Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 175, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1920 — HOUSE PASSES NECESSITY BELS [ARTICLE]

HOUSE PASSES NECESSITY BELS

WHEN SENATE CONCURS, WORK WILL HABE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. Indianapolis, July 21.—-Republi-can member* of the senate meeting in caucus tonight to frame a legislative program for the remainder of the special session of the Indiana general assembly, carried their deliberations into the late hours. The tax legislation continued to be the knotty question before the majority members of the upper house. It seemed probable that further conference would be necessary tomorrow before a final decision could be made on the tax problems. The senate still has for consideration a number of important house bills on which it can work .while caucus committees discuss other legislation. Indianapolis, June 21.—The house of representatives of the Indiana general assembly today completed consideration of the emergency measures which have been presented for consideration at the special session and is now awaiting action by the senate. The house at a busy session this afternoon passed the reconstructed war memorial bill and the home rule tax bill restoring to local taxing units control over bond issues and tax levies that have rested with the state board of tax commissioners.

Senate Caucus. Senate leaders called a caucus of republican members of .that body to meet tonight to consider action on the various., emergency questions which are now pending. The most important is the tax legislation necessary td remove the uncertainty created by the supreme court’s decision making invalid the state tax board’s horizantal increases in 1919 assessments. The caucus must also decide what attitude the majority members will take toward the war memorial bill and the home rule tax bill. When these three measures are disposed of the work of the special session will be near to completion.

War Memorial. The war memorial bill passed the house this afternoon, 87 to 0. Representative Benz, democrat, of Crawford county, voted against the bill bn the roll call, but later changed his vote in favor of the bill makTng it unanimous. He, explained that sentiment in Ins district was in favor of a bonus to. ex-service men instead of a memorial. The bill provides for appropriation by the state of 2,000,000 for the construction of a memorial building and the donation of ground now occupied by St. Clair park and the state blind asylum. The building would provide meeting rooms for all patriotic .orders.. It is expected also to provide national headquarters for the American Legion.

Home Rale Tax Bill. The home rule tax bill, also passed by the house at its afternoon session, received a vote of 75 ayes and 13 noes after the rules had been suspended for its final passage. The bill was originally drafted by Representative Johnson, of Grant county, but was amended following a republican caucus by a committee composed of Representatives Tuthill, Swain and Harris. The bill provides that local tax units will be given power at once to fix their own tax levies. After January 1, 1921, the authority over issuance of bonds will be granted. The state tax board is advocated in the republican state platform. At its session this morning the house by a vote of 68 to 12 passed a bill abolishing the primary election law. The measure was sent to the Senate. The bill would not interfere with the holding of primaries for county officials, if the people desire to hold such primaries. according to Representative Laughlin, one of the authors of the bill. J . J x J The house' concurred today in a conference committee’s report on the emergency appropriation bill. The bill as finally agreed upon by house and senate conferees appropriates 11.071,238.16 for various state institutions and departments which have exhausted their funds. The senate spent most of today in consideration of amendments to the house “blue sky” biU. After

many amendments had been accepted arid many others rejected the senate voted to resume consideration of the bill later in the session. After making some amendments the senate passed the house oil which restores “lost amendments to the county unit road law so that township trustees will have jurisdiction over dirt roads. The vote was 35 to 0.

_ Jack Johnson, since his arrest by federal authorities, has come to the front with the. statement that he “laid down” in his fight with Jess Willard at Havana. Johnson is undoubtedly playing this kind of game that he may secure for himself a handsome purse for a battle with Jack Dempsey, once he serves his year’s sentence. The wishes to make it appear that he is still the great fighter he once was, hence his reason for stating that he permitted Willard to win.