Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1889 — THE STATE LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

Both Houses 'Without a Quorum Several Tithes. A Measure Establishing "Night Schools Discussed. Many Important Bills Introduced and Referred. The Senate on tie SOth’Wld a m-wtion of two hours only. Bills legalising certain arts of Red-, kev and Sheridan were passed. Among the bills introduced wan one forbiddihg; ihtviniportatlnn of armed men into Indians for police duly, it rsinteiuUvl to apply l-sja-cinilv to the Pinkertons. A few hills were reported favorable and the Senate adjourned. The Until* linseed hills as follows: For ffie relief of J. I). Gatcli, who wns Treasurer of Dearborn County from ISB2 to Ikkg During his term he lost $2,928 of publ(g funds in the -failure of a Lawrenceborebank ft was claimed that no safe deposit had la*en provided for funds by the county, and it was necessary thitt the money should lie placed in the bank. Also, the bill preventing the blacklisting of <!iv charged employes; concerning proceedings sh Civil nisei; relating to life burial of .pauper soldiers at 835 each; relating to thtr'wiHihofding of discharge pnpersof cx unioti soldiers; reliitfiig to * the cutting of thistles by railroad companies; Urmvli submitted thsL minority n jmrt on sWic Supreme Court commissi.mers bill (If. K. )c . recommending that the substitute • offered bv the majority bo indefinitely postponed. tYlllard.moved that the bill be made a Special order for Thursday afternoon nt 2 o'clock, and that the debate thereon occupy two and one-half hours.. The motion prevailed. . The Semite on the Until wns without a quorum, owing to the Hlisenoe of several committees on inspection tours. Barnett's bill requiring tliat School intMeca of cities of over 15.000 population ahull maintain night schools during tne regular tcrm lietween tilts hours of 7 .and i>: o whenevei twenty or more, of the inhabitants shall petition for such schools, Was considered at length. }*.-r sons between the age of 14 and 30 shall bo eligible to attend such schools. Final notion, of course, could not be taken on the bill. A message from the Governor announced the appointment of Thomas rhlshol'm of Dike county as State mine inspector. The communication was referred to. the eotmujitee of Executive Appointments. Despite Republican protes s. Thompson’s (Jasper,) bill to.maislnin political purity, was reported favorably front the committee! A number of" bills us.'re advanced on the calendar. The 11 oust'; under a stispenMon of the rules, pMsidjthe ti ll nroviding for the adoption of child An when taken from orphan nsyiufiis or other public charitable institutions. ' Field’s iiillymakUw it a misdemeanor for a minor tp loiter abiftt saloons was passed. The bill for the repeal of tho telephone taw was reported favorably. A bill almost exclusively applicable to the lmllanopolis Gas Trust Company failed to pass for a-want of a two-thirds majority. The bill giving natural gas companies the right to condemn real estate wns made tip: special or-' tier for-the sth prox? The bill requiring that a person arrested on a criminal charge should be uivim prelimin try trial jit the towhship vvluie the offense was committed was indetihitely postponed. The bill to give juries the right to fix penalties in rendering verdicts was eon-’ sidere.l. Several bills were advanced on the calendar. jin the Senate on the 31st Johnson introduced a'resolution directing nffention to tin: alleged violation of the requirement that .the twenty extra doorkeepers should be ex-.sdldiers find an- i thorizing the appointment of a comniittee, who • are ex soldiers, to ascertain the facts regarding the mature-ami rejiort thejn to the Senate. The resolution was indefinitely postponed by a party vote. Johnson then ©tiered another resolution ordering the Doorkeeper to report' to tile Senate the frnmos of all ex-soldiers now in lii>, employ, and in what regiment lie served. In explanation he said thal the resolution was , ottered becauap a Democratic Senator lnnl said that it was not known that the DoorkeSfior had failed to do.his duty, and he wanted to ascertain, if the opposition to an investigation was' well grounded. “I charge” lie added. 4 "that the-sinrltand letter of the resolution have been violated; that ex-soldiers have been fatriied I sway, and in their places are men who are related to Senators of the majority and do not need employment.” Mulllnix—Do you know that the assistants are not ex-soldiers? J|>hiisofi —I fad upon the pay-roll the nnntw, of, Logsdon. | a man who is related to one of the ’ Senators on I this floor, and 1 know, that he could not have been a soldier. 