Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1901 — INDIANA LAWMAKERS [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LAWMAKERS

After a hard fight on Thursday the House advanced to engrossment the bill to require railroad companies to sell 500mile mileage books at a rate of 2 cents a mile, the books good for use by any member of the purchaser’s family. Representative Treet introduced a bill providing that passengers on railroad trains nnd street cars, if not provided wtth seats, shall pay only half-fare. Where payment has been made in advance, ns on railroad trains, and a scat is not furnished him, the conductor must furnish him a statement in writing in order that he may collect the rebate. - The Senate, by a strict party vote, decided on Friday to make the investigation of the Indiana Reformatory secret, the valued policy insurance bill was considered favorably by the Senate. Senator Dausman has introduced a bill to revolutionize criminal trials. Under it the jury is to be the final authority, and is to answer, first, did the prisoner commit the crime charged? aud second, can he be permitted to go free without peril to the State? If not, he is to receive an indeterminate sentence of from one to ninety-nine years, but mny be paroled after one year. Colonel Eli Ritter, the leader of the temperance movement in Indinnn, threw a wet blanket on all temperance legislation by urging the committees not to recommend any laws whatever. He wanted the authorities to enforce the present laws, Speaker Artman threatened to call out lobbyists by name if they did not cense to infest the House, and immediately a dozen or more slipped away. The primary election bill, so amended that it applies only to party primaries in Indianapolis nnd county, was passed by tho House. The two houses of the Indiana General Assembly devoted much time on Tuesday to eulogies of Abraham Lincoln. Neither house adjourned in honor of the anniversary of his birth. The Senate passed the Dill to enable raiFVoads to consolidate, but the Dill was so amended ns to exclude parallel nnd competing lines from its provisions. The amendment was offered to prevent the Wabash from consolidating with the Eel River line, which it once Teased, but which the Supreme Court declared contrary to public policy because the Eel River was line and subsidised by the people to be a competitor of the Wabash. The bill for a reorganization of the Stnte militia carrying an appropriation of $75,000 was also passed. The hill redistricting the State for congressional purposes was engrossed. The House spent the day on second reading. Among the hills advanced was one compelling railroad companies to sell 500niile books for $lO, the same good for use by.any member of the purchaser’s family. The Senate on Wednesday killed the Dill of Senator Layman prohibiting the voting of subsidies to railroads by townships or counties nnd passed the bill appropriating $120,Q(6> to pay the claim of the Vincennes University against the State lands of the university sold by the State many years ago. In the House tiie report of the committee recommending a sentence of from ten to thirty-one years was adopted. The bill of Senator Agnew providing for the construction of a ship canal from Lake Michigan at East Chicago to the Calumet river is attracting a great deal of notice at this time. The railroads are up in arms against' the measure, and have some of their best attorneys here to defeat it. The hill has passed the Senate, where it met no opposition.