Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1903 — PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE [ARTICLE]

PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE

Measures Under Consideration in the Capitol at Indianapolis. LAWMAKERS MAY SPECULATE Senator Llndley’s Bill, Seeking to Punish Public Officials Who Gamble, Is Unceremoniously Bat Upon in the Upper House. For the first time during the session, the senate refused to pass a bill. The first measure slated for the ax was that of Senator Lindley, making it a misdemeanor, punishable by forfeiture of office and disfranchisement, for public officers to bet on any sort of contest or to deal on boards of trade. The bill was made the object of much badinage among the Senators and much of the time the author of the bill did not know whether the questions fired at him were seriously intended or not. Senator Parks characterized the bill as a "useless measure.” This seemed to get under Llndley’s “collar,” for he came back at the Senator from Marshall on the proposition of useless legislation. He said he had never yet been cartooned as rushing to the legislature with every pocket stuffed with bills. Senator Wolcott wanted to know whether the bill would prohibit indulgence in church raffles. Senator Barcus offered to “bet” the author of the bill that it would be defeated. Senator Lindley argued that nearly all defalcations may be traced to gambling on the part of the guilty persons. The bill was defeated by a vote of 25 tb 18. Anti-Printing Combines. Senator Wampler’s bill,' which provides that all advertisements for county printing and county supplies shall be in separate items, rather than in groups, was passed after much discussion. The bill is in the interest of small printers, as at present a small printer can not bid for the reason that in every group there are numerous articles that no small printer can handle. Senator Wampler introduced the same bill two years ago, but the big printing houses waged such a fight on it that Wampler dropped the bill after it had gone to engrossment. Shot-Firing Bill. The Indiana miners have not asked for the withdrawal of the shot-firing bill from the legislature. Representative Reeve, who introduced it in the house, said, that the miners had not intimated that they wanted it withdrawn.

The house committee intends to report the bill for passage, and the Democratic members are talking of making it a caucus measure. The indications are that the bill will pass. It was pointed out by members who have read the statement of the Indiana operators of their position, that the operators adroitly failed to state their principal reason for opposing the bill. The principal objection of the operators, it is said, is that the bill would make them responsible for all the accidents resulting from shot firing. Decline to Hear Jewett. Charles L. Jewett, former congressman from the Third district, was in the senate as a visitor and was asked to make an address by Senator Fortune and spoke for a few moments. When the senate was called on to vote the motion of invitation there was one loud “no” from the Democratic side, evidently from some member who could not foi’get Mr. Jewett’s desertion of the party to the Republicans. Then a delegation of Democrats walked from the senate chamber.

State Power Plant. The question of a new heat, light and power plant for the State House and Monument will soon attract the attention of the Legislature. Senator Starr is a member of the board of control of the Monument, and has the papers. He said that one estimate made the total cost about $136,000, and another made It $175,000. “The whole thing so far,” said the senator, “is up in the air, so to speak. The idea is to tear out of the State House the present heating apparatus and place it somewhere else, put it on the ground owned by the State if possible, where there will be good switching facilities. The plant will be used to heat and light the State House and furnish electric lights for the Soldiers’ Monument as well. The idea is to save the State at least from 30 to 40 per cent of what it costs now for light and heat.” “No plans have yet been drawn, but the intention is when the bill is passed and the appropriation made to have experts go to work at once. A tunnel will be bunt to the State House and

this tunnel will be extended to theSoldiers’ Monument” Dental Bill. Talking of the bill to prohibit dentistp who are not graduates of recognized dental colleges from practicing in Indiana, Dr. J. Q. Byram of the In-* diana Dental College says: "This bill applies only to men who may be graduated in the future. It is not intended to legislate out of existence the 200 or 300 dentists who may be practicing in the State.” Case of Politics. The question of changing the judicial circuit composed of Rush and Shelby counties has developed a case of politics. The district now is Democratic because Shelby county has a large Democratic majority. The proposed change making the district Fayette and Rush, would give the Republicans another circuit judge. A committee against the change brought a lot of statistics, records, etc., to show the committee. The Republican politicians pointed out that a change in the district is beneficial to the party, and the understanding is that the committee will report in favor of a. change in the district so as to make it Fayette and Rush, where there is no chance of a Democratic judge and prosecutor. Banitary Commission Claim. Senator Ogborn 'filed a claim amounting to $1,750 in favor of Dr. F. A. Bolser of Newcastle, Mortimer Levering of Indianapolis, George W. Hall of Raleigh and M. S. Claypool of Muncie. The amount is balances due them for services in connection with the live stock sanitary commission, of which they were members, and whicn was abolished two years ago. Senator Ogborn explained- that the amount accrued on account of balances due them for services and expenses in four different years, in excess of the appropriations for those years. The claims, Senator Ogborn says, have already been adjudicated by the courts and judgment rendered against the State. Coal Mine Incorporation. Senator Johnston’s bill, requiring owners of coal mines incorporated in other States to incorporate in Indiana before they can do business in this State, is for the purpose of increasing the revenues of the State, Senator Johnston said. A number of Indiana mines are owned by Chicago capitalists, whose companies are incorporated in Illinois. Senator Johnston said Indiana ought to have the fees for incorporating.

Reapportionment. The Republican members of the senate and house legislative reapportionment committees will probably get together soon to consider a plan that will be recommended to the party caucus for final adoption. Reapportionment bills have been introduced in the senate by Senator Wood and Senator Gray, and by Mr. Bamberger, in the house. Mr. Bamberger is chairman of the house reapportionment committee and he prepared his own bill. “I have not attempted a gerrymander,” he said. “I am convinced, after studying the situation, that the Republicans have a safe majority without trying to gerrymander the state. My bill does not provide for many changes in the present districts. It gives the Republicans fifty-nine sure representative districts, the Democrats thirtynine and two doubtful. It will give the Democrats seventeen senators, unless there should be a landslide one way or the other. “I think I have drawn the bill so that it will be constitutional.” Only two reapportionment measures enacted since 1876 have stood the test in the Supreme court. The unit of population, this time, for the representative districts, is 6,943, for senatorial districts 13,886. Most of the changes recommended in the three reapportionment bills are in the northern and central parts of the state, which have enjoyed greater development than southern Indiana. Sunday Baseball. Representative Willis R. Miner introduced a bill providing that in Indianapolis baseball may be played on Sunday, under proper police protection, between the hours of 2 p. m. and 6 p. m. The bill prohibits the sale or use of liquor on the baseball grounds. The drafters of the bill thought at nrst to make its provisions to apply to the whole state, but they found the sentiment in some of the small towns against this. There are five other cities in the state that have professional league ball—Evansville, Terre Haute, Ft. Wayne, Marion and South Bend. These cities are in the Central league. There has never been any opposition to Sunday ball in these towns, however, and the amendment to the present law will not affect the game in these cities. The committee reported unanimously in favor of the bill and the report was concurred in. Linemen Fight. James Mead and James Kent, two linemen, putting up poles for the Independent Telephone company at Rising Sun, got into a dispute over the p.acihg of a pole, and Mead struck Kent with a spade and he may die.