Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 171, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1920 — TAX BILL PASSES HOUSE [ARTICLE]

TAX BILL PASSES HOUSE

STRONG OPPOSITION DEVELOPS AGAINST LEGALIZING BILL IN SENATE. I Indianapolis, Ind., July 16.—Republican leaders after battling to victory today in the lower house of the Indiana general assembly for their tax bill, legalizing the horizontal increase made by the state board, found themselves confronted with another formidable force in the senate tonights The legalizing act as prepared by Representative Harry B. Tuthill, of Michigan City, passed the house today with only a few amendments by a vote of 63 to .30. k The administration leaders expect, nowever, that m the bill coming before the senate tomorrow for enactment they will have the necessary votes to pass it substantially as it was approved by the house. The struggle over the tax question caused the leaders to lose hope of a sine die adjournment tomorrow and they now believe that the special session will continue into next week with adjournment probably Monday. - Substitue Proposal. - Strong sentiment prevails among some of the senate republicans in favor of a substitute tax measure, prepared by representatives of the Indiana federation of farmers’ associations. John GJ Brown, of Monon, president of the administration, appeared in caucus to support this measure. The administration leaders held out for their plan, however. War Memorial Bill. While the senate republicans discussed the tax problem, a committee of 13 house members, one from each congressional district, discussed the war memorial, bill advocated by Governor James P. Goodrich. There was considerable opposition reported tothe ten million dollar project, and it was expected the committee would report back to the house some modified, memorial plan. The new war memorial plan will probably be presented to the house tomorrow. The conference committee from the senate and house is expected to report tomorrow morning oh the emergency appropriation measure which was sent to conference today when the house refused to accept the senate amendments to the bill. Both houses held perfunctory sessisions tonight. The senate had difficulty in getting a quorum. The house passed a number of bills to second reading before adjournment. Both houses will meet again at 10 a. m. tomorrow. Election Law. The house this afternoon passed the bill which will make the necessary changes in the election law machinery to take care of the increased votes when the women s suffrage amendment is finally ratified. The bill was passed last night by the senate, and it is now ready for the governor’s signature. The bill when taken up in the house received the support of both parties, as it did in the senate. The vote in the house was 85 to 0, the rules being suspended to. pass the bill. Following the passage of the election bill the house again suspended sthe rules and passed the registration act which provides that registration boards shall sit from 8 a. m. to 9 p. m. and for the registration of voters who are unable to go to the registration places. The vote on this measure was 89 to 0. It is now ready for the governor’s signature.

Legalizing Bill. Republican leaders in the house were relieved today when* by a vote of 63 to 30 the bill of Representative H. B. Tuthill legalizing the action of the state tax board in making horizontal increases m assessments with its passage. This is one of the emergency measures recommended by Governor Jas. P. Goodrich. The democratic minority, augmented by*some of the republican members of the Marion county delegation- .voted against the MU. The tax bill was the subject at a six hour caucus yesterday, followed by another caucus of two hours this morning. The republican majority finally agreed upon the Tuthill bill with three minor amendments. The most important of the three amendments is in the second section and .regards the fihng of petitions for claims of property owners who have been assessed more than 100 per cent valuation by any assessment legalized uoder the act. The amendment provides that where the county board of review finds that such an assessment has been made they shall certify the petitionera for relief to the state board for final examination and order. The house also passed another administration measure today. This is the biU providing for the abolishment of the employment commission and placing its functions in control ‘of the industrial commission. The homte suspended its Again and passed the bill 65 to 7. The bill of which Senator H. E. Negley, republican, of Indianapolis, is the author, had previously passed the senate and is now ready for the governors signature. _ Repeal Primary Lpw. ! FoUowing a lively debate the house adopted by a viva voce vote > the majority report Of the elections committee favoring passage of a bill to repeal the primary election law. The bill was introduced by Repre-

sentatives John M. Grayson, of Vincennes, and Edgar T. Laughlin, of Odon. A minority report recommended indefinite postponement The house took favorable action on the bill of Senator A. H. Beardsley, of Elkhart, providing that school bonds redeemable within five years may bear interest up to six per cent This bill also goes to the governor, having been passed by the senate. A bill introduced in the senate by Senator C. G. Munton, of Kendallvill, and passed by the upper house was passed by the lower house under suspension of the rules and sent to the governor. It repeals a 1919 amendment to drainage laws affecting Noble and LaGrange counties. The senate spent most of the day straightening out a parliamentary tangle over the emergency appropriation bill. Late in the afternoon the senate completed consideration of the bill and it was sent back to the house with numerous amendments. The house refused to accept the amendment and it was sent to conference.