The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-03-09
Failure Of the observation-disclosures
fsy of the Senate.

-
hes virtually closed its working session
without doing any of the more important
business for which it come together. 1t
has spent sixty days in fruitless debate,
and has had the unparalleled impudence to
adjourn without making the ordinary pro-
visions for carrying on the state govern
ment, much less concentrating any OF the
reforms about which so much was said last
year. The fee and salary bill has failed; the
temperance bill has failed; the educational
bill has failed; no tax levy has
besn made; the special appropriation bill
has failed, and the general appropriation bill
has failed. The reason of this utter break
down in legislative work was primarily
the political antagonism between the
House and the Senate. In measure both
branches of the legislature are to blame for
a failure to get together early in the session
and prepare compromise measures that
each might pass, instead of waiting to
lock horns over their differences on the
last available night of the session.
But after passing this general censure upon
both bodies, the Sentinel is compelled TO
hold up the conduct of the Senate before
the people as especially factious and revolu-
tionary. The majority of that body seemed
resolved upon the desperate policy of ruling
or running the state. 1t acted, not with
the intention of providing means for
carrying on the government of the common
wealth, so much Sas with the policy of
embarrassing the party in power. In fact,
the republicans of the Indiana legislature
have closed their official conduct in the
same reckless and malicious temper with
which the forty-third congress brought its
career to an end. As Junius said, like bad
tenant turned out, they were bound to leave
the house as seriously damaged as possible
to the discomfort of the next conner. A few
words concerning the closing scenes of the
legislative session will show that this sp-
parently harsh denunciation is richly de-
served.
Let us consider the fate of the important
measures named above, the passage OF which
was really the only reason for the existence
of legislature. The fee and salary bill,
which embodied the great reform of the
day. was prepared by the House and
sent into the Senate in ample season
for action by that body. 1t was then
amended by the substitution of the Senate
bill, and was sent back to the House yester-
day. 1t was again returned to the Senate
before the noon adjournment. The
Senate asked for a conference COM
mittee yesterday evening which was
glanted. In that committee Mr..
Davis, of Floyd, on the part of the
House majority, offered to report bill
making reduction on all fees and salaries
of Is per cent, with a clause making it a
forfeiture of all fees in any case in which
constructive fees were taxed. This was
a great step forward toward reform,
but the Senate committee refused to
make the compromise. When the conference
committees of both houses reported, the
Senate and House bills on fees and salaries
were upon the files of the Senate, and there
they remained until that body adjourned,
the House being powerless to take action in
the premises.
OF scarcely less vital interest was the tenn
perance legislation expected at the hands
of the general assembly, and the story
of it's failure is fully as disgraceful.
Early in the session the House passed the
license law and sent it to the Senate. There
it was allowed to lie until yesterday,
when it was returned to the House with
a proviso OF local option, also one for
personal liability, and pro-
vision making drunkenness INSIDE
meanor, and providing punishment therefor.
The House promptly concurred in the pro-
vision making drunkenness a misdemeaner,
and refused to concur in local option and
personal liability. The action of the House
was without delay reported to the Senate,
but, up to the time of adjournment, no
farther action was taken by that body.
These measures, however, were of the char
scter of reforms, and the general conduct of
the state government did not in any great
degree depend upon their success or fail
ure. But the general appropriation bill
and the tax levy were essential to the car
rving on of the business of the COM
monwealtn. To tail to pass them was con-
Tossing the failure of the legislature. Yet
what did the Senate do? The general APP
preparation bill was prepared by the House
and sent to the Senate early in the week.
It was not acted on until yea
terday afternoon, when it was sent
back to the House. The House upon its re-
ception, refused to concur in the Senate
to force an increase, can not be excused on
any ground. Under such circumstances, IL
becomes tie Senate to accept the
House estimates, under protest, and
If the democratic state government
can not carry on the business of the state
with the levy and appropriations which the
party has made, and is foiced to make ex-