Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1885 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Thx attention of the Legislature was almost entirely devoted to the consideration of he Investigation of the State Treasury, on 4th nst. In the Senate Mr. Gibson introduced the majority report, stating that all was well with the .reasnry, an i deprecating further investigation as needless and expensive. From the report it appeared that the State had never received interest on anv public monev derosited in bank, and that It was doubtful whether a Treasurer could be compelled to account lor such interest by law. The committee recommended that the law be changed. Senator Koulke presented the report of the minority of the committee, which concluded with the declaration that the minority believe that there is a large deficiency in the Treasurer's office, and that it should at once be investigated. The majority asked leave to file an additional report in reply to the charge of the minority, and the matter went over lor a day. In the House, the committee was instructed to report whether any legisla ion on the subject was necessary. The majority, after Rtating that the Treasurer had made a showing, say they had discovered no reason whatever why a legislative committee or any other committee should be appointed at this time to investigate further into his aftairs. In support of the minority report reoommeuding an investigation, Representative Sayre charged that Treasurer Cooper had been an habitual violator of law; that he exhibited to the committee a certificate of tts.ooo from the Merchants' National Bank, which was dated Nov. IC, wnich was Sunday, and that it bore marks of fraud. Mr. Sayre thought it high time to make a thorough investigation. The committee had been unable to learn the true condition of arfairs. By a strict party vote the minority report was tabled and that of the majority concurred in. The Senate, on conclusion of the reading of the reports, took up the House bill increasing the Treasurer's bond from $150,000 to $1,000,000. By a vote of 30 to 15 the bill was amended by making the bond ssoo,nuo, and was then parsed. The He use passed the bill by a unanimous vote.

The House joint resolutions were passed In the Senate on the 6th inst., urging Indiana Representatives in Congress to labor for the repeal of the pension law of March 3, 1879, for the pensioning of Mexican veterans, to secure the revoking ot lands to railroad companies that have not completed their roads in the prescribed time, and to secure the equalization of bounties to soldiers. The Senate passed the House bill fixing the State Treasurer’s bond at $500,000, and the House bill appropriating $3,000 to the New Orleans Exposition display. Petitions for .nstruction in the schools on the effects of alcohol were presented by about thirty Senators. Committees reported on the following bills; That the bill to protect the ballotbox be amended and pass, and the report and amendment were adopted; that tho bill to suspend the Imprisonment of defendants In criminal cases pending appeals be made the special order for Thursday at 11 o’clock; that the bill for recording liens and mortgages on real estate be amended and pass; that the bill to abolish the offices of City Treasurer and Assessor, be amended and pass. The amendment provides that the act shall not be enforced until the expiration of the terms of the present incumbents, and the bill passed to second reading, without printing. The committee also reported: That the bill limiting the amount of taxes to be levied by commissioners in counties having a voting population of 25,000 do pass; thatlegalizing acts of the Union Loan and Savings Company do pass; that to prevent the spread of pienro-pneumonia be tabled; that creating a connty dog fund do pass; that enabling cities to purchase lands for sanitary purposes do pass; that an eight-hour law be enacted and adopted; that the concurrent resolution on the contract system in prisons be amended and adopted: that Sarah May’s claim of SIO,OOO for services of her deceased husband do pass, and that the money be taken from the State-House fund. The House passed the bill to repeal the act authorizing aliens to hold real estate. The State Treasurer’s bond bill, as amended by the Senate, fixing the amount at $500,000, was called up in the House. Messrs. Gordon and Reeves spoke in favor of maintaining the former action, placing the bond at SIOO,OOO, while Messrs. Gooding, French, Moody, and Browning advocated concurrence In the Senate amendment because it was important to pass the bill before next Monday, at which time the Treasurer would renew his bond. Mr. Browning called upon the Democratic members “to have more sand In their crops,” and not to be browbeaten by the threats of the minority. There was nothing In the rumored defalcation, he said, and the House had already devoted too much time to Mr. Cooper’s affairs. In the reports of standing committees the passage of the building association bill was recommended, as was also the passage of the McHenry bill looking to a uniform system of text books in the common schools. Several educational bills were indefinitely postponed.

