Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 167, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1920 — SOLONS EXPECT 10-DAY SESSION [ARTICLE]

SOLONS EXPECT 10-DAY SESSION

HOPE TO FINISH WORK IN A WEEK FADES AS KNOTTY PROBLEMS UNFOLD. While the course of the special session of the Indiana' General Assembly, with reference to the volume of legislation to be enacted, depended in large part on the outcome of last night’s caucuses by both majority and minority members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, sentiment tended strongly toward making the session as short as possible. Many members, however, regarded the hope of a week’s session as illusory, and were inclined to believe that not less than ten days and possibly two weeks would be necessary to give adequate consideration to the tax and memorial bills, which bulk larger in legislative eyes than the institutional deficits, which were primary reason for calling the session. Expressions by members on both sides Monday afternoon and Monday night left serious doubt as to what the final atitude will be toward remedial tax legislation. It was apparent that the plan for legalizing horizontal increases would meet with some opposition in caucuses as well as on the floor, and some more outspoken Republican members of the House asserted with emphasis that they would not be bound by any caucus decision to support the legalizing act. Effect on Campaign. “We dre facing necessities, not political expediency,’’ said one Republican leader. “If we dig right into this session, show a disposition to work hard, give the necessary deliberation to all measures, and then present a positive product in the way of remedial laws and such other measures as are of emergency character, the party will be in an admirable situation to go before the people and assume both responsibility and credit for its actions. The people are not half so much concerned with mistakes as they are with the correction of the mistakes. Every reasonable voter in the state recognizes that the reformation of the old tax law was a tremendous undertaking. If mistakes have been made, let’s correct them. Above all things, .in my opinion, it would be inexpedient and unwise for us to assume a defensive attitude either now or in the campaign. “To be sure, the Democrats will make capital out of the session and the reasons that necessitated calling it, but they will be deprived of their campaign thunder if our policy is one of honest purpose to right such wrongs as have been committed.” Democrats Have Problems, Too. On the Democratic side the disposition in both Senate and House was to chuckle good naturedly over the conditions which, in their point of view, forced the special session. But the Democratic leaders recognized that the session was not a fiscal year. The state tax board is empowered to increase state levies as the needs of the state may require, up to the present stauttory limits. - , . It is felt by the majority of the members that the tax bill will require more time than any other measure which the special session will be ctlled upon to consider.