Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1903 — Some Proposed Laws. [ARTICLE]

Some Proposed Laws.

The executive committee of the Sheriff’s Association was in secret session in Indianapolis last Friday. Meetings of the sheriffs have been held in different parte of the state, and the committee has the ideas and suggestions of the different meetings, which it will formulate into one or two propositions which will be included in a bill to be submitted to the legislature. The sheriffs insist that the present fee and salary law discriminates against them, and say that they will ask the legislature to give them a ohance to get their salary as they earn it. The law now provides that the sheriff must pay all the fees into the treasury, and from these fees he gets his salary. If the fees are not sufficient he does not get the salary. The amendment offered by the sheriffs will be to pay the office the same as the treasurer, auditor and and clerk are paid, making provisions in the bill that the sheriff shall be diligent in collecting the fees of his office. It is also probable that an amendment to the fee and salary law will be made by the sheriff, providing that a fund or pool be formed from which all of the county officers will be paid. One of the bills that will cause a merry fight in the legislature is the one that provides for the free textbooks for the schools. The details of the bill are being worked out, and the intention is* to introduce the bill early in the session. There' is one thing that the legislature ought to do,” said Senator Lawler, “and that is to pay some attention to the law concerning the carrying of concealed weapons. There is no need in this civilized day of a man carrying a big revolver or a long knife about to use on his fellowmen. The law now is not severe enough in its penalties. Now a pistol carrier is fined a small sum and goes on with the implements of murder in his pos session. I think that for the first offense a man ought to be fined not less than $5, and for the second offense not less than $ 100, with a heavy jail sentence thrown in for good measure.”