The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-03-12
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP.
SATURDAY, MARCH L.


SATURDAY, MARCH 1.
There are so many objections to the fee and
salary bill as passed the House that it is very
doubtful whether 1t can get through the Sem
ate. Senators speak of a law of the kind in
much the same way as members of
the House-they are all in favor
of q fair and judicious reduction
of salaries, but not to the extent of forcing
man to work for nothing and keep himself;
SO the indications are that many important
changes and amendments Will be made by the
Senate. The compensations of county auditors
and treasnrers, provided by the bill, are
thought to be much fairer than those of the
sheriff and clerk, which are totally made
quate. The bill makes reductions in the cases
of the latter to the extent of so, and in some
items of 80 and 20 per cent
The clerk of Hendricks county was in the city
during the past week, and he declared that it
would leave him without dollar. The aver
age salary throughout the State of county
clerks, according to the old law, ran from
about 81 500 to $1,000. This bill reduces them to
sums ranging from $500 to $500. For our own
satisfaction and that of our readers we visited
County Clerk Ransdeu on Saturday, and COM
pared the fees allowed under the old law and
the new law. We took the figures of an aver
age litigated case, which has run through two
terms of court, and found that under the old
law the fees amounted 10 $3.50, while under
the new law, passed the House, the
fees of this same case would yield only Sl.14.
Another list of fees amounted to 1925 under
the old law, while under the new they were
reduced to 81 cents. Mr.. Ransdell would be
entirely satisfied with any reasonable reduc-
ton, but is hardly prepared for SUCH sweep
ing one as this law proposes. We understood
that this same unequal reduction prevails in
the bill regarding the fees OF the sheriff.
Under this state of affairs it is hardly
possible that the law will pass the Senate
without important changes. The expenses of
the cosoners office under the bill, as was
showed by undeniable figures Saturday
received from Coroner Wishard, are absolutely
increased, and that very largely. Representa-
tive Sleeth voted against the bill with many
others, simply because it was so very defec-
tive in many of its features, and because of
many serious objections which he named in a
conversation which we held with him on Sat
urday.
The codification of the school laws of Indi-
ana, so handsomely done by Professor Smart
was laid upon members desks on Saturday.
1t makes a very neat pamphlet of IS pages.
An index would improve it. Two hundred
copies were ordered printed through resolu-
ionmade a few days ago by the wide-awake
blue-eyed member from Monroe-Mr. Myers.
Representative Saint had an editorial leader
devoted to him, and admiration for his work
work as legislator, by our sprightly little
weekly contemporary, the Southside, In last
weeks issue.
Representative Copeland, growing weary of
his desk, took position in, and surveyed his
brother members from the ladies' gallery on
Saturday. The gallery was entirely empty of
the bevy of fair ones which usually are pres
ant So IA test of
his reputation for bashfulness.
Mortgages held by foreign insurance COM
panies must in future be foreclosed in the
counties where the property is located, and
not by United States courts as heretofore has
been the case. This will prove less expensive
to mortgageors.
We tapped the governor, on Saturday, for
''extra" session on draught-nary drop.
Judge Osborne very sensibly objected to the
immense amount OF lobbying going on for pet
measures of various kinds, and Representa-
tive Daily drew attention to the noise made
by spectators. The speaker said the rules
would be enforced, in future, in regard to the
matters named, and said the time now was for
"acting and not talking" SO the prospect for
the last week of the session is business pure
and simple.
The old Morgan raid claims were galvanized
into semi-existence again by a resolution of
L.
their payment.
by yeas GA, nays 80. Those voting "no,'' so
far as we could inform ourselves, did so, not
because they were opposed to reduction, but
SIMPLY because they had various objections to
the bill itself; while many VINO voted in favor
of it did SO, not because the bill met their
views, but because they had reason to hope
that the objections would be met by the Sen
ate, to which the bill goes Immediately.
The school book" bill staggered to its feet
for few moments Saturday, but the
House knocked 1t down summarily-it was a
clear case of provoke" The bill is not popu-
lar.
The State geologist only escaped trip over
the political Styx, from the absence of sufi-
Gent members to make the constitutional
majority in favor of the trip.
Representative Copeland's bill which regu-
lates railroad freights on flour, corn and
wheat went through safely by big majority.
The House held for the first time a session
on Saturday night. The most important
feature of the session the reading of the
specific appropriation bill. Among the items
are:
Furnishing and finishing female in
Deficiency Of appropriations for insane
hospital for the year ending October
female reformatory 12OO(
prison .. .~ -. - .,.. ..~ $4,000
New. chapel hospital, cioth1ng room
and Laundry and fire protection...,.... l2OO(
services Is7o-1s79 Il lI9, 81
Governor Bishop, of Ohio, with parties repre-
senting the Ohio State Reform school and the
State board of charities will arrive in the city
to-day. Legislative committees have beer
appointed to receive and do honor to the dis
tinguished guests.
The bill to provide against the running a