Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 176, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1920 — SENATE HUSTLES TO CLEAR DECK [ARTICLE]

SENATE HUSTLES TO CLEAR DECK

ONLY VEXATIOUS TAX BILL. IN THE WAY OF AN EARLY ADJOURNMENT. Indianapolis, July '22.—Displaying no tendency to follow the lead of the house of representatives and hurry through the wojk of the special session of the Indiana general assembly, the senate - today moved deliberately through consideration of measures that have been passed by the lower body. The perplexing tax, problem still occupied the attention of the' republican majority and they met in another caucus tonight to discuss tax bills. Daily caucussea and conferences held since last Friday on the tax question so far have produced no definite results and leaders were not sure that tonight’s meeting would bring a solution to the question. House Mark* ’ Time. The senate held morning and afternoon session today, but the house having passed upon all the emergency legislation mentioned by Governor Jas. P. Goodrich in his message at the opening of the special session- held only a short morning session and adjourned' until 10 a. m. tomorrow.

The senate this- afternoon added a number of amendments to the “blue sky” bill passed by the house and returned it to the lower body for concurrence in. the. changes. The vote was 38 to 0. Senator Oscar. Ratts, republican, of Paoli, declared before the votd on the bill was taken that he believed the senate had formulated “a real blue sky,” which would be effective in protecting innocent investors. .. The coal commission bill, another measure passed by the house, was -brought upon second reading in the senate and passed to third reading after an amendment had been adopted striking out the provision for state operation of coal mines. A* rising vote on this provision showed eighteen in favor of its elimination and fourteen against. The motion to strike it out was made by Senator Aaron Wolfson, of Indianapolis, who declared he was opposed to government ownership in any form. The bill as passed by the house provides for the appointment of a coal commission with wide powers to fix the. price of fuel and regulate its ’ distribution. The bill will probably come up again m the senate tomorrow. Senator Joseph M. Cravens, democrat, of Madison,, offered an amendment proposed an appropriation of $50,000 for the attorney general to make a thorough investigation of the coal industry in the state. The amendment was voted down by a viva voce vote. A call by Senator Maurice Douglas, democrat, of Shelby county, for consideration of the home rule tax bill in committee of the whole was blocked late in the afternoon, republican -senators declaring there was not sufficient time * for complete consideration of the bill ‘before the evening adjournment. The bill was passed yesterday by the house and would restore to local units control over bond issues and tax levies. This authority is now held by the state tax board. The house during its session this morning killed the senate resolution to send a committee to President Wilson asking him to restore federal control of fuel. The resolution was presented in the senate by Senator A. H. Beardsley of Elkhart.