Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1883 — LEGISLATIVE NOTES. [ARTICLE]

LEGISLATIVE NOTES.

Th* average French tragedy generally involves a woman, and the fact that Gam* betta’s premature disappearance from this mundane sphere is an event of more than importance only makes the question of a woman in the case a choicer theme for the scandal-loving public. It is doubtful whether any man in France would be esteemed truly great who had not had his duels and his liasons. Gen. Lew. Wallace, United States Minister to Turkey, has been taking a vacation trip down the Syrian coast, and it has been his good fortune to visit the holy places at Hebron. The Sultan directed him to be admitted to the sanctuary. This honor has only been accorded hitherto to Europeans of royal blood, and few have entered the sacred enclosure. Mrs. Henry S. Lane, who was in the General’s party, is, it is said, the first Christian woman who has been allowed to enter the place. _____________ The kill of buffalo last winter was estimated at 80,000, which, from the report of hides shipped, is probably very close to the mark. The kill of this winter promises to fall a long way short of last. The amount of the matter is that the buffalo are rapidly beooming extinct,and unless the attempt to domesticate the animal succeeds, the noblest American game will pass into history before the next census is taken. The herds, what there are of them, are mostly between the Black TTilla and Glendive, on the Yellowstone, their last winter’s feeding ground.

Excited quacking caused J. H. McWhorter, of Walker county, Ga., to turn his attention from a covey of quail to the stream whence came the complaint. He saw an eagle struggling to take the scalp of a wild duck. The bird of freedom had pounced upon the water fowl, but the latter was flapping in such a troublesome way that the conquest was not made in a moment A spit of shot from the hot muzzld of McWhorter’s gun killed both combatants. The eagle had a black body, brown head and white tail. It measured 6% feet from tip to tip. The spread of the claw was 7 inches. EHOUBH capitalists are investing largely in cattle ranches in the West Mr. Pell, M, P., now in this oountry, is at the head of a company that has purchased a ranch of 10,000 acres in southeastern Colorado, stocked with 11,000 head of cattle. It is the intention of the company to purchase several large tracts of land in Colorado and place upon them 200,000 head of cattle, or perhaps double that number. The idea is to raise cattle for the European market. Mr. Pell says the prejudice that existed in England against American beef has entirely disappeared. There are splendid profits in cattle raising, and'it is somewhat remarkable that this inviting field for enterprise has not been oocupied to a greater extent by American capitaltots. ■ dispatch from Scranton gives a startling picture of perils in the Pennsylvania ooal mines. It appears that the public knows little of the loss of life in those places. In the eastern district of the Wyoming region alone seventy-seven persons were killed and eighty-eight wATumwly injured last year. Most of them seriously injured are crippled for life. This is a frightful record and it is not surprising that the miners and their friends are strongly in favor of a bill which is to be introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature this winter making the companies responsible for injuries suffered by their workmen when the injuries are not caused by the carelessness of the workmen themselves.

The “Franklin stove,” which Mr. Howells mentions several times in “A Modem Instance,” is a heating apparatus invented by Pr. Franklin. It is made of cast iron, is set up within the room, and the hotair and smoke from the fuel, instead of escaping from the fire directly up the chimney, is made to traverse a small and circuitous smoke flue, which gives out its heat like a stove*pipe. At the same time air from out of doors is introduced through air passages which surround and intersect the smoke flue, and, aft«r being warmed is discharged into the room through proper openings. This so-called stove was called by Franklin “the Pennsylvania fire-place.” It is not a stove in the ordinary sense of the word. UjKjtrssnowAßi.T the Boston and Albany has the fastest train run in this country far a long distance The train usually consists of six earn, the distance is 384 miles and recently the run was made in 6 hours sod 30 minutes. On tbs Mem “Haven Pmmoo the fastest runs VMM WO hundredths sales in 2 mhmtani, spd miles per hoar; 1.73 miles in JmSMfesnd 56 seconds, equal to 5A5

