Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1911 — FRAUGHT WITH GOOD PROMISE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FRAUGHT WITH GOOD PROMISE

Present Session of General Assembly Will Do Things. f . . ABLE DIRECTORS AT THE HEAD With Governor Marshall’* Notable Message as a Guide and Inspiration, the Legislator* Have Settled Down to Give a Faithful Account of Their Stewardship to the People, and Much Is Expected. Indianapolis special: “Let It be not only the proud but the justifiable boast of every member of this general assembly to be uttered at Its adjournment : ‘I can say upon my honor as a gentleman and in the face of high heaven, that, unawed by influence and unbought by gain, I have sought in all my deliberations to keep a people’s government.’ ” The high note thus sounded by Governor Marshall as the parting thought of his notable message to the legislature promises to serve as a guide and an inspiration to the majority members of the sixty-seventh session of

the General Assembly of Indiana. Accepting these inspiriting words as their slogan, the Democratic members have already gone far toward fulfilling the pledge of faithful serivce, and much of good to the people is expected before the closing days of what promises to be a memorable session. With wise and able leaders and with high determination “to keep a j>eople’s government.” the- majority—upon whom must rest the resi>onsibility for the acts of the present assembly—has pushed forward the work of the assembly in the way of organization and preliminary’ service to a point unprecedented at this stage of the proceed ings. In the first week of the assent bly the somewhat complicated machin ery of this big organization is moving as smoothly as though it had been running weeks instead of merely days. All of which gives augury of large performance and Intelligent and beneficent service, To Whom Honor Is Due. With Governor .Marshall’s fine executive recommendations and his skilled counsel and advice In times of need and with trained legislators at the heads of the important committees of both houses, there is every reason to expect prompt action on the many important matters which this assembly is called upon to consider. With the proper power of naming bis own committees restored to him —a power which the Republican majority ruthlessly deprived him of in the last session—Lieutenant Governor Hall as president of the senate is in a position of much wider and more positive influence this session and the experience gained in the previous session is being turned to most excellent account in his skillful and Vigorous manner of presiding over the deliberations of the upper house. The wisdom of the majority members of the senate in selecting for floor leader the ever alert Senator Evan B. Stotsenberg of New Albany and for caucus chairman Senator Robert E. Proctor of Elkhart, is being manifested as the days go by. Both are trained in parliamentary usages and their active services promise well for the expeditious dispatch of such matters as shall come before the senate. Much praise is also being given the senate majority for picking on Dale J. Crittenberger of Anderson for secretayr of the senate. Mr. Crittenberger is one of the best known newspaper men in Indiana, and his fellows of the press over the state are mighty glad to see him thus seated In this position of honor and trust - Over in the house. Representative Albert J. Veneman of Evansville has already given ample proof that the house majority made no mistake when

he was picked for speaker. Though Speaker Veneman was not widely knoyn among the politicians of the state, the assurance that was brought up from “the Pocket” that he would make an admirable presiding officer in the house was accepted and it is gratifying to the majority to note as the days go by how well based was this assurance. For fourteen years Albert J. Veneman has been a practicing attorney at Evansville. He is a graduate jf Indiana university and a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Mr. Veneman is forty years old. He entered public life as city attorney of Evansville under the administration of former Mayor John W. Boehne, and has served as secretary and chairman of the Democratic city committee of Evansville. The selection of Charles McCullough of Brazil, another newspaper man, as clerk of the house has been as well received on that side as was the selection of a member of the fourth estate to a similar service over on the other side of the corridor. The selection of Representative Joseph M. Cra-

vens of Madison as floor leader of the majority in the house has proven a popular step and gives assurance that the work of the session on that side will not lag. Mr. Cravens is also chairman of the important committee on ways and means and thus becomes one of the most influential and powerful men about the capitol these midwinter days. Economy the Watchword. Not only Governor Marshall’s insistent recommendations, but the decided inclination of all the leaders in the general assembly point to one of the most economical sessions in the hisror: of the state. It is now certain that all expenditures and appropriations will I e kept down to the minimum consistent with efficient service to the state, and that at no point will unbridled extravagance be countenanced. First of all was the decision of the senate that the number of minor appointments be limited to fifty-seven, the senators to have forty-five appointments and Lieutenant Governor Frank J. Hall to have twelve. The committee recommended economy all along the line, both in employes and in the expenditure of money for supplies. This number is a large reduction in comparison with the number employed at the last session, and the committee says there will be a saving of $5,060 or more, it was agreed that there should be only twelve doorkeepers, including the principal doorkeeper, his assistant and ten ordinary ers' There will be only six pages. In accordance with the recommendation of a joint committee of both houses it was decided that supplies should be purchased through a committee which should have the closest espionage over all requisitions. Another of the committee's recommendations was that no extra pay should be allowed to employes except to the assistant secretary.

The Governor's Bills. Senator Levi P. Harlan, chairman of a special committee appointed for the purpose of arranging for the preparation of bills carrying but the ideas for legislation contained in the governor’s message, said he would not call a meeting of the committee probably until after the second roll call for bills. “We wish to find out how many bills along the lines of the governor’s message have already been prepared before we begin our plans,” said Mr. Harlan. “While I am not speaking for the committee, I am of the opinion that we should assign to the proper committee the task of preparing all bills of the nature referred to which have nos yet been contemplated by others.” A Change in Phraseology. Governor Marshall has received a copy of the so-called platform liquor bill to repeal the county option law which Senator Proctor will introduce. A few days ago a platform bill was prepared, but when its provisions were published a number of Democrats in both houses objectedto its wording. Th® first bill used the word “repeal” frequently and one paragraph especially declared for the "repeal” of the county option law. The word “repeal ’ did net please many of the Democrats, and so another was drawn, which is about the same as the first bill, except . ■ ■

that nowhere in it can be found the word ■repeal.” The word amend” is used. The title of the, bill was changed to read as follows: “An act to amend Sections one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4), five (5), six (6), seven (7), nine (>), ten (10), eleven (11), and twelve (12) of an act to better regulate, restrict and control the sale of intoxicating liquors, and providing for local option elections, approved Sept. 26, 1908.” matters of proposed legislation, including the child labor law, the workmen’s compensation hill, and the bill providing that public work for state, county or municipality shall be on an eight-hour basis, and at the scale prevailing in the district in which it is done., were indorsed by the executive board of the State Building Trades Council of Indiana.

GOVERNOR MARSHALL

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HALL.