Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1905 — INDIANA LAWMAKERS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LAWMAKERS.

Gov. Hanly's first veto message waV read in the House and the Senate Monday, the bill unfavorably acted upon being Senate bill NoJ 80, introduced f>y Senator Barens, and known as the “spite fence” bill. The House witnessed a brief but lively debate on Mr. Long's bill to increase teachers' salaries. The bill was advanced to engrossment. In the Senate Senator Moore of Putnam and Montgomery counties introduced a bill to put a statue of Gen. Lew Wallaee in statuary hall at Washington, I). C-., and moved to suspend the constitutional rules. Though twenty-eight Senators voted for tire motion and only eight against, it failed because a two-thirds vote of all Senators was necessary, and the bill was referred to the committee on finance. After a discussion in which two Senators only took a stand against tire measure, the Senate passed Senator Kirkman's bill placing it in the power of Superior, Circuit and criminal judges in their discretion to parole and suspend sentence on prisoners convicted of felonies and misdemeanors, except for those convicted of manslaughter and murder in the first and second degrees. A new graft scandal was uncovered in the Legislature Wednesday, when Representative Ananias Baker flashed a sealed envelope before the eyes of his astonished colleagues and shouted that it contained a bribe given him by the tobacco trust to vote against the anti-cigarette bill. Amid silence he tore open the envelope and held up a SIOO bill. This dramatic episode was followed by swift action. The members within ten minutes had passed the bill by a vote of 74 to 17. An investigating committee was at once formed, and got into action with such celerity that the same evening an affidavit was issued for the arrest of O. A. Baker of Marion, a former State Senator and now a tobacco trust lobbyist, charging him witli attempting to corrupt Representative Baker. Tire House passed the Newhouse railroad commission bill, which already has passed the Senate. The measure creates a railroad commission, composed of three persons, to adjust freight and express rates, supervise passenger traffic, and adopt regulations necessary to govern car service and the location of switches and sidings. Scandal is piling on scaudai in the State Legislature. Frank Fitz Gerald, a well-known young attorney and son-in-law of D. M. Barry, acknowledged Thursday that he had “handled” several members of the present House and Senate in the interest of different corporations. His declaration came on the heels of testimony that a number of envelopes containing money and similar to the one received by Representative Baker, wln.se statement started the present graft investigation, itad been sent to a number of members. The names of these members age in tlre_.possession of the investigating committee. In the meantime Oscar A. Baker, former State Senator and agent of the .tobacco, trust, who'is charged with having attempted to bribe the legislators to vote against the anti-cigarette bill, has disappeared. The House, by a vote of 35 to 9. passed the Davis anti-pass bill, which prohibits the issuance of railroad passes to any citizen of the State. Tire bilk-provides heavy penalties for violations of the law. Senator Davis of Monroe and Greene counties introduced a bill in the Seiiate to prevent whites from marrying persons having more than one-eighth Filipino blood. The bill grew out of a situation at Bloomington, where Filipino students are attending the State university and are flirting with white girls. Parents of these girls are fearful of marriage^nd have requested the passage of the bill. In the House on Tuesday the codification commission bill on drainage was advanced to engrossment with amendments. Tire rights and privileges committee reported for passage of codification commission’s eminent domain bill that passed the Senate. In the House the House bill for State laboratory of hygiene, under direction of State Board of Health, was passed. The Ulrey Senate bill for track elevation in Fort Wayne was passed. Tire House bill for registration am) examination of trained* nurses, under board created by bill was passed with amendments. A legislative reapportion ment bill was introduced by Senator Kirkman. Bills Signed by the Governor. S. B. 14. Hendee. To legalize the incorporation of Lapel, Madison county. Emergency. S. B. 47. Wood of Tippecanoe. Providing that the State shall pay its proportionate share of expense in collecting omitted property. Emergency. S. B. 8(5. Moore. Providing that in any township or ward a remonstrance may be tiled either against an individual petitioner for liquor license or against the business, the remonstrance in either ease to be effective for two years. S. B. 71. Stepbenson.(' To compel the acceptance by boards of county commissioners of land or buildings donated for school purposes. S. B. 85, Milburn. Making the infliction of a jail sentence, upon conviction for sidling tobacco to minors, optional with the court. Emergency. S. 2. 137. .Murray. Providing for deposit of cash or certified Check in lieu of bond ip civil and cj'iminal cases. S. E. 121. StriiTCr. To legalize the incorpijration of Upland. .Grant county. Emergency. 11. B. 72. Beckman. Legalizing the sale qf certain lands under the school fund aw. Emergency. 11. B. 132. Batman. Legalizing tire incorporation of Nashville, Brown county. Emergency. 11. I>. 25. Sweeney. To change the time ts holding court in Perry. Crawford t.pd Harrison counties. Emergency. H. B. 30. Legler. Requiring county recorders to enter nil cancellations, satisfactions and assignments in the entry book. 11. B. 79. Denbo. To legalize the incorporation of the town of Greenville. Bills on Third Readini;-Senate. 8. 11. 284. Bell. Allowing school trustees to issue bonds for school purposes before the redemption of bonds already issued and unpaid. Passed, 37 U> 0.