Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1907 — INDIANA LAWMAKERS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LAWMAKERS.

Payment for Filled-In Land. In order to bean off an alleged land grab of the Edited States Steel Corporation, Representative Faulkner of La Porte county has introduced a bill which., provides that corporations or individuals may fill In land in Lake Michigan where water is shallow between shore and deep Water- line, and acquire same as their own property, provided they pay the State for this land. Commissioners must be appointed by the Circuit Court must appraise land at not less than one-fourth value of contiguous land. Recently the steel corporation secured the presentation of a bill which if passed wifi enable it to acquire $500,000 worth of submerged land bordering the south shore of Lake Michigan in La Potfe, Porter and Lake counties. Those who are sup- 1 porting the Faulkner bill declare its passage will prevent the steel corporation from dumping stag from its mill at Gary into. Lake Michigan..and thus rapidly fill-, ing in hundreds of acres of submerged land, which will finally become valuable, without paying the State therefor. Landlord and Tenant. When Senator Gavins’ bill, making the appropriation of farm products by a tenant embezzlement, reaches the House there will be oratory.- In the Senate the bill was advanced to third reading after being generously amended, but in the House, where there are more farmer* than in the Senate, it Is expected that there will be a heated discussion as to the relations that should exist between landlord and tenant with regard to the disposition * and sale of — farm products. The measure is one In which every farm tenant and the farming class in general are interested and the House is expected to ornament the measure as it now Rtands with frills aad embroidery _in Jhe shape of amendments which in the end may bring about its defeat. Senate Temperance Bills. The Senate committee on public inorals has several hills under consideration which are aimed at the liquor traffic. but a" the meeting of the committee Tuesday afternoon none of them was finally passed on. Two “blind tiger" bills, presented by Senators- Mattingly and Ganiard, are, in a general way, indorsed by the committee and one or the other, perhaps, will be recommended for passage. The public morals committee also believes it altogether likely that a report recommending the passage of one of the several st,ooo liquor license bills will be made. The committee is making an effort to consider all phases of liquor bills presented before submitting a report tb the Senate. “Blind Tiger” Bill 4’nsses. .After a vigorous fight. Senator’Ganiard’s "blind tiger” bill was passed by the Senate late Thursday afternoon by a vote of 35 to 7. There was an attempt to * amend the measure so that persons having intoxicants in “any rooms or building” might not be subject to inconvenience or embarrassment from threatened prosecution, if they were innocent of any intention to violate the law, but had such liquors for their private use. On the vote to amend there were 22 for and 24 against the amendment. Several of the members who voted against the bill, said they took the stand because of the failure to amend, otherwise they would have voted for the bill. Two Anti-Lobby Bill*. Two anti-lobby bills introduced In the Senate, one by Senator Slack (Dem.), the other by Senator Farber (Rep.), were the cause of the most spirited and prolonged debate in which the upper branch has participated in this session. Eloquence from both majority and minority sides held svay for more than an hour, and mingled with addresses there was both ridicule and sarcasm directed at the two measures. The Slack bill was killed, but the other bill, lives. Capital Punishment Still Lawful. In the House Gus Condo, Representative from Grant county, called up his bill to abolish capital punishment, a special order, and talked at some length in behalf of the measure. Debate was allowed on a motion to concur in the favorable report of the criminal code committee. On a rising vote of 48 to 30 the bill was Indefinitely postponed—in other words, killed. Guide Post Bill la la. The old familiar guide post bill has bobbed up again. Senator Stotsenberg having introduced (by request) a bill providing that guide posts be. erected at every road crossing in the country. This bill has been introduced at several sessions of the Legislature. Senator Benz having been responsible for its introduction two years ago. Governor Slgim a Bill. Gov. Ilanly signed the first bill of the session the other day. This was House bill No. 24. which appropriated $120,000 for defraying the expenses of the General Assembly. Superior Court Bill Passed. A bill by Mr. Baker establishing Superior Courts in the counties of Elkhart and St. Joseph, to be presided over by one judge, was passed by a vote of 88 to 4. Sunday llnrlier Shop Bill Passes. Senator Woot/s barber bill, which prohibita barber shops opening for business on Sunday, was called up by its author, and it passed by a vote of 35 to 6. Tax Exemption Bill Gone. The House committee on ways and ,means recommended for indefinite postponement the bill by Mr. Garrard of Vincennes to exempt from taxation widows and liiind persons ownlug less than $2,000 worth of property. Mr. Garrard expects to - introduce a bill authorixin* the refunding of taxes collected from snob widows ami blind persona, in the hope thntJt will pieet the objection of -oneoneti.tutionality, made to the original messore.