Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1891 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Ths I- dividual* whs imagine that there will be war over the Behring Sea question exc'.te themselve unnecessarily. Everything will be settle! in a peaceable manner after a while, and everybody’s rights will be duly "taken care of. This ought to have been done two or three years ago however. __________ Ths re is a tendency to be hysterical about the fate of Sitting Bull that is quite uncalled for. The old repro bate was always well fed, and might have fared better had he behaved himself. He was not murdered by the soldiers of the United States, but was «illed by the shot of one of his Own race during an attempt to rescue him after his arrest as a mischief-make: and an incendiary. Portugal’s claim of soverelgty overn the section of Africa for whicn she Lcontending in the dispute with Engand are even more shadowy than those of the Indians over the territory of the United States. The Indians have, at cne time and another inhabited a large part of this country, although, as b dans, they never mode any actual use of its soil or recources; but the Portuguese have never even se?n the te -ritory which they seek to exercise jurisdiction over, except narrow strips dong the coast

The colored people of Missouri or any other Southern State are at lib* «rty to go to Oklahoma, take possesion of the unoccupied land that is opep for settlement there, build .homes for .themselves, raise corn, and live in peace. The first colony of colored Mississippians has already reached Oklahoma, and it is reported that tens of thousands of their bretbern are pre* pairing to follow in their wake. Wo trust that they will enjoy all desired Success in she new region to which they are migrating. They will not ’find the climate there as agreeable for them as that of Mississippi has been; Aey will find that they will have to .work hard all the year around to get a Siring out of the ground, and perhaps •the provender thus obtained will be "less succulent than that to which they •have been accustomed in the State of Mississippi. ■ ’

Are people often buried alive, either by interring those who are not dead, or by confining rational persons in asylums for the insane? If one were to believe all that sensational writers say upon the subject, he would be prepared to believe a cemetery a place of torture rather than one of rest, and a lunatic asylum the inven tion of the arch-enemy for the confine* went of the sane, whom somebody wishes, for corrupt reasons, to have out of the way. As a matter of fact, it is unlikely that there is one case a year in this country of the burial of persons who are alive, and there are very few instances of the confining o sane persons as lunatics. The bes remedy f<sr the latter evil, if it exists, t would be the abolition of all asylums not subject to the strictest, supervislon., and such an amendment of the laws as would make the preliminary inquisition more searching. Let the new ••Anti-Kidnapping Society” do this and its mission will be a good one.

Thb Marion, now preparing for sea at Mare Island, will be ready in th-ee weeks, and accordingly may be added to the list of vessels avilable in the event of trouble in Behring Sea this year. It is not to be presumed that the Government will again rely one single revenue cutter to protect its in ■ terests in the seal islands, after the recent evidence that the poachers from Victoria have actually landed at the St. Paul rookeries. Hitherto the Rush has been on duty at the Pribylov Islands in the early part of the season and the Bear in the latter part. Th ■ Treasury Department could at least station both there through the season, even if it should not reenforce with the Corwin and the Wolcott, which are also on the Pacific coast. The navy is now stronger in the Pacifio than for a longtime. It has two •plendid cruisers Charleston and San Francisco, each much faster than any ▼easel in Admiral Hotman's squadron, and each, also, more powerful than any except his armored flagship. There are at Mare Island the Marion and the Alert, both said to be destined to the Asiatic station, but ready fo r any other service. There ace the Thetis at San Francfecoand the Pinta at Sitka. This does not take account es the danger, on the Pacific coast es C ntral America, the Iroquois at ■amen, nd th* Mrtiinan al Honohih-Z-M . X. Snn.

