Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1895 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

The Senate. Feb. 12, was opened without prayer. Senator La Follette introduced a set of resolutions to require the Indiana School Book Company to make a full report of the business to the Senate.' The resolu were Senator Cranor, of the committee on fees and~saiaries, reported on the House bill to pay the Clerk of the Supreme Court his salary, for which no appropriation had been made. Senator Collett’s bill to amend Section 255 of the proceedings in civil cases was called for the tkird reading. The bill relates to changes of venue, and practically leaves the matter In the hands of the judge. — If the judge thinks a change of venue should not be granted, he can refuse it under this bill. Senator Cranor’s bill providing for a boiler inspector was called 'on third reading. JTherje was?c.onf reading of the bill, and Senator McHugh asked the President to secure silence. The Senator said the lobby in favor of the bill had become so bold that it "was walking about the chamber and trying to get the bill passed.” The bill failed for lack of a constitutional majority, the vote being 21 to 17. H. B. 93, by Rep. Stakebake, allowing trustees of institutions to receive lands and donations; was passed. Senator Parker spoke to a question of personal privilege and declined to serve on the Feeble-Minded School Investigation committee because statements-had been made that he was unfriendly to Snpt. Johnson. Senator Boyd also spoke to a question of personal privilege and denied that he was unfriendly to Supt. Johnson, as had been charged. The Senate adjourned at 12 o’clock to meet the House in joi nt session. At the afternoon session there were many vacant seats. Bill requiring rail waysto plank, grade or gravel their tracks at street crossings passed. Other important bills passed were: S. B. 123 —To prevent discrimihat.iohs by life insurance companies; S. B. 13—Fixing salaries of commissioners of Allen county at $1,290 per annum: S. B. 262—Appropriating SIO,OOO annually for use of State Board of Agrfculture. The day in the House, Feb, 12, was devoted to bills on second reading—The regular order was interrupted to allow the Committee on ways and means to report on 8. B. 1, an act toestabl+sh a State Soldiers’ Home at Lafayette. The committee recommended that file appropriations be reduced from SIOO,OOO to $75,000. The report was concurred in. A list of bills was advanced to third reading. U. B. 233. to prevent Sabbath desecration, occasioned some discussion. Rep. Melendy offered an amendment that the bill be not applied to persons who observe the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath. The amendment -Was opposed by Reps Statesman and Van Arsdel. The latter said that under the proposed amendment all a man who wished to run a saloon on Sunday or who wished to play baseball or football on that day would have to do, would be to join a society that observed the seventh day as the Sabbath. Rep. Stakebake, the author of the bill, said he was representing the people of the State, who asked that something bo done for the protection of their boys. The amendment was voted down. The bill as originally introduced was passed to third reading. There was also some discussion of H. B. No. 237, to prevent cities and towns from levying fees for the selling of farm, products. The bill was recommitted. H. B, 68, exempting mortgage Indebtedness from taxation passed to third reading, after a protracted debate. Rep. Statesman, of the ways and means committee, said the committee had considered the question in all its bearings. The exemption on the basis of SSOO. he said, would take from the tax duplicate about $85,000,000. Chairman Robinson, of the judiciary committee, declared that for many years the tax legislation had been in the interest of the men of wealth. The forty acres of land owned by the farmer was as sacred as the bonds and stocks owned by the rich man. The list of exemptions for the man of wealth, he said, had gradually grown larger; it was time to do something for the man of moderate means. Rep. Leedy said it was a question of right that the proposed amendment should be adopted. He said the State should not tax a man for that which he has not. At 12 o’clock the House'adjourned for the joint session. At the afternoonsession Rep. Stakebake introduced an amendment to the mortgage indebtedness bill, attaching an emergency clause, which was adopted. H. B. 49. exempting chattel mortgages, was also engrossed and passed to third reading.

