Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1893 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Senator Gage's bill, increasing the price of convict labor to ninety-live cents per (lay. was, Monday, referred to the Committee on Labor. In the House the “Age of Consent” bill, changing the age from 12 to 14 years, was passed. The House after much debate, passed the Heneh bill, punishing persons who bring stolen property into the State. Several amendments were reported by the Committee on Constitutional Amendments. Among tnora were making the terms ot all County officers four years, and rendering tho incumbents ineligible for reeleetton For eight years; enabling tho State to tax gross and net receipts of corporations; to increase tho regular legislative session to 100 days. A judiciary ripper bill, cutting the number ot circuits from tltty-four to forty-four, has been prepared. The committee Investigating tho Prison North affair, return with nothing but praise of tho management. At a caucus it developed that, tbs Cufiop bill was unpopular and will be defoatod. It provided for the appointment of boards for public institutions by the Governor. Both branches of the Legislature spent their time Tuesday discussing small bills .and the Hecate was entirely without feature. The House nassod a bill to limit the powers of township trustees and another exempting parsonages from,taxation, while It killed one limiting the jurisdiction ot justices of the peace, and another adding insanity to the statutory grounds for divorce, Mr. Dal man introduced tho same bill brought into tho Senate the day before, appropriating $200,000 to the School for Feoblo Minded at Fort Wayne. Of this SIIO,OOO is askod for anew building and $(10,000 for the purchase of a farm. In tho Senate a bill making it obligatory on county commissioners in towns of 5.000 inhabitants to establish work-houses whero no city work-house exists, and authorizing the commissioners to purohaso property, orect buildings and pay for the same, was passed. Tho Committee on Hallroads recommended the passage of Senator Chandler's bill asking that passenger trains stop at all county-seats.

The House, Wednesday, passed tho Cullop bill. Increasing the jurisdiction of tho Appellate Cour,t, sending to It all cases involving $5,500 or less. After a tong argument It. killed McMullln's bill; requiring that school boards be oloctod by tho people, instead of by tho city councils, ns at present, and, after a long controversy. It killed Magcnity's anti-prize lighting .pUL ,whMl imposes heavy penalties on at! ffoncerbeil, but defined prize lighting as "fighting with loss than two-ounce gloves." The Senate Special Committee to redlstrlet tho judicial circuits of the Htate reported Its gerrymander, of tho courts, und, after a long argument, the report was accepted. Tho Senato passed a number of minor bills and one Important one, oxtondIng the term of munlnolpal officers to four years lnstoad of two, as at present. Representative Sulzor of Madison, introduced a concurrent resolution in the House Thursday, setting forth that tho law was being constantly violated by the ltoby Race Track Association, and that the officials of Lako County wore conniving thereat. Tho resolution called for a special joint, committee of investigation and suggested a line of Inquiry. No action was taken, a referonoo being made to tho Committee on Rights and Privileges without debate. The House passed the Union Label bill. Introduced at the instanco of organized labor. This bill is designed to protect labels and by authority of labor unions from uss by unauthorized parties. Among tho new bills wuh ono leaving it optional with County Commissioners whether they issuo a lioenso to sell intoxicants in tho Cotttltfy or not. Thore was also a bill to prevent tho piping of natural gas outside the State by limiting the pressure in mains [to 2()0 pounds por square inch. 4 TIIO Senate spent several hours discussing McLain's bill conferring upon tho Governor tho appointment of tho Bonevolent and Penal Boards. The bill was ordered ongrossod. Mr. McLain styloH tho bill as "an act to prevent legislative log-rolling." Both branches of the Legislature. Friday morning, adjourned until Monday out of respeot, to the memory of ox-Hocrotnry James G. Blulno.