Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1875 — INDIANA. STATE LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA. STATE LEGISLATURE.

Senate, Feb. B.—The bill providing for the improvement of the harbor at Michigan City was passed under the suspension of the rules.... Sundry new bills were introduced, among others —to provide for the taxation of bank stoek in the county where it is issued; reducing counties to 200 square miles; making the Governor, Auditor, Treasurer and Secretary of State a Board of Commissioners to attend to the public printing.... The bill to create a Superior Court in Lafayette failed for want of a constitutional majority... .Adjourned. House.—The Senate joint resolution asking Congress to locate the branch mint at Indianapolis was passed,...The Committee on Education reported the several bills referring to amendments to the School law, with a substitute continuing the office of County Superintendent but with restrictions as to pay .... The bill limiting the power of County Commissioners to expend money for public buildings was recommitted, with instructions.... Bills were introduced—to prevent baggage-smash-ing; consolidating the Boards of benovolent institutions; preventing all animals from running at large; for licensing steam-boilers; fixing salaries of Directors of the northern prison at SBOO per year.... Adjourned. Senate, Feb. 9. —Two reports in the Baxter-Jeffries election case were submitted .... A bill was reported fixing the Governor’s salary at $6,000, the Attorney-General’s salary at $2,000 and the per diem of members at $6 .... An executive message was received giving the status of the suit against the Trustees of the Wabash & Erie Canal, which was referred to a special committee. . .Adjourned. House.—Bills were passed—Judges to issue restraining orders and injunctions in vacation and when absent from counties; giving Town Trustees until the second Monday in June for the annual levy of taxes; amending the Divorce laws by striking out the twoyear provision in the allegation of failure to provide; amending the Bastardy act so as to release from imprisonment persons confined from inability to pay judgment after twelve months; and providing for the organization of Boards of Trade.... The Senate amendments to the bill in regard to real estate appraisement—lß7s and every five years thereafter—were concurred in.... Adjourned. Senate, Feb. 10. —A resolution for the appointment of a special committee to inquire into the expediency of the reapportionment of the State was referred to the Judiciary Committee by a vote of 24 to 21... .The re mainder of the session was devoted to the discussion of the bill to provide for building the new Insane Asylum. An amendment excluding Indianapolis from competition was tabled by one majority.... Adjourned. House.—A resolution was adopted asking Congress to equalize soldiers’ bounties... .Bills were introduced—creating the office of Surveyor-General to supervise County Surveyors; for register of birthsand deaths; making the salaries of Secretary, Auditor and Treasurer of State $5,000 a year... .The Committee on Federal Relations were instructed to inquire into the propriety of asking an appropriation from the General Government for building one or more railroads across the State, the passenger and freight tariff- to be regulated by Congress.... The pending constitutional amendment to strike out the word “white” from the State Constitution and the bill increasing the number of Supreme Judges to seven were indefinitely postponed Adjourned.

Senate, Feb. 11.—A bill was passed authorizing the appointment by the Governor of a commission of five to locate two insa'ne asylums, one in the northern par Top the State and the other in the southern. The bill appropriates $200,000 this year and $300,000 next... .Bills were passed—cutting off the fees of the Auditor and Treasurer of State in the free banking department; allowing the appointment of attorneys as Judges pro tern. in eases of change of venue; prohibiting nepotism in the appointments in State institution; fortheadmission of colored children into white schools... .The proper committee was ordered to investigate the charges of fraud and corruption made against the management of lhe Insane Asylum at Indianapolis ... .Adjourned. House.—Bills were passed—for assessing property of corporations the same as that of private firms; consolidating the Prison Boards into one of three members, atasalary of $500; to allow Town Trustees to exact licences for liquor-selling; regulating coal mines, and' appointing Mine-Inspector for the State .—.Messrs. Hoar, Wheeler, Marshall and Frye, the Louisiana Congressional Committee, en route from New Orleans to Washington, visited both houses, and were introduced to the members during a recess taken for that purpose.... Adjourned. Senate, Feb. 12. —The Senate ex hausted the day in discussing the bill for the publication of the delinquent list, the question beiqg upon the reduction of the price to forty cents a-description, but adjourned withuut actipm ——< ■' —— House.—Bills were passed—reducing the number of Grand Jurors to seven; making the President of Perdue University a member of the State Board of Education; compelling three of the Directors of Indiana chartered railroads to reside in the State; for the reclamation of wet lands.... The bill providing for the appropriation of $20,000 annually for the Normal School at Terre Haute failed.... Adjourned. Senate, Feb. 13.—The Sec. 10 of th# General Assessment law was passed.... After the transaction of some local business the Senate adjourned. House.—The bill changing the boundary line of Fountain and Warren Counties passed... .The Committee on Fees and Salaries reported favorably on the bill fixing the Governor’s salary at $6,000.... The biil for fencing railroads was tabled—--45 to 37.... An effort was made to pass a bill requiring railroads to be fenced within six years but the matter was postponed until next week...‘.Bills were intraduced —to repeal the law appropriating money to the State University at Bloomington; legalizing certain elections in the town of Knightstown, Henry County; preventing municipal corporations from incurring debts to the amount of more than 5 per cent, of the tax duplicate; legalizing the incorporation of the town of Tipton; legalizing acts of the Trustees of Spencer, Owen County....A resolution was adopted asking the "Committee on. Elections to consider 'the propriety of so Cbaugitig the Election laws that Boards of Election in Cities and towns will not be compelled to labor continuously from twenty to fortj’ hours.... A resolution asking the Committee on Roads to inquire into the expediency of exempting honorably-discharged soldiers from road work and road tax was laid on the table—l 3to 27... .Adjourned.