Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1917 — GOVERNOR RALSTON READS MESSAGE [ARTICLE]

GOVERNOR RALSTON READS MESSAGE

Indiana’s Seventieth General Assembly Begins Session Thursday . ,-i - .... ; x The formalities of organizing the Senate and House of Representatives were accomplished Thursday without friction. The actions of the causes indicated Thursday werp adopted by both branches of the legislature. . Governor Ralston, who will retire Monday, read a very long and able message in which he extolled the democratic administration and put the unaccomplished up to the republicans, who now hold the reins. His recommendations were as follows: Constitutional convention. More power for tax board. Central board for penal aiyd benevolent institutions.

Department of roads. Industries for state farm. Industrial school for negro children. Separatfc banking department; Consideration of mental defectives problem..• Increased salary of state courts judges. Condemnation of lands for park purposes. More stringent blue sky law. - Armory for state fair grounds. Woman’s building for state fair grounds.? Sewer system for state fair ground. Publicity for accounting hoard reports. State deposit by. certain casualty companies. More flexible impeachment laws. * Constabulary for crime suppression. Resident retirement, in marriage law. —.-. . Permanent historical commission. Increased appropriation for charity agency. - Annual appropriation for G. A. R. encampment. 5 Memorial monument for Gettysburg. Court jurisdiction of state lands drains. Uniform state lands sale law. Re-investment of swamp ’and 3 fund. - —— Reduction of general fund tax. Reduction of vocational education s fund tax. Abolishment of sinking fund tax. Appropriation for soldiers’ and sailors’ monument. ” •- Recognition of Lincoln route running through Indiana. Purchase of Corydon state house. What might have been a dead-lock in the Senate has been avoided by the republicans granting to the - democrats a share of the patrpnage of that body* and allowing them to have the seats on the west side of the chamber. These seats have heretofore been occupied by the majority side. On account of the light and ventilation they are very much better that the seats on the east side. - Jesse R. Eschbach, of Warsaw, was elected speaker over his democratic opponent, John M. Cravens, of Madison, by a vote of 63 to 33. On assuming his station the speaker said: “Progress; economy and efficiency will be the watchwords of this session. When the gavel falls for the last time on our assembly I hope every man will be able to say that he has had a definite part in making the burdens of the state lights, its problems simpler and its future brighter.” There will be a short session today and both branches will adjourn to meet Monday at 10 a. m.