Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1908 — LEGISLATURE WILL LIMIT ITS EFFORT [ARTICLE]

LEGISLATURE WILL LIMIT ITS EFFORT

Committees of Majorities Decide Upon Legislation Upon Four Topics Only £ —Not to Heed Hanly Advice.

Indianapolis, Sept. 18.*—The committees of the republican majorities in the house and senate of the special session of the legislature, which convened today, decided upon legislation upon four topics, as follows: .... 1— The adoption of a county local option law. 2 Ths re-appropriation of the unexpended balances in the specific appropriations made at the last session of the general assembly. 3 The appropriation of additional money for the girls’ school and other Institutions, as recommended by Governor Hanly. '.'.*, " 4 The enactment of needed legislation to deal with the night riders in southern Indiana. The republican members, just prior to their respective conferences, tonight met in joint session in the house chamber and heard an address by James E. Watson, republican candidate for governor, who urged the enjUStment of a county local option »**• The legislature will not follow the advice of Governor Hanly to repeal the lay passed at the last session allowing the Vincennes university claim of $120,000. This bill passed each house when it was first up by a large' majority. It received thirty-nine favorable votes yhen it was first up in the senate and seventy-three in the house, and thirtyfour when it came up for passage again in the senate and sixty-six in the house, over the governor's veto. With the announcement by' Governor Hanly in his message today that he had an opinion from Attorney General Bingham to the effect that the law is unconstitutional, friends of the claim were surprised, inasmuch as the attorney general at the last session, in response to & request from the senate, furnished an opinion to the effect that the bill was constitutional. L:—__i It is explained, however, by the attorney general that in preparation of the opinion furnished to the seuate he considered only the bill and the constitution and law of the state of In-

diana as he interpreted them, and did not pass upon the merit or demerit of the claim. In the preparation of the opinion submitted to Governor Hanly -the attorney general based his statements on the statement of facts submitted to him by the governor. T It was also agreed that the session end immediately after the legislation recommended is enacted, and that the bars be not let down for the introduction of any kind of legislation which the members saw fit to introduce. The discussion as to local option showed stone diversified opinions. The republicans classed as “recalcitrants” attended the meeting and some of them were open to be shewn that the party good demanded the enactment of a county local option law. Before the meeting four republicans classed as “recalcitrants” told some of the leaders that they would vote for county local option if the welfare absolutely demanded It. * For the second time sinoe he became the head of the state government, Governor Hanly today read hismessaga to the law-makers of the state assembled in joint and special session, instead of having the reading clerks perform the duty. The reading consumed thirty-four minutes. When he had concluded be went back to his office, the joint session was adjourned and a few minutes afterward both the senate and the house adjourned until 10 o’clock tomorrow morning. Net a bill was introduced, not a speech was made. The message was brief, abounded in strong remarks. The governor was In good voice and was given a good hearing throughout But as the county option was the thought uw>ermost in his mind, so it was in the minds <jf the legislators, and when he reached this portion of his message all were at close attention. The governor’s arguments in favor of county local option followed along lines laid down by himself and other speakers throughout the campaign. In the main he held that the county is the natural unit, and that the ward and township method advocated by the democrats would weaken the effective Moore remonstrance law.