The Senate on the 30th confirmed the nomination of Murray Briggs, of Sullivan, and J. H. C. Royce, of Terre Haute, as trustee of the State Normal ScheoL An other doorkeeper was employed, making nineteen now at the service of the Senate A bill to amend the act providing for the removal of the Moaience roek waa paasidA bill was passed, also, which provides for levying assessments on benefitted property [ holders In two States when a ditch or i drain is to be dug along a State line. Many j bills were introduced. T9re Senate then proceeded to ballot forll. S . Senator, Senator Grimes nominated Mr. Voorhees, se - onded by Senators Byrd and HowardSenators Boyd nominated Governor Hovey seconded by Burke, Hanley and Hubbell Voorhees received3s and Hovey 15 votes. In the House a resolution was adopted Instructing the committee on prisons to investigate the management of the northern prison. The bill regulating sale of artificial products, and the bill providing that two years insanity, judicially adjudged.Jshould be an adequate cause fur divorce, were indefinitely postponed. At 11 o’clock the House proceeded to vote for U. S. Senator Messrs. Beasley, Inman and Lee named Mr Voorhees,oand Lindemuith, Guth;ie and Morris, nhmed Governor Hovey. Voor. hees received 75, and Hovey 25 votes. The bill amending and limiting the powers of grand juries was discussed at great lengthA substitute offered by Beasley was adopted, and the bill was sent to the judicary committee. The House and Senate held a joint session on the 21at and canvassed the vote Tor U. S. Senator. Voorhees had received 109 and Hovey 40 votes. Voorhees was declared elected. Lieut. Governor Ctiase presided. The Senate considered reports of com mittees. The House also considered committee reports. A resolution to investigate the affairs of Treasurer of State Lemcke was unanimously adopted. A bill legalizing incorporation of Fowler was passed. The Senate devoted the 33d to receiving committee reports. Among the bills reported unfavorably was that making 25 years a life setitence. A bill to lega ize acts of notaries public whose commissions have expired was reported favorably. A bill relating to terms of court in Harrison and Crawford counties also passed; also a bill providing for administrators de bonis non when assets are discovered of an estate once closed up. The House received reports on committees. Among the bills indefinitely postponed were those providing free text books for the public schools and to abolish the office of road supervisors. The Senate continued its consideration jof committee reports. In response to the I request of the Senate made several days • ago, the Auditor of State made a report that the express, telephone and telegraph companies of the State in 1890 paid taxes lin the total amount of 1-1,031.94. As a matter of fact the express companies paid not a cent, the Auditor said. The total delinquency of these three classes of companies in 1890 was almost or fully twice as great as the total amount of taxes which were paid. The report was referred to the Finance Committee. Bills were introduced.

Leo Gamble, a one armed soldier, was re jecled as an applicant for a clerkship, but was afterward appointed a mail carrier for the Senate. Several important bills were recommended for indefinite postponement. In the rejected list were Senator French’s bill making the legal rate of interest (5 per cent; Senator Wiggs’s bill to legalize illegitimate children and permit them to inherit their father’s property; Senator Magee’s bill to allow the State to take a change of venue in criminal cases, and Senator Foley’s bill allowing a change of venue in all criminal cases. Adjourned until Monday. The House engrossed two. bills. Other bills were introduced. Senator Magees concurent resolution instructing Indiana’s Representatives in Congress to vote against the dressed A>eef trust and to repeal the McKinley bill, which was responsible foj the creation or trust, created a political discussion participated in by Zoercher, Hess, Inman, Haggart, Moon, Gatherie, Kelley, and others. During Mr. Kelley's prolonged and vociferous effort. Mr. Huff-

man, a Republican, fnterrupted him with various questions, and at one time both of them were up, shouting and gesticulating at each other. One of the reporters yelled ‘(break awayand altogether the scene was not unlike that at a well regulated prize fight. Later on, Mr. Kelley denounced “Jim Blaine, and that there re-; ciprocity scheme of his,” and formally nominated Grover Cleveland for Presi-! dent, at which there went up a howl of ap i plause from the Democratic side. Mr Hurcb, Brown and others followed. The resolution was adopted. The House on the 24th discussed various bills. Engrossed bills were indefinitely postponed as per committee report in almost every instance. lkgsilativb notes. * Representative Whittenberger Friday introduced a bill providing for local option by townships and wards in the regulation of the liquor t raffic. Mr. Beasley Friday] introduced a bill providing that county commissioners let the contract for country printing, binding and stationary to the lowest and best bidder.

Every time the roll is called in the House it costs the State of Indiana about thirtys five dollars, and yet several of the would ■ be economists insist upon roll call on very trivial matters. By far the most tireless and persistent lobbyist in the Legislature is Mrs. Pack* ard, the old lady who wants a bill passed allowing inmates of insane hospitals the privilege, under certain restrictions, es writing letters, which shall not be in* spected, to friends outside. Her story that she was once confined for a long time in an asylum, though sane, because she oould not correspond with outside friends, offers a powerful argument in favor of her plea. Mr. Gent's bill, introduced in the House Wednesday, in relation to wife whipping, provides that any one convicted of this of* fensa shall be whipped with sixty lashes and fined or imprisoned at the discretion of the Judge, justice or mayor. A physt-

' clan must first examine the prisoner to *•- j certain whether he Is physically able to s'and inch whipping without endangering , bis life. He shall be allowed to wear one 'thin flannel shirt during the punishment which shall take place in a yard at or near the ail. and tlio public shall be admitted to witness the operation upon application;