Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1895 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

la thaSenate J an, 24, Seafctor Stuart’i bill flxingsa ary of the coroner of Marion county at $3,000 per annum was passed under suspension of the rules. Amendments to the Soldiers’ Home bill, fixing salaries of superintendent and assistant passed- Senator Duncan proposed |ai amendment to extlude families of officen end employes from residence at the Home. Consideration of this was postponed. On eall for bills Senator JWishard introduced amendments to the tax law of 1891. The bill provides that where real estate it mortgaged the owner may deduct the amount of the mortgage from the valuation of the real estate in 'making his turns to the assessor, also that the amount" jf bona fide indebtedness may be deducted from the valuation of personal property in making returns - Senator McDonald offered bill to •fleet that no person shall be eligible ts the office of county supeirntentdent unless h > holds a State professional license or a diploma or license considered by the State Board of Education to he equal or superior to the State profession license. In the House, Jan 24, the bill for the reorganization of the Indiana militia wai tonsidered. It provides for forty-eight companies of infantrr, three batteries o) artillery, one signa! corpse one hospital corps, and to each regiment of infantry and -each battalion of artillery one band; and appropriating $75,000 annually for military purposes. Ttp» bill was ordered to engrossment Hpusp bill No. 107, to prevent fraudulent marriages, was engrossed. The bill wat discussedat length. It proposes to makt ir a felony for a man, liable to prosecuion for seduction, fraudulently to marry tne woman in order to escape prosecution. •Another important bill ordered eng-ossed ivas Rep. Hundley’s to abolish the office of natural gas inspector. The committee an elections in contested case of Miller against Bowers, from Dearbon. tOhfo and Switt-Tland counties, submitted majority end minority reports. The majority report was signed by five members and recommended that Bowers, Dem., be seated-, The report declared that Bowers received 4.90? >egal votes and Miller 4,996 votes, a majority fff ctfS for Bowers. The minority report signed by two members, requested that the three contested ballots be submitted to the House for examination, believing that inch examination would result in th* seating of Miller the Republican. Chairman Crozier said the majority could not afford to strain a point in order to seat a Republican. A motion to lay minority t <->pprt ou the table was voted down, and discussion on the motion to substitute minority report for the majority report •was resumed bv Representative Merritt. The three ballots In controversy were placed In the hands of Rep. Merritt, whe .teclared, after he had examined them, that, it was plain that the voters had intended to vote the Republican ticket. Al 12:15 the House adjourned without disposing of the question. When Lieut.-Gov. Nye called order In the Senate, Jan. 25, but fifteen Senators were in the hall. Senator Wishard moved that when tho Senate adjourn it should he to meet at, 10 a. m. Monday. Senators belters and McCutcheon objected, as a motjpn to assemble at 3 p. m. Monday bad been passed when a larger number of members were present. Senator Wishard retorted: “It is time this Senate was irettlng down to business on business ideas. We have now been here one-fourth :if our time and almost nothing has been done. We have to get over this idea of long adjournments, and the sooner we jome to it the better. I shall insist on the motion.” After some further controversy Senator Wishard withdrew the motion.. Senator La Follette introduced another Congressional apportionment bill. A number of new bills were introduced, the most importahtlieihg that by Mr. Thayer, providing for more severe penalty for gambling.

The House convened, Jan. 26. without# quorum. Consideration of the Miller-Bow-ars election case was postponed till Tuesday. On roHcall for new bills a number were Introduced. Rep. Nicholson pre* sented a fee and salary bill which provides that the clerk and auditor of each ccnrtrty shall each be allowed >I.OOO a year as a basis of compensation; that when the population of tho county exceeds 10,000 the additional sum of 1100 a year for each 1,000 inhabitants in excess of 10.000 tip to and including 25,000, shall be allowed; that if the population of tho county be more than 25,033, up to and including 50,009, there shall be allowed an additional sum of ?75 for each 1,000 in ex:ess of 25.000; that if the population shall be more than 50,00), the two officers named shall be allowed >SO each, for each 1,000 in excess of 50,000. The sum of >BOO is made the basis for sheriffs, treasurers ana recorders, and the sami ratio of increase is fixed. By Mr. Leedy— Amendments to the charter of the city of Indianapolis, agreed upon by the citizens’ iommitlee, for the creation of a Board of Public Park Gommlssionerssof Indianapolis. At the afternoon session it soon developed that there Atas not a quorum pressnt and the House adjourned till 9 a. m. Saturday. ______ In the House, Jan. 26, at 9:30 a quorum failed to appear. Many members Hao been excused until Monday, and quite a number had left the city with committees visiting State institutions. The roll-call showed lifty-nine present, eight less than i quorum. By consent the House waited labile the door-keepers called up the hotels by telephone to see if member! could be found. The Speaker took occasion to say that after this he will refuse to excuse members when their absence will break a quorum. He said it was well understood that many of the members were tbsent with committees, but others had been excused in order that they migut gc home. He said that ho wanted the members to understand that they were reprelenting two million people, who were demanding faithful service. He said he wat willing to grant the largest freedom, but in the future he to be more itrict. The absentees were called frois time to time until lu:30 o’e.ock. wlu.n the Speaker declared the House adjourned sot want of a quorum. Sixty-live member! had been found when the adjournment was taken I.EnWLJTIVH .VOTER. There have been about live hundred bills introduced in the two Houses, The bill of Senator Self concerning public offenses makes Memorial Day a National holiday, and forbids the selling ol liquor On that day under the same penalties provided for violations of the law on Sundays and other legal holidays. The House has begun to take up th* free pass question in its different phaica Mr. Stotler, of Kosciusko, offered a bill prohibiting any public officer in the State from accepting railroad passes or franking privileges. There are no railroads down in Brown county. Mr. Allison, who represents that county, is opposed to the use of passes. H<» introduced a resolution calling on the editors and reporters of th* Indianapolis News to appear before i committee of the House and offer„evidcnc* of the charges, as contained in an editorial. that the House could be subsidized bj railroad passes. Senator Crumpaekef has introduced at important bill In the Senate, looking t* the draining of the region tributary to th* Kankakee river. The bill contemplate! the widening, deepening and straightening of the river, and that a basis be estabthe assessment Of benefits and damages.