1 And also on the roll the name nf Mulllnix, an employe wKovls a sou of the Senator from Greene, who could not have been a Soldier. Besides. 1 have trustworthy information from an ex-soldier who has looked into the matter, and he tells me there are not to 'exceed seven ex-sold lets on the force', * - <■ Ami now 1. charge on my honor ns a man—nnd r dare any member ot the majority to prove that the charge is not true-thnt not. ten ox-Union soldiers are vpx on the force of the Doorkeeper | of the Senate. ■ t force the charge down vour 'throms that yotir resolution was' a subterfuge; ; /hat it'Wps iiassed in bad faith, I court an hives- j ligation *> 1 dare you to make it. It is easy to ascertain the facts. The truth is, relatives, ! friends and dependents have been given the positions that should go to the soldiers. Vour resolution was a sham and n subterfuge, and it was passed simply to fasten a lot of simernumeraries upon the’ public treasury. This resolution was also indefinitely postponed. Mount then offered a resolution "directing the Secretary yf the Senate to report the number of Ins employes and how many of them are ex-sol- , die pi. Ills olijeidjjihe said, was to allow that 1 there were'more persons employed than were j needed. In reply Mullinix said that the piajori ] ty was responsible for their record, and that it was evident tludr . management of public interests was approved by the people, because the Democratic majority in this General Assembly is larger than it was two years ago. "Indiana is Democratic to the core,” lie deidared, "if you take away the corruption and bribery.'that \vas practiced at the last election.” Kennedy—Was that SIO,OOO given Tiy the 1 “resident used in Indiana or some Other State? DeMotte—What have you to say about the statement of the Democratic County Clerk, Who failed a day or two ago, that this election cost him SIO,OOO. ‘ Thus the day was roqsvtmoCl.

The forenoon in the House whs devoted to the introduction of hills. • Among the mere important were: Relating to the appointment of deputy sheriffs, detectives, etc.; to fix certain fees; requiring voluntary insurance, associations to file articles of incorporation: to make school towns liable for their proportion of any existing indebtedness; to provide for burial permits in all cast sos death and l'or the recording and reporting of deaths; to suppress bucket shops and' yamhiai" in stocks, bonds, etc.; concerning taxa iron; ' concerning gravel and- macitdamizv.l triads: concerning .hedge fences; to price! sheep husbandry; concerning electr n contests: authorizing county epmmissru,.ers- to construct free turnpikes: to provide for the regis ration of voters: to regulate elections; o prevent fraud in the granting of divorces; relating to the s:Ae of spirituous liquors; to pay amounts tiue Indiana Legion: concerning the liability of corporations and companies for the injury or death ot employes: to prevent motfopoH' S: to regulate foreign insurance voinpahfewdping business in this State; to authorize the for-" '.nation of co-operative societies; to provide for a general system of common schools: to abolish capitation and labor taxes for the construction or .repair of highways awl bridges;. to prohibit killing of squirrels during certain seasons: com'erning the death penalty; ( bills) providing for rare of State House, and many other-. Two hills were engrossed. A majority and riiinority report was sunmitte l oil the deicicncy appropriation hill, tlo* majority not desiring to allow pay for fob Rohertsbn. Special order for the nth. The bill providing for a Supreme Court Commission came up,as a special order and on 1 adjournment the discussion.liail not been completed. Curtis, Brown, Willard, I.inck, Fields, Oppenheim, Cullen andjothers made speeches. The Senate on the Ist resumed consideration of Barrett’s Will requiring night schools to be opened in cities exceeding 15,000 population, and there was ohjection because the hill did not give the trustees the right to decide when there is public necessity for such schools. <• .Barnett thought the purpose ot the measure, would not he parried out if it should be changed to meet this objection. Shockney objected to it because it allowed any twenty persons to force upon cities an expense that woultl ! 