Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1903 — INDIANA LAWMAKERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

INDIANA LAWMAKERS

Senator Johnston, Democrat, of Montgomery County, Monday morning offered in the Senate the following resolution on the coal situation; “Whereas, It is now the common knowledge of the public that the scarcity of fuel in the State of Indiana is causing untold misery among the poorer class of people in tho cities and towns; and, whereas, this situation Inta Tfffa cTi ed the lng a public calamity; and, whereas. It i* the belief of the people generally that the situation has grown out of an unlawful combination of the coal operators of ludiana and* in the large cities the coaldealers; therefore be it resolved, that this body, the House of Representatives concurring with the Lieutenant Governor of the State of ludiana, be and is hereby directed to examine into and investigate the said situation and to bring about, if possible, the conviction of the responsible parties.” The Senate finished its regular order of business in short order, notwithstanding the fact that there were thirty-three bills introduced. Charles W. Fairbanks was selected as the candidate of the Republican members of the General Assembly for re-eleetion to the United States Senate at the joint caucus held Monday night in the House

of Representatives. No other name was suggested. The name of Senator Fairbanks was presented with a brief speech by Lieut. Gov. Gilbert and was seconded by Senators Ball. Lindley and Woods nnd Representative Kirkman. The General Assembly Tuesday took action looking to an Investigation of the causes of the coal famine. In the Senate Mr. Ogbom introduced a resolution providing for the appointment of a special committee to act in conjunction with the Governor to take necessary "action hud report to the Assembly. The committee is to be composed of three Senators and three Representatives. The Lieutenant Governor appointed Senators Ogbom, Hendee and O’Brien. In the House Mr. Salisbury introduced a bill to make it a misdemeanor to limit the output of coal, or to fix or increase the price. The penalty is not less than SI,OOO uor more than SIO,OOO. If the price charged for coal is in excess of the cost of transportation, handling and a fair' profit, that shall be prima facie proof of a conspiracy. It is also made a misdemeanor to make for transportation of coal excessive charges; officers, agents and employes of all incorporations are made jointly liable. The hill has an emergency clause. In the Hottse Tlutrsd y Representative John V. Baird introduced a bill creating a commission to be composed of the president -of the State Health Board nnd one representative of each medical and dental college in Indiana, whose duty it shall be to distribute unclaimed bodies and bodies of paupers to the various medical and dental colleges. The bill was referred. The measure is the result of wholesale grave robberies in Indianapolis for which more than twenty men, whtte and black, are now under indictment. It provide? a penalty for stealing bodies or selling pr buying stolen bodies.

CHARLES W. FAIRBANKS.