miUa, and 8 miles in 8 minutes and 18 wOTrin, equal to 68 miles per hour. Owing to the Connecticut law requiring a stop at every drawbridge, the time for the 73% milwa between New York and Near Haven, including six stops, was 1 hour 54% minutes, or only 38.5 miles per hour. The 62 mil** between New Haven and' Hartford were made in 1 hour 80% minutes, including two stops, or 41.5 miles per hour; average speed while running, 43.8 rniltta per hour. On the Boston and Albany, 86 miles, (Springfield to junction of Brookline branch, Boston) were run in 2 hours 20% minutes, including three stops, or 41 miles per hour; running speed, 43.2 per hour, including stops. Women have the right to vote at school meetings in Kansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Vermont, Dakota and Wyoming, at school elections in Colorado and Minnesota, and for members of school committees in Massachusetts. They can vote at school meetings in Michigan and New York if they are taxable, in Washington Territory if they are liable to taxation. Widows and unmarried women in Idaho may vote as to special district taxes ifithey hold property. In Oregon widows having children and taxable property may vote at schoolmeetings. In Indiana “women notmarried nor minors, who pay taxes and are listed as parents, guardians or heads of families, may vote at school meetings.’ In Kentucky any white widow having a child of school age is a qualified school voter; if she has no child butris a taxpayer she may vote on the question of taxes.

So-oalled higher education is the pride and boast of the ancient Commonwealth of Massachusetts. But it appears that the common schools are sadly neglected. Governor Butler, in his inaugural, severely criticised the school system, and pointed out, as evidence of its deficiency, the fact that the percentage of illiteracy in lowa is less than in the Bay State. In the midst of their many fine university and academies the people pay little attention to the intermediate and primary schools, and they are regarded apparently, as of little importance. President Chadbourne is in accord with Governor Butler on this subject He has recently declared that primary education in Massachusetts is very deficient; tna, too small salaries are paid, and as a consequence in some localities inferior and unfit teachers are often employed. The Boston Travellers calls upon the Legislature to “speedily devise a remedy” for “this serious defect in the much-vaunted system of our commonwealth.”

Thh queer adventures of Tennessee’s fugitive Sta.e Treasurer, Marshall T. Polk, recalls Jules Verne’s story of Phileas Fogg and his trip around the world in eighty days. Money was the magic wand with which the imperturbable Fogg removed the most astonishing obstacles. According to the telegraphic despatches from Texas, Polk seems to have had equal confidence in the power of money to open a road for him, but he did not succeed as well as the hero of the romance. After being arrested in San Antonio, according to one of the dispatches, he was released for something over $50,000, and he bribed a deteotive to pilot him out of the country. They quitted the railroad in Texas, and while the detective went in search of a horse, Polk took refuge in a thicket. A constable named Sheely arrested them both. Polk offered the constable SB,OOO to release him, but this time he found that the power of his money was gone. That his bold plan was partly successful is significant It shows what an advantage a thief has in the mere possession of stolen money, The sturdy honesty of the constable who finally oaught the fugitive stands out in strong relief amid the shameful exhibitions of cupidity that surround this remarkable case.

Two bills were introduced in the House Tuesday to repeal the State Board of Health law. Representative McClelland, of Lawrence county, says he is going to introduce a bill to repeal the Acts of the Apostles. Senator Yancey Monday, introduced a bill providing for a board toexamine and license all persons who are about to have control of stationary steam-engines. The Committee on Prisons have been granted by the House a four days’leave of absence to visit the Prison South. They will be gone from Tuesday, the 30th, till Saturday. Senator Fletcher’s bill making the penalty castration for rape has excited general attention, and the indorsement of hundreds of mothers comes in the shape of letters to the author of the bill, urging ito passage. Representative Bracelton, of Jennings county, has introduced a bill providing far the relocating of county seats. It provides that ten per cent of the votes of a county having petitioned the County Coanuanonero they shall call a special oieetaon in the county, and sixty-five

