The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-02-26
LEGISLATIVE Cos sar,
SATURDAY, FEB. p.

position TO f1llibuster and delay legislation.
manifested itself very decidedly Satur-
day, when the session abruptly closed soon
after il began. Senator Olds of Whitley coun-
ty, and Senator Langdon, of Tippecanoe, are
directly responsible for the failure on Saturday
to transact immense amount of business,
ready to be pushed forward. Thirty or forty
House bills were in preparation to be read the
first time. which will now take up much val
liable time this week. and which might
baye been readily disposed of on Saturday.
The good people of Whitley and Tippecanoe
might just as well know who responsible
for the consumption of very valuable time.
The Democrats, aided by Senators Raglan,
Harris, and perhaps some other Republicans,
struggled against adjournment, and explained
that Senators Woolien. Menzies and others
of the committee on public buildings were
only absent on important business, and only
on condition that no attempt should be made
to call the s.yeas and nays" or make any other
motion winch would reveal the absence
of quorum. Senator ODDS, in
struggle TO have the House adjourn
early in the afternoon session until 2 O'Clock
Monday. brought ont the opposition to it by
nearly ali present-no understanding could be
arrived at-and upon call of the House it was
found that no quorum was present; business
was sus pended the doors were ordered closed !;
1tuSthtScS stut lOE- uOaS tOuio Dc anu
the Senate was forced TO adjourn. Senator
Olds has been about for two weeks during the
present session, and perhaps the Senate cham
Der is too much circumscribed for his stately
steppings. Hence the desire to roam some
where all of aturday afternoon, Sunday and
Monday. until O'Clock. One would have
thought that he might have been willing to
have renamed and aided in the transaction of
important public business after being absent SO
much OF the session, but he was Determined
not to do so, or let any one else stay and do it.
The Whitley county senator is not heavy
craft, and the guns he carries are not of very
heavy calibre. 1t behooves political craft of
light tonnage to husband their resources, and
keep all II readiness for the storms which will
surely beset them during the voyage of politi-
cal life. senator Odds ought to be very
nomicat with any reserved strength which he
may possess.
The important interest bill of Representa-
tive Dalton, which on Saturday We inadvert-
emily credited to Judge March. was presented
to the Senate on Saturday. The discussion
brought out sundry objections to it, and
committee of conference was asked. The bill
fixes the rate of interest at six per cent. the
penalty is forfeiture of principal and interest,
among others.
Senator Streight's bill, introduced on Satur-
day, on the vexed question of fees and salaries
reduces fees about 80 per cent. The House will
discuss similar bill on Tuesday, and the
probability is that something definite viii be
aimed at shortly.
The Senate committee and the House joint
committee on public buildings visited the
Female Prison and Reformatory on Saturday
for the purpose of ascertaining what improve
ments are necessary for the building. The
committee will recommend that the boilers
no x-ssd
the main building to addition to
be erected at the north side. This
will give room for a laundry where the boilers
now are. The institution also needs stairway
for the escape of inmates in case of fire at the
west end of the building. Sewerage must also
be provided for, as there is a suit now pending
agains. the directors of the Reformatory,
brought oy the United States Government, to
abate the nuisance, which the present
rangements are declared to be. Mr.. George II.
Kyle. an architect from yevay, Ind, accom-
panied the committee, and will get up the
plans for the contemplated Improvement.
Mr. Kyle some years ago was the architect
and builder of the Lawrenceburgh Court
House. one of the best and most substantial
court houses in the State. In 1876 Mr.. Kyle
was appointed an architect in the bureau of
construction at Washington.
Senator Raglan represents Hendricks coun-
ty in the Senate. He is substantial speci-
men and representative of the farming inter
ests of indiana. He has no hobbies or pet
schemes of legislation but is willing to enter
into any thing which promises remunerative
returns for the public welfare. He is indus
trous, attentive to the interests of his constit-
uents and is making good record
Senator Davis Is another of the agricultural
class, representing in the Senate the counties
of Vermulion and Parke. The senator is a
National. with conservative tastes and ten
denotes. He has been member of previous
sessions OF the State Senate, which gives him
aid and experience in his present duties. He
made q creditable race for Congress on the
National ticket in 1876, but some one else re-
ceived more votes than he did, through which
the Indiana State Senate gained very credit
able addition to her best representatives. Sem
ator Davis has, perhaps, one of the largest
farms in the State, and raises more corn,
probably, than any other one farmer in the
great corn-growing section.
senator Kent has a bill looking towards
purifying the ballot box. II Furnishes those
miserable, low specimens Of humanity always
ready to sell their votes to whoever gives them
the most money. Fines and disfranchisement
are the penalties. The record of the Senate
vote ereditably shows no negative votes to the
measure.
The senate has been working along so very
pleasantly and making such very creditab.e
progress that it is deemed very unfortunate
that the proceedings of Saturday should have
been marred by the inconsiderate and Inde-
fensiole actions of one or two of their number
The House was more industrious than the
Senate, working until quite late In the after
noon, and the consequence was that many
bills were read, engrosssd and passed.
The clause in notes agreeing to pay attor-
ney-s fees received its death wound, so far as
the House could give it. There was some OPP
position made. but the bill passed. Mr.. Herod
Thought that a man ought to pay attorney fees
in this way If he wanted to do 1t. while Mr.
Briggs objected 10 the entire system of paying
lawyers by any such contracts. Mr.. Briggs
introduced several important new bills on
Saturday He is an active, industrious repre-