'T>e~iunneeessary in many cases. His amendment wits Voted down. An amendment was adopted by the vote of the, Lieuteimnt-g .vernor providing that the pupils it the night ‘ schools should only .be such persons as are in such circumstances that it is necessary for them to work during ;he day to aid in the" support of the families. An amendment speceifving what clafes of personsshould be allowed to attend the schools was reported. The hill was then epgfjbssed. The House hill for the relief of Gorgatch, ex-Troasnrer of Dearborn county, was amended and passed. It involves $2,7 8. The bill eonfeming lands in the bed of Beaver Lake was engrossed. Bills introduced: to authorize co-operative associations; to authorize purchase of five school books; to provide for tne protection of hotel keepers and several others less important. The House bill ceding to the United States jurisdiction over certain lands in Grant county for a National Sol diers'home was pasted. Under suspension ofrules an attempt Was made to pass the House bill to authorize county commissioners to fix bond of county c erks for such amount as thev may 'deem proper, out as there was *«, general disposition to investigate the bill it was made special order for 10 o'clock on the 2d. Favorable committee reports were submitted omjHale's hill for free turnpike roads; the bill to prevent traction engines running on public roads; to provide office room for county superintendents. Bills concerning conveyance of stock; supplemental to the draiuage act; appropriating SOO-000

tor the sol.Mer*' and sailors' orphans* Pome; to amend biwp Incorporation..mt; concerning high- >">■» ■'"'•LWl«'rvi*T- thereof; to ir.erenre tie Ikitids of county auditors and to legalize ;,,„,p jHiration of itussiavilly. were ordered ei,gro*sed , wssiou or the House wan occupied in hear ■hSebpmiuoe reports, and -conafderitiir bili> mi H*eond reading. Nothing of importance whs" done. "l be Committee jon Elections presented u -report “(i the I't-vn.n.l-dtri contest. twit withmti U'itig read, it Was made a *pt*eiul order of business for Monday afternoon. The Pill of IP'tire-.M-ntative Loop, *>quiriug that the effects of alcoholic stimulants , ul the human system Stoll.bti taught iu the public schools, was in-detliiit-rv postponed, oh a strict party vote, l he tail increasing the pay of prison officers was' engross,.,). It makes the salary of the War Hit ?—**'■ of toe Deputy Warden $1,200. of the mural instructor 51 .nun. nnd of (he Clerk $1,200." stull - idll amen jmg Section,2.ll7 of the Revised s*.dut.'s was indefinitely postponed. The bill of Hones relating to cemetery associations was et gro seal, an <1 the sit me action was taken on* W. idi nson’s bill concerning general elections, A resolution wa*sintroduced bvZ i :r,:liur rcqii >-t ing < ongress to secure a iietter ektraditiun treaty with England, enabling the t nited' KJateaio bring back lor trial the embezzlers who csetiiie punishment by going to Canada* -The. resolution was pgssed. A till authorizing county commissioners to fix bonds of county clerks, under a suspension of' rules, was passed Also .passed, bill legalizing chfetiull of TruMesw of Jonesville, Bartholomew county. Bills introtroduced: Concerning teaching of German to provide for tin: regulation of the running at largb-oF all kinds of animals; to compel owuersnTtowil Jots to tub,!:l sidewalks: and others. Hills engrossed; To prevent hunting rabbits with ferrets; requiring township trustees to publish annual statements: concerning adulteration <>f drugx nnd foods: and others of less importance. Indefinitely postdn.ed: To provide punishment for obtaining notes by fraud: r. lating to study of physiology and hygiene and effect of alcohol on the system, by a party vote;, to prevent vamping and bnHding fires on highways; to mami persons owning tram S7O from working tWds; regulating rales of toll. Curtis’s bill, providing fur a live stock eommisfdon and a State Veterinarian, was pnased to eiigrosgment. In the Senate on the 2d a resolution tdltivostigate the report tlfat John K. Sullivan, defaulting clerk of Marion county,-haddnvolved the funds' belonging to the Insane Hospital was referred to the committee on Benevolent Institutions. Bills engrossed were: relaHng te Attorney’s fees in promissory notes; concerning notes nnd other negotiable instruments; 'concerning public offences;! appropriating Sto.ooo .for the construction of a sewer from the Michigan City penitentiary to Lake Michigan.; There was a prolonged discussion on Senator Ifavden's bill, proposing an increase in the salary 'of Circuit Judges frqm S'J.'iOO to SU.tXIO. An amend meat was proposed by Traylor, providing that in',judicial circuits with a population of less than'UO.OUO, the salary of the Judge shall pc 32,000 per vyar; where the population is 40,000, it shall tie $2,500, and where there are 00,000 inhabitants in the circuit, tin: pay shall be $3,000 a year. Furtlu r eonsideration of the bill was postponed. ■Several new bills were introduced. One provides for estatilishingaState Detiartinent of Geology and Natcharge of a director lobe* elected by the General Assembly, who shall have the power to appoint a State Mine Inspector, an Oil Inspector and a