Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1903 — PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE [ARTICLE]

PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE

Measures Under Consideration in the Capitol at Indianapolis. STATE INSTITUTIONS REPORT Legislative Committee Appointed by the Governor Makes Its Recommendations to the Assembly, in Which it Urges Many Changes. The legislative committee appointed by the Governor to visit all the state institutions made a report with recommendations to the General Assembly. The committee consists of Senator Fremont Goodwine and Representatives Henry W. Marshall and Joseph M. Cravens. Among the more important recommendations are that the land and buildings of the state school for the deaf be sold, and that a new institution be built; that the Women’s Prison and Giris' Industrial school be separated; that a dormitory ofr girls be built on St. Clair Park for the Blind Institute; that the state levy for Purdue University be increased from onetwentieth to one-tenth of a mill on the dollar, and that the levy for the state normal be increased from one-twen-tieth to three-fortieths of a mill; that the state buy the fair ground land on which the State Board of Agriculture has an option, providing title is taken in the name of the state; that new heating plants be provided for in several institutions; that a sewerage system be put in at the Eastern Hospital for the Insane.

The recommendation that St. Clair Park be used for the new dormitory at the Blind Institute will probably arouse the old fight of the State vs. Indianapolis. The park is used and maintained by Indianapolis. The board of trustees asked for two dormitories, one on the east and one on the west side of the present buildings, but did not ask that St Clair Park be used. The committee had nothing to say about the Indiana Reformatory trouble;-. Evidence was taken when the couiaiittee visited Jeffersonville, huLIL43. not incorporated in the report The committee finds that the state s interest were not protected in contwcitfor an assembly hall at th* Souther® Insane Hospital. The appropriations recommended for maintenance are from 4 to 6 per cent higher than they were two years ago. Some of the institutions have had a hard time to get along owing to Increased prices. The committee gives a full tabulated statement of finances for the last two years and publishes the invoiced value of all the institutional property.Constitutional Quorum. The seating of W. J. Hamilton to represent Green county gives the Republican sixty-seven members of the house —a constitutional quorum. This is the first time in many years that either party has had a constitutional quorum in the lower branch and under extraordinary conditions it would be of tremendous advantage to the Republicans, as they could transact business legally without a single Democratic member.

Reapportionment. It is understood that the legislative reapportionment bill introduced by Senator Newhouse of Greensburg was prepared by the men who look after Senator Beveridge’s, political interests in Indiana. Senator Beveridge’s lieutenants are taking an active interest in all the reapportionment plans. The Newhouse bill, it is reported, is largely the work of H. C. Pettitt, United States marshal. There are npw seven reapportionment bills before the legislature, and the Republican members are showing no disposition to consider them.

Defeat Luhring Bill. The temperance forces won a decided victory in the house by obtaining the indefinite postponement of the Luhring bill, which seeks to eliminate the blanket remonstrance clause of the Nicholson law. When the bill was handed down on second reading Mr. Kirkman of Wayne county obtained recognition and moved that the further consideration be postpoped, following this with ■a demand for the previous question, the intention being to shut off debate. Mr. Luhring demanded the yea and nay vote on the demand for the previous question, and the vote stood 63 to 33. This was the first match of the relative strength of the temperance forces and the brewers. Although no general debate was then permissible, a house rule allowed the author fifteen jmlnutes to discuss his measure. Luhring made an impassioned appeal to the members to save his measure. The vote op the motion to indeflnite-

postpone was then taken and showed the bill to be defeated. Quarantine SIU. Several new bills were introduced, among them an odd quarantine bill by Hall—by request. It provides that no person but those ftho actually have smallpox shall be quarantined—that those exposed to the disease may go about their business as usual, but must daily report to health officers for Inspection. • Representative Owen introduced a bill to repeal the part of the fish law that provides that a deputy fish commissioner may claim a bonus of $5 for every illegal fish net burned, without proving to the county commissioners that he had burned them. Mr. Owen said: “This section provides for one of the worst grafts imaginable. Down in my county the commissioners were compelled to pay out S3OO last year, and they had no assurance whatever that the nets were burned.” Booth Tarkington has introduced his second bill. It provides that Indianapolis freight houses shall be open until 5 p. m. To Amend Artman Law. The Indiana Municipal League distributed in the house a copy of the resolutions that the league adopted in favor of repealing the Artman improvement law. The circular calls attention to the defects in the Artman law and urges the passage of house bill 158, introduced by Representative Mummert.

There is some talk among the members of the Marion county delegation of a bill to make the city of Indianapolis pay for the repair of permanently improved streets. Oran Muir of Marion county said that persons had spoken to him regarding such a bill, but that he had not promised that he would introduce it were it offered to him. Representative Jackley said that his bill to provide that store checks of mining companies shall be redeemable in cash on demand has the support of the State Federation of Labor. The bill, he said, is to take the place of a similar law that was held to be unconstitutional some time ago. All of the features that the court objected to, he said, have been omitted in the present bill. Nationalizes Militia. A bill of much importance to the Indiana National Guard will probably be introduced in the House and Senate soon. The purpose of it, AdjutantGeneral Ward said, is to make the law in this state, relative to the guard, conform with a recent act of Congress making the militia of all states auxiliary to the regular army, and providing new equipment. He has received a letter from General Corbin of the War Department regarding the matter, and he has taken it up with Governor Durbin. General Ward thinks it might be good policy for the legislature to enact a law incorporating the recent act of Congress.

The effect of this action would be to make the guard subject to the orders of the War Department at Washington, in times of necessity. The new act of Congress makes the guard an auxiliary to the regulars, but the members of the guard would not be compelled to respond to a call unless the act of Congress should be incorporated in the state law. If this course is followed, General Ward said that the members of the guard would have to re-enlist, as they could not be legislated into a service.

Extends Clerks’ Terms. The bill of Senator Askren to legalize the last election of county clerks, and to extend their term to January 1, 1904, was before the senate. Senator Lindley objected to the bill for the reason that Clerk Carey of Hamilton county, which is represented by Lindley, is under indictment for taking part in a “fake” foot race. Lindley said he would rather die than stultify himself and his “decent constituency” by voting for the bill. He sought to amend the bill by exempting clerks under indictment from its provisions, but he was voted down. Senator Parks amended the bill so that all oounty clerks-elect shall take office January 1, 1904. The bill was passed by a vote of 40 to 3.

Salary Increase. Warren Sayre made a bitter fight against the bill to increase the salaries of the judges and reporter of the Supreme and Appellate courts, in the house the result of which was that the bill had a narrow escape from being killed. The absentees were finally called three times, Kimball had to be sent for and Sherman had to change his vote before there was a constitutional majority in favor of the bill. The vote was 51 to 44. Opposes Truancy Bill. Hugh Marlin, a Monroe county farmer, read a paper before the senate committee, on “Education,” in opposition to the present compulsory educational law. Every member of the committee agreed that the paper was exceedingly well written, but the committee reported unfavorably on Senator Davis’ bill to repeal the truancy law.