The Senate, Feb. 12, was called to order by President Nye. Senator Newby’s bill providing for a record of persons receiving aid from public funds was passed. Mr. Seller’s bill authorizing prosecuting attorneys to administer oaths was passed. A number of comparatively unimportant bills were passed. In the afternoon the firemen’s pension bill was the special order. S. B. 219 on this subject was indefinitely postponed, and 11. B. 32, already passed by the house. was considered in its stead. Varions amendments bv Senator Ellison were rejected, and the House bi 11 was then engrossed and passed. The House, Feb. 12. was opened with prayer by Rev. Mr. Murphy, who made a fervent appeal in his invocation on behalf of the Nicholson bill, Rep. Van Arsdel’s bill to compel sleeping car companies to raise the upper berths when unoccupied was amended by clauses prohibiting tips to porters and fixing rates at 75 cents for 100 miles or less and 50 cents for fifty miles pr less, and the bill was then advanced to third reading. H. B. 148 to license steam engineers was amended to apply only to towns of more than 1,000 inhabitants and passed to engrossment. At the beginning of the afternoon session Speaker Adams appeared and commended the House for the work accomplished during his absence. Two reports were submitted bn Rep. Robinson’s anti-pass bill. Majority report by six members of committee recommended that the bill be passed. Minority by three members recommended that the bill be indefinitely postponed and recommitted to railroad committee. The discusssion was protracted and quite acrimonious. On a vote to recommit the vote stood—yeas, 43 to 46. The vote then came upon the substitution of the minority report and killing of the bill, and res-1 tad—yeas, 21; nays, 62. The majority report was then adopted by an overwhelming vote and the bill wenttosecond reading.

Senate was called to order at 10 a. m., Feb. 14. Collett’S bill relating to work on highways was called up. Firemen and persons physically unable are exempted from work by tills bill which was passed a* goon as a quorum appeared. Remv’s bill amending the law on taxation was postponed. The majority report .against. Shively’s bill which permits the wife to Itecome surety for her husband, make tontracts. etc., was adopted. Leyden’s bill appropriating money for the tomb of exGov. Willard, at New Albany, was favorably reported by the committee on finance. McDonald’s bill which permits hunting on the northern marshes of the State was favorably reported. Phares’ bill relating to cutting of hedges was reported favorably. Two reports were mane by the committee on education on Senator Newby’s bill, requiring instruction in the public schools concerning the effect of stimulants and narcotics. The majority report is against the bill, the claim being made by Senator McCutcheon that the bill Is a plan to require new books. The minority report favoring - the hill was passed by a vote—yeas 40. navs 4. Senator Phares’ bill creating the Thirty-third. Thirty-fourth and Fifty-fourth judicial rircirts came up. Two reports were submitted. Action was postponed. Rep. Nicholson made theopenlng prayer In the House. Feb. 14. Van Ar»del’s bill to grant electric roads right of way oh highways was favoftibly reported. McVaskey's bill redufeing railroad fare, fixing fate at 2)4 cents a mile, was favorably ro-

ported. Author of Wil moved that the report be not concurred In. and that the bill be ad vanes-d in the form in which it waa introduced,, fixing rate at 2 centti per mile. A general discussion ensued. Rep. Van Arsdel said that if the railroad companies would take tip the passes in use and charge 2 cents a mile the companies would havs more * money at the end of the year. Rep. Barker satd that the hand of nearly every man seemed to be against the railroads. He believed railroads had made the country, and should have fair treatment. Rep. Leedy, referring to 1.000 mileage books, said.that companies were simply selling mileage at a wholesale rate when they put out these books. He believed the rate shoqld be made 3X cents. Rep. McGregor, speaking for -organized labor, favored a two cent rate. The motion not to concur in the report of the committee was carried —veas 47, nays 40, The bill providing for a two cent rate, took its place on the files. The ternperancq, committee reported. favorably on Rep. Moore’s bill to enlarge the powers of ineorporatod Fl ties, giving them nowi-r to regulate the location of saloons. Rep. Moore informed the House that -the..bill and the Nicholson bill did not conflict. The report,of the committee was concurred in. Under the bill common councils may prohibit wine rooms. The House concurred in the committee report. i.EGtsr.ATivK Notes. The House ant Senate met in joint convention, Tuesday, and elected Mrs. Emily L. Davidson, of Fern, State Librarian. The . Democrats voted for Miss JMarf Eileen Ahern; the present Librarian. Tha vote stood: For Mrs. Davidson, 101; for M iss Ahern. 31. The impression now is that no fee and salary law will he passed, - ~ /, A bill introduced in the Senate by SenV“ ator McLean provides those special appropriations: For Theodore Price. $999.93! for Joseph Crockett, $1,117.16; for George Peters, $644.92; for Robert Woods, $211,22. The men were trustees in Vigo county. They deposited public funds in the Prairie City Bank, of Terre Haute. When the bank failed they lost the money. 6 Geo. W. Powell. Superintendent of the Indianapolis police force, is talked of for warden of the the Prison North.