Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1901 — STATE SOLONS MEET. [ARTICLE]

STATE SOLONS MEET.

INDIANA LEGISLATURE BEGINS , ITS WORK. Body Meets in Biennial Session, Effects Organization, and Hears the Message of Retiring Governor Mount-Impor-tant Measures Up for Consideration. Indianapolis correspondence: The Forty-second General Assembly of Indiana, which meets once in two years for a sixty-day session, convened at 10 o’clock Thursday. . The feature of the first session was the farewell message of Gov. Mount. The message dealt with State affairs in an exhaustive manner, the Governor complimenting the people of the commonwealth on the satisfactory condition of State finances. One of thS principal recommendations made in the message 'was for stringent laws by which Indiana lynchers can be convicted. The Governor said that the people of Indiana feel keenly the sting of reproach and the justice of the criticism heaped upon the State by reason of the brutal lynchings that have dishonored her good name. A mob is an assembly of lawless men acting in defiance of law. Can such men administer justice.' Lax enforcement of law brings its fruitage of contempt for law. The remedy, says Gov. Mount, must be found through the co-operation of good citizens in demanding a rigid cnl cement of the law and not through moi) violence.' The Governor favors the election of United States Senators by popular vote, and on the subject of kidnaping the message says: "Where the kidnapers have no legal or blood claim, where the abduction is for ransom or for any other unlawful purpose, it should be made in extreme cases punishable by death or imprisonment for life.” The Legislature this winter is Republican in both branches. In caucus Wednesday night the two houses organized: Senate —President, ' pro tern., Will K. Wood, Lafayette; secretary, W. W. Huffman, Anderson: assistant secretary, Harmon Hutson, Indianapolis; doorkeeper, C. Pelzer, Boonville. House —Speaker, Samuel R. Artman, Lebanon; clerk, William Essman, Indianapolis; assistant clerk, R. B. J. Shafer, South Bend; door; keeper, W. T. Murray. The Democratic nominations were: Speaker of the House, G.E. Davis; principal clerk, IL F. Stewart; president pro tern, of the Senate, Ephraim Inman; principal secretary, Bayard Gray. Important bills will provide for a new primary law, for an increase in the Governor’s salary from $5,000 to $7,500, and for new charters for smaller cities. The House and Senate were in session but a few moments Friday, and eueh provided for holding a joint convention on Monday, when the votes cast for Governor and Lieutenant Governor will be canvassed and the results declared.

Representative M. F. McCarty of Carroll County introduced in the Legislature on Tuesday a bill which is supposed to be the effort of the minority in the way of obtaining antitrust legislation. It defines ns “criminal usurpation of the governing powers to attempt to control or regulate the production or sale of any commodity without a copyright from the State of Indiana.” A SIO,OOO fine and penitentiary sentence is provided for a violation. A bill also introduced by Senator Lambert of Columbus is to establish an Indiana village for epileptics. Senator Burns introduced a bill to do away with the cigarette traffic in Indiana, providing a heavy tine and punishment for the sale and giving away of cigarettes. Representative Bishop of Morgan introduced a bill for the death penalty for kidnaping children. Speaker Artman announced his committees Tuesday morning. The following are the chairmen: Elections. Minturn: ways and means. King; judiciary, Bonham; organization of courts. Sparks; banks. Scott; education, Clem: building and loans. Bishop; reformatory, Stout; prison, Erdlitz; swamp lands. Beckman: military affairs, Dudley: claims, Neal: trust lands, Stookcy; fees and salaries, Manifold; sinking fund, Whitcomb; rights and privileges. Miller of Kosciusko; railroads, Kirkman; manufactures and commerce, Vestal; county and township business, Owen; agriculture. Mat thews: benevolent and scientific institutions, Clem; temperance, Wesling; mileage and accounts. Davis of Wayne; corporations, Roberts of Jefferson; rivers and waters. Mueller; public expenditures. Miller of Ohio; federal relations. !’• rest; city of Indianapolis. Qstermeyvr. cities and towns. Bell; engrossed bills. Adamson: roads. Thomas; statistics. Jack; insurance, Morgan, printing. Rogers; reformatory institutions, Gillett; drains und dykes. Kelley; mines, Johnson; labor, Clarke: medicine, health ami statistics. Van Fleet; inspection of the journal. Speaker; natural resources. Stutesuian; phraseology of bills. Harris; congressional apportionment, Reagan; legislative apportionment, Juckways; telegraph and telephones, Pritchard; soldiers’ monument Marshal) of Fountain; State soldiers' homes, Carmichael; joint committees, public buildings. Hurried; enrolled bills. Murton; State library. Muminert.