Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1903 — PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE [ARTICLE]

PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE

Measures Under Consideration in the Capitol at Indianapolis. DO NOTTOUCH FORESTER’S PAY Senator Parks’ Bill to Increase the Salary from $1,200 to $2,000 Is Lost Garnishee and Exemption Measures Cause Much Worry. The Rev. O. D. Odell prayed at the opening of Friday’s Senate session. The first order of business was the continuation of the roll call for bills on second reading. There were few responses, and the bills called got through to engrossment with little trouble, with one exception. The exception was Senator Parks’ bill to increase the state forester’s salary from $1,200 to' $2,000 a year and the expense fund from S6OO to $2,000. Senator Ogborn moved to strike out the enacting clause. Senator Wolcott moved to recommit the bill to the committee on finance. Senator Lindley, chairman of the committee on natural resources, which reported the bill, felt aggrieved at this motion. He said it was a reflection on the capacity of his committee. The motion was lost. An amendment to cut the expense fund to SI,OOO was lost, as was also an amendment to strike out the appropriation for additional office expense. Senator Barcus’ amendment providing for a salary of SIOO a year for members of the board, rather than a per diem of $5, was adopted. The bill was finally engrossed. Southern Railway Fight. The Southern railway fight came up when Senator Gray called the bill for third reading. President Gilbert warned the Senate against oratorical flights or thrashing over old straw. Senator Milburn sought to have the emergency clause stricken out, but was voted down. Senator Fortune moved to amend the bill so it would not affect pending litigation. He demanded a yea and nay vote and the motion was lost by a vote of 25 to 21. The bia then passed by a '°te °f 30 to 16. Senator Hendee then put a clincher on the whole thing by moving to reconsider the vote. A motion to table this was carried which means that the bill cannot be reconsidered. Senator Wood of judiciary committee No. 1 is the only member of the committee that voted to recommend for passage his garnishee and exemption bills. Massacre Monument. There may yet be a monument to the memory of the victims of the Pigeon Roost massacre, which took place in Scott county long years ago. hor many sessions such a monument has been the dream of the senatorial representative from whatever district Scott county happened to be in.

Dog Killing Bill. Senator Wood’s bill for the extermination of canines of the low-browed species, is on deck again. The bill pro- \ ides for the trial of the owner of a vicious dog before a justice of the peace, and the slaying of the dog if the evidence is against it. Reports for the passage of the following bills were concurred in: Abolishing State library commission (Newhouse) ; giving the Indiana University law school library 100 copies of the Supreme and Appellate court reports annually (Milburn); continuing the Shiloh Park commission (Layman), giving the cannon at Lafayette into the custody of the Tippecanoe Battle Ground association (Wood); prohibiting the use of oleomargarine in state institutions (Parks). Judges’ Salaries. Gov. Durbin may have another opportunity to veto a bill providing for an increase in the salaries of Supreme and Appellate court judges’ salaries. The senate committee on fees and salaries has recommended for passage Senator Wood’s bill, increasing the salaries of Supreme court judges from $4,500 to $7,500, of Appellate court judges from $3,750 to $6,500, and of the Supreme court reporter from $4,500 to $5,000. In 1901 Gov. Durbin angered some of the high, judges by a veto. Assessors Want a Raise. The Township Assessors’ association has prepared a bill to provide for a readjustment of their salaries. Their legislative committee, consisting of E. O. Pfeiffer of Elkhart, T. H. Seward of Jonesboro, C. P. Schoon of Munster, Lake county, C. B. Greenwood of New Albany and J. W. Frazer of Terre Haute, is busy among the legislators. The bill provides that in townships of less than 5,000 population the assessors shall receive $4 a day, deputies $3 a day. They are now receiving $2 a (lYy in townships of less than 5,000. In townships of ovejr 5,000 they want a

minimum salary of S6OO a year, with an additional $25 for each 1,000 people up to 26,000, For townships of 26,000 and oyer, the present law is to apply. After Coal Men. The general assembly had Its attention again called to the coal situation by a resolution of Senator Fortune, calling on the attorney general for action, by the appointment in the house of a joint committee to confer with the governor arid the railroad representatives and by the introduction of a bill in the house authorizing the state to take charge of coal lands if the need arises from a fuel shortage. Nathan L. Agnew of Valparaiso, who served several terms in the senate and had charge of the cqnal bill at the last session, said it nas not been decided whether there will be another canal bill or not The railroads and the canal people expect to reach an agreement whereby a bill will not be needed. Several memjbers of both houses have received typewritten letters, asking them to vote for a bill that will authorize town boards to pass penal laws. The bill to extend the term of county superintendent of schools and then elect them by popular vote is securing considerable opposition from some of the school men. Frank L. Jones, state superintendent of instruction, said that he would oppose the bill to the best of his ability. A bill has been prepared taking the care and custody of certain public libraries from the Board of School Trustees and investing the power in the common council. The bill refers to libraries donated by Andrew Carnegie, where the amount to be raised by taxation for their support is $5,000 or over. Robert Metzger, sheriff, was about the house in the interest of the bill to put all sheriffs on a salary instead of compelling them to wait till money sufficient to pay their salaries had been collected by them. He said that county sheriffs will make a mighty effort to have this bill passed. It has not yet been introduced. Private Banking Law. Attorney-General Miller has prepared a bill providing that all individuals or partnership concerns engaging in private banking, shall have a capital of $25,000, of which the real estate used for banking purposes may be a part. All private banks must be licensed by the Auditor of State by July 1, 1903, and they must hereafter present an annual statement of their business to the auditor. The license fee shall be $5. It is expected that the bill will stir up a strong opposition among the private bankers. To Prevent Body Stealing. In the house Representative John V. Baird introduced a bill creating a commission to be composed of the president of the state health board and one representative of each medical and dental college in Indiana, whose duty it shall be to distribute unclaimed bodies and bodies of paupers to the various medical and dental colleges. The measure is the result of wholesale grave robberies in Indianapolis, for which more than twenty men, white and black, are now under indictment. It provides a penalty for stealing bodies or selling or buying stolen bodies. A pure food animal food bill was introduced by Representative Denbo. It provides for a fine of from S2O to SIOO for the substitution of shipstuff, shorts or mill feed for bran. Representative Reeve of Knox county has introduced a bill to provide that all mines, where more than twen-ty-five men are employed, must hire an expert to fire blasts. A bill like this was smothered in the Senate two years ago. **• To Lengthen Mayors’ Terms. A bill introduced in the House by Mr. Mummert of Elkhart to lengthen terms of city officials to four years in cities without special charter, has the backing of the Municipal League of Indiana, which decided, at its recent annual meeting, at Madison, to ask for repeal of the present law fixing terms at two years. Mayor Knotts of Hammond will ask for an amendment, making the referendum apply to all cities. State Library Commission. Representative Stutesman took a hand in the State Library Commission controversy by introducing a bill to let the commission appoint its secretary, W. E. Henry, State Librarian, is now ex-officio secretary. In the Senate a bill was introduced to abolish the State Library Commission and put the duties in the hands of the State Board of Education, which appoints the State Librarian. Senator Burns issued an invitation to the lobbyists, when he introduced his bill fixing the maximum rates to be charged by telephone companies. A rate of $1 a month for residences is provided for and $1.50 a month for business houses. Train Kills Youth. A Big Four passenger train struck Charles Russell of Lebanon, 19 years old, who was driving from school in a sleigh, crushing his head and causing instant death.