Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1891 — THE NEW LAWS NOW IN FORCE. [ARTICLE]

THE NEW LAWS NOW IN FORCE.

A Synopsis »f Their Most ftnportant Features The acts.of the last Indiana Legislature have been published? and are now in full force, except in the few instances where the acts are to take effect at a later date, as in case of the fee and salary bill. The acts with their index,, make a volumeof nearly 600 pages. Below we give a brief summary of the provisions of such of the laws as are of general interest to the people: i>One act persons from wearing the badges or using the cards of the G. A. R., Sons of Veterans or other military orders,, under penalty of a fine not exceeding SIQ.

All hedges or live fences along highways must be trimmed down not to exceed 5 feet in bight every year. If the owners don’t trim, them, the road supervisors must, and the ownea has to stand the expense. companies, in. all towns of 250 or more population, must provide suitable waiting rooms and keep the same open for at least one hour previous to all schedule trains that stop. Also must provide separate

water closets for men and women. Penalty, a fine of S2O to S3OO. Any person who enters a horse for a race or prize under a wrong name or out of its proper class, is guilty of a misdemeanor. The penalty is a fine not to exceed SI,OOO, or jail not to exceed 6 months; or penitentiary not more than three years. Widowers are given one-third of their wives’ estates, or may take what the wife wills them, if they prefer. No honorably discharged Uni' n soldier or sailor, of the late war, shall be compelled to work on highways.

Corporations and associations are charged graduated fees, for filing articles of incorporation with the secretary of state. Religious and charitable societies, $5. Building and Loan societies, capital of $50,000 or less, $lO. Over $50,000 one twenty-fifth of one per cent, of capital stock. Other corporations, $lO, if stock is under $10,000; or if over, one-tei th of one per cent, of authorized capital.

The school book law was amended so as to require the furnishing of a spelling book, a primary physiology, an elementary grammar, a complete grammar and a lnstoiy of the United States. All public buildings, like opera houses, theaters, colleges, churches, schools, museums Ac. must have their outside doors arranged to open outwards. One-story churches and schools are excepted from this' law. Wild birds, their nests and eggs, are rigidly protected, under penalties of from $lO «to SSO fine, to which may be added imprisonment of from 5 to 30 days. All wild birds come under this law except game birds, English Sparrows, crows and birds of prey. The destroying or takingof eggs or nests is punished the same as killing the birds. Under certain conditions persons may obtain premits to collect birds, nests or eggs, for strictly scientific purposes, from the Excutive Board of the Indiana Academy of Science.

Town Boards and City Councils are authorized to lay out public parks, to levy taxes to pay for them and to condemn private property for parks, when necessary. The provisions of the legislative and congressional apportionment bills have already been explained. Their gerrymander features have been improved upon in many parts of the state, but these congressional, senatorial, and legislative districts remain as they were at the last election.

The Australian election law is extensively amended, but, for the most part, in unimportant particulars. Election sheriff’s can be paid for as many days’ service members of the Election Board, instead of only for one day, as heretofore. Political parties are allowed to pay for the services of one poll book holder and one challenger, for each precinct, but not more than $3 for each election. The fojju of the ballot is changed somewhat. The large square which formerly was placed at the left of the titles, are hereafter to inclose the device or picture at the head of the fcket, that is the rooster, eagle <fcc., and to be not less than inches square. The method of voting is not charged matrially; except the u:e of a “paster” is The paster must be a complete party ticket, be exactly uniform in size with the ticket, on the official ballots 1 and be pasted upon the same so as to completely cover the* party ticket which it represent. A preson using a paster must vote for the same names on the paster and none other, and no person can use a paster unless he wishes to vote for names not already upon the ball fit. The provisions regarding the pasters are numerous and complex and the proverbial Philadelphia lawyer would be puzzled* to use one and not have his entire ballot thrown out. In vo'ing, hereafter, great care must be taken that the stamp touches some part of all the squares aimed at, for if any stampmark fails to touch a square, it is re-

garded as “distinguishing mark.” land the ballot must be thrown out Initials of polls clerks are to Won the *j>per Tight hand corner hereafter Another act regarding badges, uniforms dec.,- of secret societies, prohibits unauthorized persons- from wearing any of them, of any society. Fine not to exceed SSO. The unconstitutional partial registry law of two year* ago was re-en-acted, with some slight to -eonlorm it to the Supreme Court’s decision. .

Railroad-companies are re juired to keep a flagman at every crossing of a public highway and a track used regularly for switching purposes, whenever the County Commissioners iso order. The flagman to remain on. duty from 6 A. M. to 8 P. M., every day. Penalty from SIOO to SI,OOO. Hereafter the plats for additions to towns and cities must be submitted! to the town board for approval, before county recorders are permitted, to put the same upon their records. The act providing for an Indiana. Worlds exhibit fair,, starts-outt with tbis very resounding preamble:; Whereas, it is of great importance, that the natural resources,, industrial, development and. general progress of the State of Indiana, should be fully and creditably shown to the world, at said Exposition,” and, then, follow® the appropriation of the pitiful sum of $25,000. “Most lame and impotent conclusion” as the lamented Shakespear expresses it. Sundays, New Years, Fourth, of July, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, Washington's- Birthday, Labor Day (the Ist Monday in Seeptember) and all general, election days, are declared legal holidays, and all notes and other negotiable paper falling due upon any o£ them, shall be deemed as maturing the day pre vkws. -

Lawful fences are defined. If straight wire, straight board, picket or hedge, to be 4 feet high; straight rail, feet; worm rail 5 feet; and all tight enough to hold hogs, sheep, cattle, horses and mules. Partition fences must bp maintained by both parties equally, throughout the year, except as otherwise agreed. When owners refuse to build sufficient partition fences, the Trustee must do it, and the cost is made a lein on the land. Waste and overflowed land and uninelosed wood-lands, are excepted from this law.

That former law which operated to exempt unplatted tracts of 5 acres or more, inside of town or city corporations, from corporation taxes, was repealed. If a man dies testate one third of his personal property goes to his widow, whilher he wills her any of not; but she may take what the will, gives if she prefers so to do. The anti-hunting law was so amended that whoever hunts on enclosed land without the written consent of of the owner is finable from $5 to 50. No prosecutions however under this law without the consent of the land owner. The fee and salary bill, the tax law, the dog registry law, and the new drainage law have already been fully explained in these columns.