Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1917 — EXPECI FLOOD OF BILLS NEXT WEEK [ARTICLE]

EXPECI FLOOD OF BILLS NEXT WEEK

Legislature Settles' Down for Hard Work. PROHIBITION BILLS READY • 1 ” . * X Speaker Eschbach and Lieutenant Governor Bush Will Announce Makeup of the House and Senate Committees on Monday. Indianapolis, ,T;rn. s.—Alter getting off with a Hying start, yesterday, the Indiana legislature is about ready to receive lhe first .installment of the flood' of bills ’tinii marks the early days of a<t ssj<m. It is thought, however,“That no bills will be introduced before lin-.first of the week. . It is expected tint! among the first hatch of bills tn be introduced will be one <>r more for state-wide., prohibi-. tion. It is known that several, mein--hers have.had Mid/ bills in preparation,' ami' tout they will have them really to to - in the hopper early in the session: Whether the woman suffrage bill will cimi'' in tire .iirst rush is not yet km-.vti' but it probably will lidt???’.??. - - '?; Much litis been. , expressed by ineipbers of' the legislature and <)t+rrrs over the manner in which the dispute-in regard to senate patronage was disposed 01, tints preventing the friel h m ihat Was., 1 hreatened and. v.-'lii •!i prolTgbly would have proved - disastrous to the success of the session. - Representative Jesse .Eselxbach of Warsaw. R, ptibl.m.iii.. who was elected speak er. of the.. In nt>e, is a yeteran member. tifisJ.M-ing the sixth consecutive session -in. v.hich he’ lias, served KOsciusko Cotmty in the house. Don I’. Strode of Kokomo, cliiel clerk of lhe house, and J. MOnroe I’lti’h of Muncie. -assisi ant.clerk-, tike Eschbach, belong to wlt.it is called Lite younger element in >1 i t’«•>•. Robert 11. Acre <yf Indianapolis, chief doorkeeper, was a Republican member of the house two years,.ago. Joseph M. <’ravens of Madison, who was the I nun.icrafie selection for - ta J.ker, but who failed'of .election, also. i - a veteran member, and he is now a rfietnhcr of the legislative visitation committee which is preparing a report of the financial iicccts of the: Mate instij nt fops for the guidance of t!:',- legislature in training appropriation I ill-. r ,'. There was a wi : • difference of opinion among R. .mtbiie.-tn senators- over tLe (juesth"i. o whether the Democrats should be p i d -tii name- any of lhe St iiaie efi.'.'ii' (>llO faction favored the , ' dr. while '-another ,opposefi it. Th y anally called JanieS p. Goodrich, j. -v-riior-elcct. into their Caucus, and town afterward. it W;ts announced that 'it had been, decided li> permit - the ..D ‘moi-rat s to name seven employeei-T'aml to mime also the Democr;.'ic .members of the , various semae'committees. A Committee was. appointed t<> <•< mfer with a cmtinti 11 ee of Democratic, senators on t lie subject and to arrange the list of employees. It is understood that a number of bills will be presented to create new courts in various parts of tin* state. Terre Haute wants an superior court, (fitly wants one of the Hammond superior. cotiris moved to Gary. DeKalb comity will ask tor a separate circuit court, and there are others yet to lx'.heard from. Court bills always form a. prominent part of the number that are introduced at every session. Much favorable comment has been heard’ dn the fact that both tjae outgoing Governor and the incoming governor have declared in favor of calling a constitutional convention, and this is. regarded here as mailing it practically certain that a convention will be Called. It is noted, also, that both men are in favor of tin* creation of a state, highway department, although they differ .materially in regard to the amount of authority that the state highway cominission should have. Several bills on ibis subject are in preparation.

It is believed to be practically certain, also, tli;it bills will -be introduced to reduce the state tax levy, since Governor Ralston showed in his 'message- that th wjstate has a large cash . balance-on hand, with no indebtedness, and that the present high tax rate is-no longer needed. Mr. Goodrich also has declared in favor of reduction of taxes, and both political parties are committed to the proposition.' '* r The Republicans, being in the majority in the legislature, say they will be able to carry out the legislative program which they have prepared. It is reported that they will havp the -support of some of the Democratic senators on a number of the measures included in the Republican program. Speaker Eschbach and Lieutenant Governor Bush will announce the makeup of house, and senate standing committees next Monday, according to their present plans. Thene ,js much rivalry in the contests for some of the more important committee diairmanfihips.