 04, empowering certain courts to employ short-hand writers, be amended and pass; that bill 62, for a continuance of tqrms of oourt when a trial Is In progress at the regular time of its closing, do pass; that bill 07, conoornfug collection of taxes in cities, be amended and pass; that 78, a bill amending praotloe in. civil cases, lie on the table; that bill 40. on highways, pass; that bill 118, tixtng compensation of County Huperin-. tendents, do pass; that bill DU, on common schools, public libraries, - nd compensation <>t school boards, do pass; that bill 89, providing' that Clerks of the hupreme Court keep a re ord of all fees received by them, and pass the samo to their successors in office, do pass; that bill 73, for the bettor government of the Hospital for the Insane, do pass. In the House the regular order of business was resumed, and tho report of the Committee on llights and Privileges, recommending the indefinite postponement of the civil rights bill, introduced by Mr. Townsend, colored, of Wayn", was taken up. Mr. Gooding moved that the bill bo recommitted to tho Judiciary Committee, with instructions to report what discrimination exists against the colored race. Mr. Townsend favored the recommitment, and it vas so ordered. T. o bill ord ring elections of Couuty School Superintendents in 1880 was -passed. Mr. lloblnson's bill to repeal the aot authorizing aliens to hold real estate was engrossed and ordered to a third reading, as was also Mr. Staley's to require the teaching of “hygiene and physiology" la the public schools, with special reference to the effects of alcohol upon the human system. Mr. Williams, of Knox, moved to strike out, the enacting clause of this bill, intending to thus kill it, and the yeas and nays were called for, resulting in the defeat of the motion by a close vole of is in tlie affirmative agalust 4H in the negative. Mr. McMullen's bill requiring pauper physicians of counties to conduct post-mortem examinations of bodies upon which inquests are held by Coroners, when post-mortems shall be deemed necessary, came up for second reading, and was discussed at some length. Mr. Smith, of Tippecanoe, opposed the bill because he thought pauper physicians, as a rule, were not competent to make such examinations, and he imposed an amendment to strike out this part the bill. Tjvy House alone held a session—and that wac very slimly attended—on Jan. 34. Mr. Mnrphy's concurrent resolution, advising Con* tress to faithfully guard the interests of the Union soldiers in the way of pension legislation, was adopted. A favorable report was made by (he special committee to which was referred the lolnt resolution urging the repeal of the limitation act, relatihg to the pensioning of soldiers, and the same was unanimously passed. The following bills were read the second time and ordered engrossed; To exempt prosecutors and State officers from liability for costs in certain cases; to require a widow to take under the •rill of her deceased husband unless she elects to take under the law; to amend Section 69 of an act concerning proceedings in civil eases: to authorize appeals from the County Board of Equalization to tho Circuit Court: to provide certain duties for the County Commissioners. The bill fixing the legal contract rate of interest at 7 per cent, came up for considoratlon and led to prolonged speech-making, in which the members generally participated. Mr. Pleasants moved to amend the bill by striking out 7 per cent, and Inserting 6 per cent. Messrs. Browning. Smith of Tippecanoe, Kllllson, Williams, and others entered a vigorous opposition to the amendment. Mr. Browning thought its effect on the school fund would cause incalculable evil, and Mr. Smith thought it would result in driving capital out of the State. Mr. Williams spoke of the depression now existing, the number of people out of employment, etc., and said It would be Inadvisable to make a reduction of more than 1 per cent. Mr. Pleasants and others jtatod that the same argument was used when the reduction from 10 to 8 per cent, was made, but the country had not gone to ruin, as many predicted. On the contrary, money wa'b as plenty as when the Interest was higher. The amendment prevailed by a vote of 39 to 33, and the bill was then engrossed.