NaturaLGiis Inspector, all of win on shall bounder his direction. A civil servile bill was introduced’by Grose, and.other measures that were placed on file were ns follows: By Jackson a bill relating to sewers in ineorpotnted tQjkns:' by. Johnson, regulating the handling of nitro-glyeerine, dynamite and other explosives; by Mount, providing for divoVee from a person confined in life. Insane Hospital ten years. The Senate adjourned at noon until Monday morning. The House was without a quorum. A resolution instructing committee on temperance in report a bill to prevent the coming generation from being ruined by the habit of intemperance (suggested by the opening prayer) wns laid on the table. A resolution was then adopted, declaring that as the Republican preachers nnd Republican saloonkeepers worked band in band duringthe last campaign the preachers should not now lie so hard on their allies. A half hour of the brief session tvas taken up in a discussion of ground hog day. The bills to amend the game laws tvere discussed. One of these bills, providing that pheasants and quails shall not be killed for two years, was engrossed. The other, which proposes to prohibit the killing of quails and pheasants for all time, was reported from committee with an adverse recommendation, but the report was rejected, and the bill also passed to engrossment. At noon the House adjourned Uhtil Monday.

The Senate on the 4th received committee reports, favorable upon the following bills: Authorizing the payment of the indebtedness of a former trustee of Union county, providing forthe publication of legal advertising in daily papers; authorizing the incorporation o’s companies to conduct health resorts, hospitals. and sanitarium, concerning taxation; regai?!ing the incorporation of insurance companies: regulating foreign insurance companies doing business in this State. Substitute bills were reported by several committees, one of which provides for the appointment of a Supreme Court commission by the General Assembly; another defines the word “mining” in the act relating to the incorporation of companies with a capital stock of SIOO,000. The bill giving to cities the authority to issue sewer and street improvement bonds was read a second time. The bill providing for the construction of bridges over streams running along the boundary between two countie's* came up for consideration on third reading, and, wns discussed at length. The bill was then passed. Barrett’s bill against pools, trusts and combinations, was passed by a vote of ayes 43, nays 2. The bill to appropriate SIO,OOO per year for five years to the State Board of Agriculture was passed. The bill to pay F. G. Hubbard, ex-treasurer of a school board in Richmond, several thousand dollars was also p ssed. Two bills were introduced.

The House wns without a quorum but legislation which would reveal the fact was carefully avoided. Bills indefinutely postponed: Concerning taxation; suppli mental to the criminal proceedings act. Tne bill authorizing Indianapolis school boards to issue bonds for 3 50,000 was engrossed, as was the bill prescribing the duties and powers of school trustees. Over an hour was occupied in discussing Mr. Claypool’s bill amending section 2,457 of the Revised Statutes concerning the law of decent, proposing to give to widows an absolute life estate in the one-third share of property left t<> them instead of a fee simple title. Air. Fields said that, as the law stands, it causes confusion -and is a delusion. The amendment would make the law just what it is generally supposed to be. Mr. Adams said that, with th'e exception of lawyers, there is not one person who knows what law is. He favored it also for the reason that it would make the estates liable fer debts. Now not more than twothirds can be taken. Mr. Curtis opposed the bill. He though/there wan no demand for the change proposed, nnd it wns simply for the benefit of speculators, who buy the estates of minhr heirs. The bill was referred to the Committee on judiciary. A bill appropriating $10:000 to the State Board of Agriculture was engrossed. The committee on benevolent institutions was directed to inquire into the disposition of the funds. Aconcu- rent resolution authorizing an inquiry as to why the lands at the. Insane hospital arc thrown open to the public 1 was adopted. Majority and minority reports were made on the bill creating the’office of State Geologist. The majority report recommending that it pass was adopted. The bill was engrossed (party vote). The bill to fix the the oa\ of officers of the State Prisons were eiifrossed (party vote!. The bill fixing time of olding court in the 4'.'th circuit was passed. Other bills were advanced qn the calendar.