People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1897 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE

REPORTED BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

February 32. There was a decided flutter in the house when, in response to numerous calls from Mr. Nicholson, the majority of the temperance committee made a report on his quartshop bill, striking out all save the enacting clause and substituting a bill prepared by the Indiana State Liquor League, the effect of which is to repeal all the vital parts of the so-called Nicholson law, and among other things authorizing saloons in larger cities to keep open uptil midnight. Jdr. Nicholson and his friends were indignant, and Mr.’ Nicholson, as a member of the temperance committee, denounced the report, Baying that he had never had an opportunity to attend a meeting of the committee. He submitted a minority report, reaffirming his so-called quartshop bill. After much skirmishing the whole subject was made the special order for to-morrow morning. The house passed the building and loan bill providing for an inspection of associations by the state auditor, and the senate, in deference to the demands of the laboring interests of this city, rushed through a bill calling for 3-cent fares on the street railways of this city. The child labor bill, prohibiting the employment of children in factories and the appointment of a state factory inspector, also passed. The legislative apportionment bill was also passed by a strict party vote.

February 33. The Legislature devoted all day to important business questions. The Senate passed a bill extending the life of the Lake-Laporte Superior Court and a bill fixing the fees of constables. It then took up the McCord building and loan bill, a duplicate of the measure that passed the House, and spent the rest of the day in amending it. It knocked out the section authorizing the auditor of state to make examinations upon demand of ten stockholders, And made a few other amendments, but this was the only vital feature of the bill attacked. ! The House spent very nearly the whole day considering a mass of insurance legislation upon second reading. One of these, a blanket bill regulating foreign insurance companies, was amended in some particulars and sent to third reading. A hard fight arose over an amendment offered, declaring the “board plan” unlawful, and it was only withdrawn after assurance was given that the Sutton bill, drawn for this purpose and applying to all kinds of insurance companies, would be pushed. A blanket bill for the organization of home mutual companies, one of the Commercial Club series, was killed, partly from the belief that it would interfere with farmers’ mutual companies and partly from the fact that it contained many inconsistencies and duplications. For the same reason another bill providing for the organization of home joint stock companies was also killed. . The House was about to tomahawk another blanket bill for the organization of life and accident companies on the assessment plan, when its friends succeeded in having it recommitted to the insurance committee. Another bill providing a standard form of policy, such as is in use in Massachusetts and New York, was permitted to escape after some amendments that bear rather heavily upon the insurance companies. The most important of these is one providing that both appraisers shall b£ residents of the counties where the loss occurs. After finishing with the insurance bills on second reading the House passed a bill exempting farms within the limits of towns or cities from corporation taxes and the Remington dog-tax bill, which permits any person to kill a dog that Is known to have ever chased or worried a sheep or any other live stock or fowl.

February 24. The house killed the local-option bill and there is no likelihood of such radical legislation on the temperance question. Mr. Nicholson, the recognized leader of the temperance forces in the state, opposed the bill, declaring that the people were not yet ready for such a step. By a narrow margin the house passed a bill providing for a revision of the statutes, but the bill is hardly likely to pass the senate. The first of the insurance measures to reach final enactment got there today, when the 'house passed a senate bill repealing the law, and fixing a 10 per cent penalty upon home companies for failure to adjust and pay losses within sixty days. An unexpected bit of excitement came up late in the afternoon, when Senator Shively’s bill appropriating $5,000 for a statue of Morton in the capitol at Washington came up on third reading. It was made the occasion for a flood of patriotic oratory on both sides of the house, the Republicans favoring the bill, and the Democrats taking the tack that no monument could add to Morton's glory. The applause and confusion became so great at one time that the speaker ordered the galleries cleared. • The bill was finally passed, by almost a party vote. February 25. The Mexican veterans paid their annual visit to the legislature today. The house was about to begin the consideration of the general appropriation bill when the proceedings were interrupted by the roll of drums, and about sixty of the aged soldiers marched in and were received with great applause. ,The members arose to their feet to do the veterans honor. Major Mulky, president of the association, was introduced by Representative Spooner, who was in the chair, and he spoke briefly. General Lew Wallace was asked to address the house and he was received with great applause. In the course of .his remarks General Wallace said:

“We have here representatives of every battlefield, of every victory, for there were no defeats in that war. Every great victory in that war is here represented and well represented. That was the war which won us our first fame as a military people and in another respect it is one of the greatest wars w'e have participated in. It gave us more and richer territories than did any other war. Among {he acquisitions were the most of the Pacific states and especially that land of flowers and orange groves, California. It has pleased some historians to pronounce this an unnecessary war, but I should like to defend It. We have been called Invaders of a neighboring country. I have given much study to the history of the war and it is my dispassionate conclusion that it was a war of necessity, an inevitable war. We fought for our flag and country against invaders.” After thanking the assembly, General Wallace gave way to General McGinnis, who spoke briefly and was followed by Governor Mount, who congratulated the veterans upon their numbers and referred to the debt of gratitude the people owe them. The aged warriors then marched over to the senate chamber, where much the same ceremonies were gone through. No business of Importance was concluded.

February 26. The house, immediately after roll call to-day, suspended the rules and passed the bill authorizing the attorney general to bring suit against the Vandalla railroad company for the collection of the state’s claim, under a former charter, of $1,000,000. The bill was sent to the senate, where It was promised that body would promptly pass it.

State Item* Ami Nuttle, an Allen County farmer, was kicked to death by a vicious horse. Captain F. J. Pasteur died suddenly yesterday morning of heart disease, at Danville. William Tow, who was shot near Shoals, a few nights ago, by John Walker, died last week. Captain D. A. Horrall, an old steamboat man, and latterly a successful farmer, died near Vincennes. John Basye, Who was born in Spencer County in 1827, and who had been in the drug business at Rockport since 1862, died recently. J. M. Sankey, ex-treasurer of Vigo County, and for several years a member of the state board of agriculture, died at Terre Haute.

E. G. Hill, a well-known florist of Richmond, has originated a carnation, which he has named the "Flora Hill,” in honor of his daughter. It is a beautiful, snowy-white flower, very large and ver" flagrant. He caried off first honors.f .it last week in the display at Cincinnati. He also won first prize for best seedling carnation, the variety known as “Mars,” a vivid scarlet carnation. As a result of the meeting of the Indiana College Press Association at Lafayette the offices were distributed as follows: President, Purdue University; vice-president, Rose Polytechnic Institute; secretary and treasurer, Earlham College; executive committee, De Pauw University and Wabash College, The Butler Collegian was asked to continue as the official organ during the present school term.