Matters connected with the State Treasury consumed a large portion of the Senate session on the 6th Inst. By a party vote the majority report, which declared that there was no necessity for further investigation, was adopted. The report of the conference committee on the bill to Increase the Treasurer’s bond to $700,000 was also adopted by the Senate. This was accepted by the House, and the act Is now a law. In the House, the Committee on Temperance recommended the indefinite postponement of all bills referred to it, including Hanlon's 12 o’clock bill, McHenry’s high-llcense bill, and Schmidt’s bill to amend the law relating to the granting of license by county commissioners. By a vote of 66 to 28 the House laid on the table the following resolution offered by Mr. Gooding: “ That It is the sense of this House that the per centum of State tax should not, at the present session of the Legislature, be increased, and that the appropriations should be economical as far as practicable, avoiding the Increase of expenses by Issuing bonds or otherwise." Representative Jameson proposed a bank bill providing as follows: That any bank president, cashier, clerk.etc., who shall draw and issue any draft, check, or bill of exchange calling for the payment of money on the account of drawer when the drawer shall not have funds to meet such draft, or check, or bill of exchange shall be guilty of a felony; and that any bank official who shall receive money for deposit when he knows the bank to be insolvent shall likewise be guilty ol a felony. Upon conviction the violator of the provisions of the bill shall be imprisoned not less th<n two years nor more than ten, shall be fined in any sum not less than SI,OOO, and shall be disfrancised for a period not exceeding twenty years. The following bills were also introduced and referred: To provide for the better education of pauper children; to appropriate $55,616.03 to pay John Martin for work on the insane esylnin; to regulate the height of railroad bridges; providing how counties and townships may aid railroads; concerning free gravel roads; defining the liability of railroads for the killing of stock; to aid the Common Council of cities of three thousand inhabitants to change wards for consolidation and otherwise; to legalize the election and official acts of the officers of Ligonier; to prevent the giving away of intoxicating liquor; to amend the law relating to the taking up of estrayed animals; to amend the justice of the peace act; to amend the act regulating proceedings in criminal cases; to create liens in favor of decedents' estates; to prohibit the sale of tobacco to persons under 18 years of age. The Hou>e passed bills permitting the slaughter of English sparrows, and to repeal the law of 1881 by wp'ch Judges were authorised to try certain cas<& without the Intervention of a jury. Reports of committees and the reading of bills occupied a brief session of the Senate on the 7th Inst. In the House the following bills were introduced: To provide that the Revised Statutes of 1881 shall be sold at $2 per volume; to provide penalties under the aco conotrnmg public offenses; concerning partition fences; providing for the payment of interest semiannually upon county bonds; fixing penalties for keeping honscs of ill-fame; providing for a State Finance Committee, composed of the Governor, Auditor, and Secretary, who shall designate where the public fnnds shall be kept. The bill was ordered printed. Also, concerning claims against counties; relating to toll-gates and gravel and macadamized roads; to regulate the disposition of surplus school revenue by towns in trustees; fixing the fees of surveyors; appropriating $2J,000 to erect new buildings, bath- room", etc., at the Northern Prison, and for the purchase of a library; to establish a meteorological bureau in connection with one of the State oolleges, and providing for an annual appropriation of $3,0u0 to maintain a signal station, etc.; to require private banking institutions to make and publish three reports each year; to regulate the construction of sewers by cities.

The latest statistics on the comparative longevity of the sexes show that under 15 years there are more boys than girls, bnt over 75 years there are more women than men, and from the age of 90 to 100 the proportion is abont three to two in favor of the women. A steam flouring mill at Madison, Dakota, uses hay for fuel, of which it bnrns three and a half tons every twen-ty-fonr hour*. thiawoTld on* mns t puldodta on