Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1920 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. SPECIAL SESSION NEXT WEEK Gov. Goodrich Decides to Issue Call for Assembly—Will Announce the Date Later— State Institutions Need Money. Indianapolis, June 18. —Governor Goodrich announced after a conference with Republican leaders that a special session of the legislature will be called immediately. The governor said that the date had not been determined, but ’that he would Issue the call as soon as he could complete preparations for the session. It is generally understood in the statehouse and at Repullcan state headquarters that the session will be convened next week and that the governor will issue the call to the members of the assembly either today or Saturday. The fact that the Democratic national convention will be in session week after next will not deter the governor from issuing the call, It is said. The governor said that no special measures will be undertaken to pledge the members of the legislature to the consideration of a set program. He said that he will not outline any program of legislation prior to the convening of the assembly, but .that in his message to the legislature he will point out matters that require immediate consideration. The immediate need demanding the special session is the condition of institutional inalitenance funds. The legislature will be called on to appropriate at least $300,000 to carry the institutions to the end of the present fiscal year and to legalize the action of Otto L. Klauss, auditor of state, in transferring $290,000 from tl* general fund to the Institutional maintenance funds last year. “I cannot at this time say just what matters I will Include in my message to the legislature,” the governor said. “All I can say is that it is definitely determined to call the session as soon as possible. I am determined to issue the call at the earliest possible moment, but I cannot say at this time what the exact date will be.” The decision to fall the session was made at a conference of Republican leaders with the governor at the Claypool hotel. The meeting was attended by Edmund M. Wasmuth, Republican state chairman; Warren T. McCray, Republican nominee for governor ; Otto L. Klauss, auditor of state, and others. Prior to the meeting with the governor there were other meetings of party chiefs and It Is understood that every possible means of averting a session was considered. One of the matters considered at these preliminary conferences was the holding of the session after the election. This plan was abandoned, however, when it was learned that the present legislature ends with the election of the new members November 2. It is understood that Mr. Klauss would not consent to this delay and held to the statement he made several months ago that he will discontinue the payment of institution bills when their funds are exhausted. The matter of amending the tax law In accordance with the tax plank in the Republican state platform was discussed at the conference with the governor. It Is understood that Mr. Wasmuth and Mr. McCray opposed entering into this delicate subject at a special session and were of the opinion that it w’ould be much better to delay this question until the regular 1921 session. One of the objections that Is being made to changing the tax law at this time Is that the local and state taxing officials are right in the midst of the 1920 work and that any change authorized by the legislature at this time would be extremely confusing. The tax plank promises to amend the tax law by return’; g to the local communities all control over tax levies and bond issues.

Ask State Control of Cars. Indianapolis, June 18.—Representatives of shipping interests and other industries, aroused over the freight car shortage in Indiana, unanimously decided to ask the interstate commerce commission to return to the public Service commission jurisdiction over the car situation in the state, which was taken away by the recent federal transportation act. A special committee representing the industries will draw up a resolution which will be presented to the federal commission, seeking to re-establish state control of the distribution of cars in the state. More than 40 representatives of Indiana shipping Interests and other industries attended the conference called by John McCardle, vice chairman of the public service commission, to consider the car shortage in the state.

Would Free Two in Booze Case. Indianapolis, June 18. —Evidence Introduced In the Evansville “whisky ring” case- has not been sufficient to warrant t,he conviction of Herbert Males, deputy sheriff, declared Judge A. B. Anderson in federal aourt after Males had taken the stand in his own defense arid other witnesses had testified for the deefnse. The judge made his statement in order to shorten the proceedings, when counsel for Males and Ruhr were preparing to put other witnesses on the stand. The defendants are charged with conspiracy to violate the Reed amendment.