Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1891 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

In the House, Feb. 21, the Oppenheim tax bill was considered in committee' of tho whole. The bills amending the Barrett ton-year-streot-improvement act, was advanced to a third reading with an amendment exempting Indianapolis from the application of the bill. Mr. Claypool introduced a bill, which passed under a suspension of the rules, authorizing the sale of a certain tract of land at Fairview, in Rush County, which had lapsed to the State from a defunct college. Mr. Cullop introduced a bill authorizing the Governor to appoint three members of the legal profession, one of whom shall be the Attorney-Genoral, to prosecute the claim of the State against the Terre Haute and Indianapolis Railroad. It was referred to tho Committee on Education, because the money to be recovered belongs to the school fund. Mr. Fippcn introduced a bill giving women the right to vote at municipal elections. In tho Senate, Feb. 23, the bill imposing a license of S2OO on cigarette dealors was indefinitely postponed. This virtually kills it. The following bills wore passed; authorizing boards of school commissioners in towns of 30,000 and upward to issue bonds to the amount of SIOO,OOO for construction of new library building; licensing itinerant venders. The fee and salary bill passod the House with a clause exempting officers elected last November from its provisions. Tho Oppenheim new scheme of taxation was ordered engrossed with amendments. Its consideration in committee of tho whole occupied nearly the entiro session. A resolution by Mr. Gent to strike out the provision which requires counties to turn over to the State all taxes collected from railroads was defeated by one vote —ayes 47; noos 48. The Terro llauto metropolitan police bill passed without discussion. In tho Senate, Feb. 24, Mr. Ewing’s bill, providing for the creatlou of a world’s fair commission and tho appropriation of $200,000 for the exhibit of, Indiana’s product at tho fair came up on second reading and evoked considerable discussion. An amendment offered by its author was adopted providing that the commissioners shall rocolvo no compensation beyond tho amount absolutely necessary for their expenses. The Senate then went into committee of the whole on the tax bill. In tho House tho following bills were passed: To raise revenues by taxing corporations when filing articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State; to authorize the appointment of attorneys to prosecute claim against Vundalla Railroad; to relocate county seats of Jennings and Jackson; to apportion the Stato for legislative purposes; to authorize Union County to issue bonds to complete court houso, etc. In the Senate, February 25, a bill passed appropriating $llH),000 for exhibit of Indiana products at the World’s Fair; tax bill engrossed with amendments; hill placing appointment of Inspector 61 Oils in the hands of State Geologist passed over tho Governor’s voto. House —Oppenheim’s general tax bill passed, with railroad tax feature eliminated; bill engrossed to place the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home in hands of a nop-partisan board; Coal Oil and Mine Inspector bill passed, the former over the Governor’s veto; sanitary plumbing bill killed; Appellate Court bill passed. The Senate, Feb. 20, took up and passod the congressional apportionment bill. It makes only one change in the present districts. It removes Shelby from the Seventh into tho Fifth District. The coal mine screen bill with amendments passod. Substitute for Inman liability bill reported by Judiciary Committee. Long discussion of measure requiring street railway company to bear proportion of expenses in street Improvements; bill still pending. In the House numerous local bills were passed. Amendments to election law reported. Bill to reorganize State Board of Agriculture engrossed. Bill to prevent piping of gas passed. In tho the Senate, Feb. 27, the entiro day was devoted to consideration of fee and salary bill; amended so as to make law take effect June 1, 1892; to provide for taxation of corporations and associations; allowing tho Lieutenant Govornor a salary of SI,OOO per annum. House— Hudson suburban street railroad bill passod, also bill to reorganize State Board of Agriculture.