Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1881 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE

hATIIKSAI . SENATE.—The bill authorizing the appointment by the G«»veniment of a Commissioner of Fisheries, was read the second time, and amended by making the appropriation .'dr experiments in pisciculture $2,000 Mr. Brown’s bill calling a Constitutional convention was read the thin! time, as was also the bill for a resubmission of the constitutional amendments, voted upon last April, to another vote of the people, after an amendment fixing the day on Monday, April 4, 1881, Tlie two votes taken while considering the hill for the resubmlssioii of the constitutional amendments to the people, both resulted 22 to 27 and 27 to 22. HOUSE.—The house went into committee of the whole for the consideration of the bill to authorize the election of women to school ofilct*s, and reported in favor of the passage of the bill By Mr. Dibrell: To make it legal for notary publics In this state to be allowed the privilege of performing marriage ceremonies. The following bills were introduced: Concerning duties of clerks and recorders; to amend section 3 providing for the protection of wild game; requiring incorporated towns and cities to account for the interest and income of sinking fluids In hands of officers, to relinquish the title of the state bonds in the bed of Beaver lake; bills were passed authorizing the auditor of Dearbufn county to report to the superintendent of public instruction in relation to school funds; also a bill establishing a superior court in Vanderburg epunty; also bill authorizing the sale of state lands in Porter county; the house then proceeded with the consideration of Mr. Buskirk’s bill, for five per cent interest.

■e»PAY. There was barely a quorum in either the house or senate this afternoon. Several petitions on the temperance question were reierred to the temperance committee by the house. Representative Kenner presented a petition from journeymen mechanics of Lafayette, asking that the laboring men of the state be protected from competition with convict labor; that it is impossible for honest labor to survive when contractors pay the state only 45 cents a day per man for convict labor. They also declare themselves willing to reimburse the state if the convicts shall be locked up or be given employment which shall not interfere with the living of journeymen mechanics. The house took up the consideration of the amendments adopted by the senate to the house bill,.resubmitting the constitutional Amendments to the people. The only special change is in the substitution of April 4 for February 22 as the date of holding the election. Mr. Kenner amended the amendment by proposing March 7. Mr. Cauthorne then took the floor in support of the bill. The house prison committee will visit the northern prison Wednesday next. ■] ! TIEBDAY. The whole day was consumed in tlie senate in hearing bills on their second reading. Mr. Diehl’s ainendmeutto the Sunday law, which provides that any person above the age of fourteen years who should do ordinary work "upon Sunday, or shall go hunting, fishing, or engages in any sort of sportiveness,, so to speak, shall be fined not less than one dollar nor more than ten dollars, was agreed to. The amendment does not affect persons who, from religious motives, observe the seventh day. The bill to provide for the care of abandoned children and Mr. Chapman’s Prison bill were indefinitely postponed. HOUSE—In the House the day was spent in hearing bills on second reading. Mr. Mills introduced a bill reducing the salaries of the Trustees of the benevolent institutions to SIOO per annum, instead of from S3OO to S6OO per annum, as at present. The bill reduces the salaries of Prison Directors to $l5O per annum: Mr. Teters introduced a bill giving street railways the right to extend their tracks upon any roads belonging to the State which form streets of cities.

TUESDAY. SENATE.—Senator Wilson’s bridge bill came up for its second reading but the committee to which it had gone reported unanimously in favor of a supplemental bill, which strikes out everything after the enacting clause of the original measure. The bill Erovided that city councils should ave the power to guarantee bridge bonds to the amount ot 25 per cent, of the whole without referring the matter to the people. The new bill provides that they shall not do this unless a majority of the people interested therein consent. The latter bill therefore relieves city councils of a responsibility somewhat dangerous for them to have the power jo assume. Senator Viehe’s amendment to the Sunday Jaw has been reported favorably by the committee having it in charge. Mr. Morgan offered a house resolution that the city of Indianapolis be forbidden to pave Meridian street with wooden blocks; the minority committee to which was offered the senate bill relieving persons from liability on notes obtained from them on false pretenses, reported in its favor. The senate concluded that It was a wast of time to petition our congressmen to do anything for special measures, and therefore declined to concur in the house resolution ogling upon the Indiana RerfeseSMti ves in congress to do \ lsbsMfcan^_< in favor of the The house concurred amendments to the hl if p! the constitutional amtlmmehtsiwllHel people, but fixed the tion at March 14 insteal w Ai>riffi| as the senate desired; IlfrolMlteEwhty'e house has brought fdrvfcrda ' grafereducing the salaries of wOtoea'lWMhe-. nevolent institutions and of prison directors tus 150, Aiuljie' law now stands some <■the laJsahes are as high as SBOO./, Apfesentettvo Toter has introduced a the street railways to extended upon any roads belongiuSto^he I'aufflß, SENATE:—The Lieutenant <gM ernor announced the consideration df the bill [B. 2711 embradirig whaj U known as the Civil Code, rfihuge. ument, containing 985;,dp motion the senate ordered that [the ek+k' should read only such amended; the bill was section 207, pending was taken, during which> yWffiMSS dent Colfax was introduced and spom briefly, and when he had concluded the senate adjourned. HOUSE.—New bills were introducedas follows: To authorize corpOhM tions to surrender their franchise and wind up their business, includingtho payment of receivers, Ac; to amend section 6 of the General City Incorporation act of 1879; to amend section 4 of the city incorporation law; to regulate the transportation of freight by

railroads; to provide for the removal of drifts from streams; to appoint state examiners of county officer’s books; to amend the marriage law in sections 3, 8 and 9; to create -a state board of visitors for the benevolent institutions of the state; concerning divorces; the bill, H. R. 171, in relation to descendent estates, Was laid on the table.