Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1883 — LEGISLATIVE NOTES. [ARTICLE]

LEGISLATIVE NOTES.

Senator Willard wants io repeal the dog law. At least he introduced a bill to> that effect. It is a singular fact that every bill thus far reported back by the House committee on railroads was accompanied by an unfavorable report Senator Foulke Wednesday introduced a bill providing that married women shall have the same rights under the law as single women. Senator Spann has in course of preparation a bill to consolidate all the educational institutions of the State—a measure that will meet with considerable support. * One of the officers of the Senate wa» seen Monday, busily engaged in distributing what has more than a passing resemblance ’to railroad passes, among the members. The Senate Monday, very considerately adopted a resolution consoling, the 1 French republic over the death of Gambetta. These international courtesies are very touching. Representative! Copeland, of Jefferson county, Wednesday introduced a bill making the offense pf placing obstructions, on railroad tracks, whereby there is lossof life by accident, murder in the first degree. Representative Huston has introduced a bill to tax the gross receipts of all corporations doing business in this State but organized under the laws of another Sti te. It is provided that the rate of taxation shall be $3 on each SIOO of receiptsand the tangible property shall not beexempt. If passed this bill will affect the telephone monoplies operating in Indiana. Senator Spann introduced a resolution; for a commissioner of railroads, telegraph’ and transportation companies, to be appointed by the Governor with the concurrence of the Senate, for four years,' at an annual salary of $2,500. The bill is almost identical with the provisions of the Ohio law on the same subject A spirited discussion took place in th* House, Tuesday, over the report of the-■ judiciary committee recommending the indefinite postponement- of the bill increasing the jurisdiction* of justices of| the peace from $250 to SSOO. The report was finally adopted and the bill was thus disposed of. Senator White introduced a bill to-; amend section 4,425 of the act governing’ teachers’ licenses. It provides that one six months’ license shall be given as a* trial license, and extends the twenty-four' months’ licenses to thirty-six months. After a teacher has had two of the lastnamed licenses he shall be entitled toteach eight years without further license. The bill also allows school trustees of certain cities and towns to appoint an examiner for their school-teachers, reporting the result of such examination to the county superintendent.

It is evident that the present legislature I is determined to make some law compel- | ling hotel keepers to prpvide fire escapes,. I In the Senate Monday two such meas- # I ures have been introduced, both being re-j| ferred to the judiciary committee with# I instructions to report after the first meet-1 I ing. One bill was introduced by Senatow I Youche and the other by Senator SpannJ ■ The latter is the most rigid in its I mauds. It provides that each room in a I hotel shall be furnished with a rope lad-, der. The buildings shall be inspected se ni-annually by the proper officials, and x the penalty for a violation of the act is a. fine of SI,OOO, SSOO of which goes to theprosecuting attorney who secures the, conviction. Any person who may think that the temperance people are not alive an.l working would have been convinced* to the contrary had they been in the Senate and House Monday. In both branch**,,, petitions asking for the submission of the prohibitory amendment, were presented from eighty-five counties and signed by 54,755 persons. Petitions with 9,957 signatures went to the Senate and 14,798 to the House; 4,283 to Republican senator* and 5,674 to Democrats: 7,521 to Republican Representatives and 7,277 to Demo-g crats. This is but the first of petitions, and hundreds of others aret to follow during the session. They were-r all referred to the committee on temper- V ance, necessarily without reading. |

Jefferson Ulery has been arrested two indictments, charged with blowing up saloons at New Palestine with dynamite. That town has been the scene of four dynamite explosions, and every’ saloon that has been opened has been blown up. Ulery has been placed in jail*, at Greenfield in default of SI,OOO- bait A Washington special says: Within a few days the bill known as “the bill to pay the Fourth of July claims” will be I called up from the committee bn war 1 claims in the House. When it $s put to J on its passage Representative ’Stockslfeß er of Iqdjana, intends, to offer as at amendment his bill providing for the pajl ment of property taken during the Mo< an raid in the States of Ohio and In* diana. I