Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1915 — DEMOCRATIC NEWS LETTER. [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATIC NEWS LETTER.

B yLew Ellingham.] • - Indianapolis, Feb, s.—Some of the best lawyers of the state have been delving deep into the laws of the state and nation, to say- nothing of our constitution and the many court constructions on the same, and have reached the conclusion that a new registration law can be enacted w’hich will not require the country districts to register for every election. These same lawyers, former judges of the highest courts of the stale and others who are givingserious thought and consideration of the law and the constitution, now believe that such a law can be so written that it will comply with the constitution. A bill has been drawn for introduction in the house, and in accordance with some of the known provisions of the bill it is proposed that in cities having a population of not over fifteen thousand, that one registration shall be a permanent registration unless the voter moves from the precinct, and in that event such voter shall be privileged to make affidavit before the county auditor or clerk of the circuit court, stating the facts and giving his present voting precinct. The registration board is given authority to change the registration

books and make them comply with the affidavits filed with them. Thepresent registration laws are not to be changed in townships having cities with a population over fifteen thousand. Should such a. law be constitutional, every voter in the state, especially those in the country districts, will breathe a sigh of relief. In the average country county there is no need of registering, because every person who has anything to do with politics, knows every voter by name and family history. In these counties it is a waste of time, money and energy. During the first few days of the session Representative-Feick introduced a bill repealing the registration law, land it has been looked upon with so much favor that it was allowed to reach third reading without being attacked. It is now proposed to substitute the bill mentioned in this lettter for the one calling for repeal, and should it go through the grill of the legislature and then withstand the constitutional experts, it will solve the registration problem for all time to come. It will also be the best piece of legislation enacted by the present general assembly.

Miss Adelaide S. Baylor after an absence of ten days is again at her desk in the department of public instruction, which is presided over by the Hon. Charles A. Greathouse, the pride of Posey county and the state of Indiana as well. Miss Baylor spent this absence in the northern part of Michigan where she joined some of the country’s best educators in institute work in that peninsular country. It will doubtless be a surprise to those interested in educational work in this part of Uncle Sam’s domain to know that so*me of the best schools, finest school buildings, greatest teachers as well as experts in the trades, are interesting features of the educational departments in that far northern portion of the United States of America. The rich minerals in that sectiqn mean easy money for school purposes, and the fact that the people there should be s'o interested in educational progress was one 'of the delights encountered by one of Indiana’s charming and best known womati educators. For eight days Miss Baylor lectured in eight of the principal cities there and I need not add that today Indiana and Indiana’s great achievements in education, are better known to the world than they were before.

Mayor Bosse, the head, shoulders and front of the city administration, the business interests and politics of Evansville, was a visitor in the Capitol a few days ago. Mayor Bosse is one good that is always doing things for the good of his country, and especially for the good of the people of his home city. While here he took up with the powers that be among the law makers for a slight Change in one of the laws of the state. Under the law now, , a property owner who takes the ten years’ plan for the payment of any street or sidewalk improvement, and then before the expiration of the ten years decides that he will pay the debt and dahcel the obligation against his property, is compelled to pay the interest for the ten years’ period. Mayor Bosse wants the unearned interest deducted, and as usual the mayor is right. Representative Deck of Morgan county, is one of the forty odd farmer, members of the present general assembly. This is the second term served in the house, his modesty has gft'en way, and he is one of the active spirits of the house and is always found advocating and voting for the best legislation that is presented to that body. His record is the record of a real legislator.

trict of Dekalb and Steuben, is fast becoming one of the shining lights of the upper body of the general assembly. He fathered the anti-lobby bill in the senate and takes a lively interest in all the activities oLthat body. He has a bill, for the tjon of several of the state departments and is always looking for an opportunity to better the public service and at the-same time save the people's money. ■The senate has now had their round with the anti-lobbv bill, and all they did was to extend its operations to the editor. An amendment was agreed to which closely follows the federal statutes which prohibits the publication of an editorial—paid editorial if you know what that means—whch tends to influence pending legislation. Any editor that hapens to be dealing in paid editorials will have to register, pin on his badge, and state by affidavit or otherwise the source of his editorial employment. As no democratic editor ever rattled such xdirty dollars, this amendment will not disturb him. If there is any old skinflint engaged in the journalistic profession who would sell his soul, the -world will be glad to know him. The publicity is welcomed by every honest and self respecting editor in the state.