per <mo| favoring the proposed relocation the same shall be fully legal. Senator Henry introduced a bin to make deeds and mortgages executed by administrators prims facie evidence of the sufficiency of the cause, in cases where the records have been destroyed. The biU has especial reference to Madison county, where the court house was destroyed by fire, together with aU the public records. Over 40,000 petitions for the submission of the prohibitory amendment at a special election have already been received from every count/in the State, and have been put into the House and, Senate. Only eighty-seven counties petitioned two years ago, but this time the whole ninety-two have already been heard from. Mr. Williams, Of Knox, Monday, spoke to a question of privilege, saying that he was invariably referred to in the published reports as Mr. Wilson,and his constituents were beginning to think that he was sailing under false colors, and he wanted to correct this impression. Speaker Bynum said he had heard several similar complaints, and then the statuesque Mr. Heffren said that he was the greatest sufferer in this particular, as all the papers called him “Jumbo.” Mr. Williams, of Knox, this morning has introduced a bill defining the offense of compelling or attempting to compel a person to marry and fixing a penalty therefore. The object of the bill is to relieve Charles Wetgell, an attorney of Yin eennes from the prosecution of Annie Stewart, accounts of which have heretofore appeared in print: In the House,' Monday, Mr. Wilson, o Kosciusko, offered a resolution directing the committee on military affairs, in conjunction with the Adjutant-general, to draw up a bill authorizing the recording in a permanent form, of the muster-rolls of Indiana regiments in the Mexican war and late rebellion. Tho usual political discussion ensued, Messrs. Copeland and Heffren leading, and then the resolution was referred to the committee named in it by a vote of 47 to 28. Representative Chittenden has intrbduced a bill to tax the receipts of foreign insurance companies doing business in this State, in the following manner: Any city or town can compel the agent of such company to certify to the receipts of his company for each life insured or each pieoe of property insured in the town or city, and on this a tax of not to exceed 1 per cent, is levied. This provides for municipal taxes, as there is at present a State law taxing the gross receipts of such companies, less actual losses, 3 per cent.

Evansville wants the asylum for the incurably insane, and is putting on her sweetest smiles to secure it. To better convince members of the Legislature of the advantages of that city, the citizens nvited the Assembly to visit them as a body. The invitation was accepted last Saturday, when a special train conveyed them to Evansville. Upon their arrival there they were driven around the city to different points of interest and afterwards banqueted, and altogether receive special attention. They reported a jolly time. The return train left for Indianapolis at 1230p.m.,Sunday Prominent Democrats who are opposed to the fee and salary bill now before the legislature, are preparing a bill, which it is understood, will meet with hearty democratic support in both houses and which will, as one of the orignators said, “shelve the present top-lofty bill; and go through with a rush. The salient feature is the appointment by the Governor of fourteen commissioners, one from each congressional district and one for the State at large, equally divided as to politics who are to agree upon an equitable basis for the remuneration of oounty officers, so graded as to operate fairly in both small and large counties. The Senate committee on education, Monday, reported adversely to > the bill introduced by Senator Hilligass, providing that the rate of interest on schoolfund loans shohld be 6or 8 per cent at the option of the oounty commissioners. An ineffectual motion was made to amend the report by fixing the rate at 6 per cent, and then Senator Voyles moved the reference of the whole matter to a special committee, which was laid on the table. A majority of the Senators on the floor spoke on the various propositions, and a decided sentiment was manifested against any change in the present law. Senator Graham, Tuesday, introduced an important bill which provides that if a county officer receives or demands any fee to which he is not by law entitled,any citizen of a oounty may file a complaint against such offioer, and if he be found guilty he shall be removed from office and his place filled by appointment of the Board of Commissioners. The aotaon to to be brought before the Judge of the Circuit Court, who shall hold a regular judicial investigation, and if the charge to sustained he shall not only declare the offender ineligible to the office, but he shall give judgment against him for SIOO for the complaining witness. No change ' of venue to to be allowed

The substitute offered by Senator Henry for the toad law introduced by Senator Benz, S. B. No. 6, and ordered printed, is believed to meet the objections made by the people to the present law. It does away with superintendents and roadmaaters. It makes the township trustee exofficio superintendent of all the highways in his township. He is required to divide the township into road districts of pot less than six square miles. For each of these districts there shall be elected a supervisor, who shall be under the supervision and direction of the trustee. The provisions of the old supervisors’ , road law are substantially followed, requiring citizens to work out their poll tax in the district The property tax for road purposes is to be paid to the trustee, nd he causes the same to be expended' in the township by supervisors. Tax-payers may work out their tax by applying to the trustee for that privilege, and by performing such work under his direction at usual prices.