The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-03-19

Over / 500 bills have been introduced into
both Houses buring the session. Between
rs and 100 passed the Lower House,
but few getting beyond the Senate. About So
bills passed both Houses, and received the Sig
nature of the governor.
The committee appointed by the Senate to
arrange fee and salary bill is at work on one
that is thought will give satisfaction
to all concerned. In a conversation with
of the members of the COM
mittee, he thought that the feeling of the
committee was TO make a bill that would meet
the demands of the people to the extent of a
fair reduction that would adjust the incomes
of county officials to the great change In
financial matters that has taken place
through the results of the late panic, and the
return to specie payments. The reduction of
fees VIII range, probably, from Is to % per
cent.
The Senate committee on congressional ap-
portionment are understood to be at work on
bill, and the talk among many Liberal DEM
ocrats of the Senate is to give the Republicans
six and the Democrats seven of the congress-
men.
Senators Foster and Menzies brought in a
tub of soiled political linen, which they pro-
ceeded to wash in the presence of the Senate
yesterday, during the morning hour. AS the
governors proclamation for an extra session
had not been presented, and there was not
much else TO DO, the laundry performance was
properly relished by senators and spectators.
There is, probably, only one senator that
would take into his head the philanthropic
enterprise of inviting the pages of the Senate
to a good square meal with him, and that one
is the big hearted Lake county senator-Mr.
Woods. Last night he gathered them up
in his capacious and took
the little fellows down to the Bates
House and ''set em up an around
him, and then for about half an hour the boys
wrestled with a substantial meal. If they are
not on hand this morning, Governor Gray will
know what is the matter. Miss Laura Ream,
the accomplished correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Commercial, who makes the Bates
House her home during the sessions of the
Legislature, kindly aided in the entertain
ment. We were expected, but arrived late, aud
there were more boys than supper in sight.
The extensive larder of smine host" of the
Bates soon remedIed the matter, however.
No one can make those Senate pages believe
that there are any better men on top of ground
than the senator from Lake.
The reading clerks of the Senate and House
win receive 81 extra per day for their services,
and well they do deserve it, and especially the
reading clerks of the Senate-they have called
the "ayes and nays" about every Is
minutes as an average through the session,
and .'aye and no" bid fair to ring in their ears
during the balance of their lives.
Lieutenant Governor Gray took Senator
Comstock to task for saying that he had car
ried certain bill around his pocket. He
gave the Wayne county senator to understand
very dignif1ed, courteous manner
that he knew the duties of his position, and
that was not one of them. The lieutenant
governor is one of the most gentle and court
eous of presiding officers. but beyond certain
point none dare to tread. He always lets sem
ators know just where that point Is. There is
no foolishness in his make up.
The information that the lieutenant COVER
nor was carrying this bill in his pocket was
sent to Cincinnati paper from Richmond,
with the additional piece of brilliant Informal
ton that the bill had become worn out and
soiled in his pocket; all of which is due to the
prolific imagination of the correspondent,
there not being grain of truth In any of 1t.
The exemption" bill reached the Senate
yesterday. The discussion developed con-
siderable hberality of feeling In the views of
some senators. Senator Hefron's head is es-
pecially level on the subject, also is that of
Senator Kent, who was perfectly willing to
take the House bill it stands, which ex-
empts 81 600, and allows the debtor to select of
what it may consist.
The News of last evening had spiteful
growl at Mr.. Willard, in connection with the
State House investigation, claiming that it
would cost the State 5000.
The trnth is that the con-
current resolution introduced by Mr.. Willard
yesterday, and which passed the House
almost unanimously, appropriates less than
$50 for the entire expenses of the committee,
including payment of witnesses and a full re-
port of testimony. This resolution was agreed
upon by the committee, after careful ex.
animation of accounts, and the News article
shows how reckless the statements
of partisan journals. The investigation
was well worth the sum paid for it, in
order that the people might be officially as
sured that there were no frauds in the lie ting
of the plan for the building of the State House.
We never thought there was any crooked
ness in connection with the present commits
sioners, but they may be all dead before the
State House is half finished. and their
places filed by less reliable men. Tho search
ing investigation just closed will probably
suggest to any such who may come in the flu
ture that strict Integrity must be the key note
of their actions.
The Journals criticism on DIR. Edwlns ac-
ton while in the House chair on Saturday,
does the doctor injustice. He says that the
motion to adjourn was properly made and SEQ
onoed, and he, presiding officer. put the
question affirmatively and negatively, and il
was carried clearly in the affirmative. He
therefore declared the House adjourned. That
is all there is TO it. He was not .srattled," as
the Journal terms it. His head was as clear as
q bell, and the "rattling," ffsany, was with
others.
Schweitzer, of Owen, sent a resolution up tt
the speaker yesterday, that $50 be allowed each
of the committee on temperance to visit the
city saloons to sample the different kinds O
water.
Speaker Cauthorne has made an admirable
presiding officer, and the convincing proof b
that only one or two appeals have been taken
from his decisions. He has been faithfully q
his post during the entire session. Courteous