Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1885 — THE LATE LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

THE LATE LEGISLATURE.

(HOY. GRAY’S ESTIMATE OF THE WORK PERFORMED. “The Legislature, in the Yalue of Its Labors, Will Compare Favorably With Any of Its Predecessors.” Indianapolis Sentinel: Knowing that Governor Gray had had considerable experience in one branch of the law-making body of the State, and that he had been a close observer of men and measures for many years, a Sentinel reporter called upon him on Saturday and requested that he would give his estimate of the late Legislature as compared with others with which he was familiar. He replied substantially as follows: “In my estimation no finer body of men ever assembled in the legislative halls of the State than that which composed the last Legislature. Many of them were men of experience, and it may be said generally that they all appeared to have a high conception of their duty, and this was discharged honestly and faithfully. I hardly think any legislative body ever assembled here under so many pledges to its constituency to work for the passage of local measures, and it may be said with truth that more local bills were passed than at any former session. It was the pledges made to their constituency to pass certain local bills that, I think, prevented the consideration of the General Appropriation bill and necessitated a special session. The members were urgently requested by their constituency to forward certain measures which were regarded as of vast importance to the sections dojwhich they applied, and the members pursued a very wise course in granting as far as possible the prayers of the people whom they were elected to serve. “Prior to 1852 the Legislature met in annual sessions, but under the constitution adopted at that time the sessions have been biennially held, except when emergencies led to the calling of the body together in extra session. At the time of the adoption of the present constitution sixty, one days was possibly enough in which to transact the business of the State, but in wealth and population, Indiana has outgrown her organic} law in this respect, and sixty-one days biennially is now hardly sufficient in which to transact the legislative business which comes before the body. The greater or more diversified the interest of the people the more time will be found necessary to harmonize the conflicting views of the representatives who assemble together, to the end that just and equitable laws may be made, laws that will provide alike for all sections and all classes. In this connection it may be stated that Indiana has less legislation than any other State of its wealth and population in the Union. In my opinion, the people will judge the Legislature more by its work than on account of the time it consumed in accomplishing the work. As for my part I was anxious not to have a special session, but it was unavoidable and I do not think the State could have gotten along without it. “The last Legislature differed materially in one respect from many of its predecessors. Itwasdis-

tinctively a laboring man's Legislature. It appealed to seek out and remedy many laws regarding labor and laboring men. The InV making the wages of laborers to the amount of SSO preferred claims in cases of suspension or assignment of persons or corporations is one that applies a remedy for many cases where great suffering is entailed by business failures. 'The claims of such men are generally small and, owing to the expense incident to litigation, hardly wo Ah while going Into the courts to collect, bnt in tjie aggregate they frequently amount to large sums. The new law, making such wages preferred claims, insures the laboring man at least a few dollars with which to support his family till he can find employment elsewhere in case of the assignment of the employer. The law requiring that laborers shall be paid monthly is another designed to protect them from the consequences of business embarrassments for which they are in no sense responsible. “Still another law, which can not be too highly praised, is that requiring the polls to be opened at 6 o’clock in the morning instead of 8 o’clock, as heretofore. Uuder the operations of this law the laboring men of the State can cast their ballots before going to their work in the morning, and will be particularly free from those influences that have been brought to bear upon them when they appear at a later hour. Again, when the polls have been opened at a late hour and closed at 6 in the evening, the laboring man had but one, and that the noon hour, in which to cast his suffrage. When his place of labor was situated at any great distance from his voting precinct, it often physical impossibility for him tft attend the polls and return to his work without being “docked” on account of lost time. Thus the old law worked a hardship, and in so far as its operations deprived any laboring man from exercising his right of suffrage, was unjust. In applying a remedy for this defect the Legislature acted very wisely. The argument made against the measure at first, that it would open the door to fraud, was not based upon a popular appreciation of the average laboring man’s character, in whose interest the bill was drawn. It is not from the outsider that the election laws suffer, and especially not from the laborer, who generally casts fyis suffrage and leaves for the work that demands his attention

“The Deficiency Appropriation bill, made necessary by the failure of the Appropriation bill two years ago, the General Appropriation bill for the ensuing two years, and the bills providing means for the completion of the State-house and the new Hospitals for the Insane, were severally passed and have become laws. I think very little, if any vicious legislation was enacted,” and the Governor concluded by mentioning, among others, the following list of bills, a careful study of which, he said, would show the bent of the legislative mind and prove that their assembling had not been in vain:

An act providing that all cities or towns having a population of less than 70,000, may provide for the collection of such municipal taxes through the County Treasury. An act limiting the amount of taxes that may be levied by County Commissioners, in cities or towns having a voting population of over 25,000. An act to protect the ballot-box, prevent the purchasing of votes, and prescribing penalties. • An act giving laborers and persons furnishing materials in the construction of railroads a lien on the road, bridges, etc., in the county where the labor was performed and the materials furnished.

An act known as the ‘Civil Rights Bill.’ An act making the laborer a preferred creditor in certain cases. An act prohibiting telegraph and

telephone companies from discriminating between patrons. An act prohibiting employment of child labor in manufacturing or other establishments. An act requiring plats of new additions to towns and cities to be approved by the Boards of Trustees of towns or Common Council of cities, so that streets and alleys shall be coterminus. An act to abolish the office of City Assessor and City Treasurer of cities containing certain population. An act requiring corporations and companies to pay their employes monthly. An act fixing the term of office of County Commissioners so that one shall go out of office each year. An act to prohibit forced contributions from railroad employes. An act to provide for the education of poor children in County Poor Houses.

An act limiting the charges of telephone companies. An act regulating foreign surety companies doing business in this State.

An act empowering voluntary associations to establish homes for the care of indigent persons, male and female.

An act to provide means to secure the health and safety of persons employed in mines. An act repealing the alien land law enacted by the Legislature of 1881.

An act to exempt State officers and prosecuting attorneys from liability for costs as relators in suits. An act authorizing the Bureau of Public Printing, Binding and Stationery to determine, to a certain extent the amount of public printing which will save thousands of dollars to the State.

An act allowing County Treasurer’s to retain school funds in their hands at settlement times until the excess, if any, is needed instead of paying same interstate Treasury as heretofore. G f; . * An act reorganizing the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home at Knightstown. An act prohibiting the importation of foreign contract labor.