Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1897 — THE INDIANA SOLONS [ARTICLE]

THE INDIANA SOLONS

Senator-elect Fairbanks was present at the joint session of the Legislature Wednesday to acknowledge his election. Outlining his policy in the Senate, Mr* Fairbanks said: “I favor upholding the dignity and honor of the government against all comers at any cost; yet 1 am opposed to any policy which shall tend to involve ns in unnecessary international entanglements and possible war. Our people want peace, for it is the mother of prosperity. One of the hopeful, reassuring incidents of the hour is the progress made toward the institution of a high tribunal of arbitration for the settlement of disputes between the great AngloSaxon powers. Such a step is in keeping with the demands of our highest and best interests; it is responsive to the imperative requirements of Christianity. The strongest government can well lead the way. Our isolation is such, our resources are so limitless, the virtue and patriotism of our people are so acknowledged that we have, as Bismarck said of the new German empire, no power to fear except the power of Almighty God. We need no frequent display of our prowess. I believe in commercial conquests—those conquests which shall bring the trophies of peace to the homes of our countrymen of low and high degree.” The formal vote on Senator in the joint session resulted: Fairbauks, 85; Voorhees, 58; Templeton (Pop.), 6. After the joint session of the Legislature both houses returned to work. The Senate passed the bill prohibiting the shooting of quails in this State for two' years. The bill goes to the House with a : penalty of SIOO for any one violating the law. The Senate also adopted the report of the Judiciary Committee on the anticigaret bill. This prohibits the sale of cigarets to any person under 18 years old, and fixes a license of S2OO for retailing 1 cigarets and a license of SSO for wholesalers. Any person under 18 years found smoking cigarets is subject to a fine o t $lO. The action of the Senate in attempting to kill the investigation of the alleged $2,4 000,000, which the A’andalia Railroad' owes the Indiana school fund, has re-J suited in placing the House and Senatoi at loggerheads. When the Senate substitute was reported back to the House Friday morning it was utterly ignored. The; House decided at once to carry on the investigation by itself, and a resolution unanimously passed calling on Attorney General Keteham to produce all the in-* formation he had on the subject, after' which a proper form of investigation wilt be arranged. ! Under a resolution of the House o t Representatives requiring the Attorney General to report to that body on the status of the claim of the State against the A’andalia Railroad that official Monday reported that the corporation owed 1 the State, as nearly as the amount can be figured without an investigation, about $1,500,000. He says the railroad was incorporated under a special charter in 1847) and it was provided that (ill its earnings in excess of 10 per cent, of its net receipts should be paid into the common school fund of the State. Nothing was ever paid and the company continued to operate under its special charter till 1874, when it accepted the general law of railroad corporations, and since that time it is doubtful if the State could legally claim the amount specified in the charter. He says there is no question, however, that the claim is valid from 1847 to 1874, and recommended that a bill be passed demanding an accounting. The Legislature acted promptly upon the suggestion, and within an hour the House had passed a bill requiring an accounting from the company, and this was taken up and imme- H diately acted upon by the Senate. The matter is to be pushed, and interesting legal complications are expected to arise, as the railroad company denies it is indebted to the State. Among the bills recommended for passage in the House Tuesday is one making it unlawful to play football in the State. The bill went to the Committee on Rights, which decided that it was only proper that the House should have a fair chance at the bill. The bill, as it stands, does not discriminate in favor of unprofessional football. The same committee reported favorably on the bill prohibiting the wearing of hats in public gatherings where an admission is charged. The Republicans held a caucus as to political legislation. Over the protests of several members who had desired a Congressional* reapportionment of the State it was decided to leave the districts as they are. On the question of legislative apportionment a committee was appointed to take all the legislative apportionment bills that' have been introduced thus far—a half' dozen or more—put them into one bill and redistrict the State into legal divisions.* It was also decided to revise the election law so that no man shall have his name on the ticket more than once, thus doing away with any future case of fusion and also providing for marking the ballots with a pencil instead of a stamp.