Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1885 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Senator Foulk introduced a ooncurre: resolution in the Senate, Feb. 19, providing f such an amendment to the Constitution would give women the right of voting at Sta and national elections. With some amendznen the Senate passed the deficiency appropriate bill. The union depot bilL after a long debat was passed. Mr. Willard brought up his res, lution to change a Senate rule so as to pe mit a majority instead of a two-thirds vote take up any business out of the regular ord* and the consideration of the same was postpoi ed. The usual batch of petitions on oleomarg rinc, militia bills, intemperance, gravel road and dog-tags were presented. In the Hous bills were Introduced allowing manual trainii schools in c ties of over ten thousand inhabi ants; legalizing barbed wire fence. An amem meat to the Constitution was read the Hr time, concerning the compensation of membe of the Gen- ral Assembly to be fixed by law. All that the session must be restricted toone hundn d* y9 -.The appropriation was partly considers The House passed a bill 'which places colon and white children on an equality in the puhl schools, and defeated McHenry's bill providii a uniform system of text-books not to 1 changed oftener than once in six years. Tl vote by which ’ he bill was passed fixing railros fares at two and a half cents a ml e was lecoi sidered. President Smart, of Purdue Un versity, submitted a long rep rt of tl condition of the State agricultural institutio When the Legislative apportionment bill can up for consideration the Republican membe filibustered. The minority report signed by tl Republicans, substituting the present law f the proposed law, was laid bn the table by vote of 57 to 39—Messrs. Lloyd, Reeves. Kellso and Smith of Warrick voting with the Republ cans, and Messrs. McHenry and French, wl voted with them the previous day against tl apportionment bills, going back to their par associates. The majority report, recommen ing a bill to take 101 of the 150 districts f the Democrats, was adopted by the sat vote and the bill ordered engrossed. Tl following protest from tbe Republican side w sent up: “Air. Speaker: We protest against tl hien-handed and summary action of the majo itv on this floor in applying the infamous ga law in the disposition ot the minority reports < House apportionment bills Nos. 422 and 4! thereby absolutely throttling the minority this House and suppressing free speech and d bate in the Indiana House of Representatives < a subject of so much importance as r. dis trie til the State for Congressional and Legislative a portionment." The Speaker, after striking o the word “infamous," allowed the protest to . on the record. The rest of the day the genet appropriation bill was under consideration committee of the whole. The deficiency appropriation bill, with few amendments, passed the Senate Feb.! Mr. Wiers’ bill requiring corporations and firt to pay their employes at least once a month w passed. The Senate bill for suspending impri onrnent in cases ot felonies and misdemeano pending an appeal from the court convicting t defendant was called up and debated at gre length and finally tabled. The consideration Senator Foulke’s bill for instruction in schoc on the effects of alcohol and other narcotics ai stimulants was made the order of t' day. There was a majority and a minor! report. The minority report said that the b was useless, because “the baneful effects alcohol were made visible in all reading of boo: and newspapers; also becahse it would give a few teachers who are temperance fanatics enthusiasts an opportunity to give lheir ov interpretation of the law, and lead to distur ances and commotion in the public schools.” motion to lav th ■ bill on the table resulted in tie vote. Senator Magee, in the chair, gave t.; casting vote in the negative, so the bill was n lid on the table. After much discu slon it was finally postponed indefil Itely. In the House of Representativ a joint resolution was introduced pr posing a change in the State Constitutio fixing the limit of the r gnlar session at fit days. Under a suspension of the rules N Frazier’s bill to legalize wire fences was pass, by a hare constitutional majority. The 8 preme Court has held all such fences to be ill gal, and the bdl cures that defeat. The Cor mittee on Temperance recommended the 1 definite of all tne measures their hands, which includes Mr. Staley s pr posed constitutional amendments, Mr. Besl bill for a local option law, and Mr. Akins' b to prevent wagers of drink and the practice treating in saloons. No minority reports we made. The Railroad Committee reported favor of the passage of twh bills in their hanr and the indefinite postponement of six, amoi which was the bill providing lor the ajipou ment of a Railroad Commissioner. The Co? mitree on Prisons submitted a lengthy repo of the results of th -ir dbservations at the ti I stitutions, which is altogether favorable both of them. The recommendations madea only for appropriations for suggested improv ments and changes. Tne Senate bill providii for an additional loan of $600,000 was passe The bonds cun be placed at 3% per cent. A concurrent resolution by Senat Foulke for an amendment to the conetituti Increasing the number of Supremo Court Jndg from five to seven, was introduced in t Senate Feb. 21, and referred to the appr priate committee. The Judges of the Snprei Court sent in a communication requesting th the Legislature appropriate SSOO per annum 1 the insurance of the law library in the sum $20,006 for the period of three years. Senat Schloss introduced a substitute bill approprii ing $75,000 per annum to the State Norm School. A fruitless effort was made to pi it under suspension of the rules, and it w sent to the Committee on Education. Aco current resolution was introduced instruc ing Congressman to vote against a restfiotii of the coinage of silver money. The Hon amendment of the bill tor refunding the Sta debt was concurred in. The amendment relat only to the times of payment of interest. Sen tor Sellers’ bill, to make valid the sale of r< estate by councils of cities, was passed under suspension of the rules. In the House message from the Senate announced th that body had concurred in the Hou amendments to the S6uO,OOJ tempera loan bill, and that it had been se to the Governor for his signatm The special order, the general appropriate bill, wa- postponed, and bills on second read!: were taken up. The Best resolution, proposi a constitutional amendment giving to worn' the right of suffrage, was reported back by t Committee on Rights and Privileges, wit out recommendation, and was order engrossed by the House by a vote of 36 16. Mr. Engel’s bill compelling all railroad coi panies to fence their roads wherever they n through improved lands, within six montl was taken up, with a majority report recoi mending its indefinite postponement and minority report recommending its passage, motion to lay the latter on the tai was defeated yeas 10, nays 59 and lengthy ' discussion ensued. The majorl report was ultimately adopted, and the bill thus amended was ordered engrossed. Mr. B worth introduced a bill to amend the liquor li providing that licenses to sell liquors shot not be granted by County Boards to any pers not a resident of the county. Speaker Jew announced that during the remainder of 1 session members could not obtain leave of 1 sence, unless by a majority vote.