The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-20
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Knightstown Institution Bill Rushed
Through Both the House and Senate.
The Metropolitan Police Bill Efectually
Killed in the Senate-An Appropriation
Of 100000 for the Special Session.


The bill for the reorganization of the Soldiers
Orphans Home and the Asylum for Feeble
minded Children, at Knightstown, which the
General Assembly could not find time to con-
slider during the regular session, was rushed
through both branches of the Legislature yes
terday. 1t was passed in the House during the
morning. under the operation of the previous
question, by unanimous vote, and it was taken
up for consideration in the Senate during the
afternoon. 1t was amended so as to require that
there shall be four trustees for the institution,
one Of whom shall be a woman. and that the SUI
perintendent may be a woman. A proposition
similar to the latter, offered by Representative
Staley, was rejected by the House when it had
the bin under consideration The salary of the
superintendent was increased from 81 200, as the
bill provided, to 81 500 and of the trustees from
400 to $500 year Another amendment also
absolutely requires that the soldiers orphans
shall be separated from the feeble-mindsd
children. The bill was passed by unanimous
vote, under a suspension of the rules The sum-
mary action was intended az lesson to the
House. The bill viii necessarily have to be re-
ate amendments before it can be made law.
DEFEAT OF THE METROPOLITAN POLICE BILL
The metropolitan police bill was overwhelm-
tngiy defeated in the Senate yesterday after
noon, after somewhat prolonged debate An
effort was made to concliate the Fort Wayne
opponents of the measure by proposing to
patch it in such way as to relieve
Fort Wayne from its provisions but it was not
received with favor The previous question on
the amendment was demanded by several of the
Democratic senator's for the purpose of prevent
ing any discussion upon it, but Senator Hilligass
vigorously opposed the unfair proposition, and
declared that, as one Of the majority, he was
determined that there should be free express
sion of opinion on the measure, if his influence
would aid in securing it. A motion
% indefinitely postpone the bill was
aesT.sedb veto of 80 yeas against IA nays.
The senators voting for the indefinite postpone
ment were Atkinson, Brown, Campbell of st.
Joseph, Day, Ernest. Foulke. Hill. Hilligass.
Hoover, Huston, Johnston, Macy, Marshall,
May, Mcclure, Mccullough, Mcintosh, Null,
Overstreet. Peterson, Rahm, Richardson, Shive-
ly, Smith of Jay, Smith of Jennings. Smith of
Delaware, Thompson, Weir, Youche and Zim-
norman. The Democrats who voted against the
bin said to have been actuated in doing SO by
she promise given at the Democratic caucus that
the measure should be dropped if its opponents
would unite in the support of the gerrymander
ing bills.
ANOTHER PER DIEM APPROPRIATION.
A bill was introduced in the House yesterday
morning by Representative French appropriating
$50 600 for the expenses of the special session of
the General Assembly, and it was Immediately
passed, under suspension of the rules The
bill was called up in the Senate during the after
noon, and an effort was made to rush it through
to final enactment, but there was objection to
such tsat pro ssaTgs for the rea
the senators that there was legislation
needing attention which is of more Importance
% the people of the State than bill for the pay
ment of the members and attaches of the Legis-
lature. 1t was allowed, however, to be read the
first time, and was referred to the committee on
finance Until it finally passes, the members
and employees cannot draw any of their salary
for the special session. and it was this that
caused the impatient effort to get 1t enacted.
FENCING IN THE RAILWAYS.
A bill of extraordinary Importance to the rail-
way companies having lines running through In
diana passed the House yesterday afternoon 1t
requires that all companies shall build fences
along their roads through improved lands, and if
they fail to do so the land owners may have the
fences built at the expense of the railway com
pany. In addition, the company is made liable
FOR damages when stock is killed. The bill is
similar to law that is in operation in several
neighboring States. 1t will be something of
hardship upon the companies which are making
no profits but it will not seriously affect the bet
ter class of companies, nearly all of which now
have fences along their rights of way. 1t is be-
lieved to be good law, in its general provisions
both for the railway companies and for the
public
MINOR MENTION.
Yesterday morning all of the senators pre-
scented petitions from their constituents asking
the passage of bill requiring that the effects of
alcoholic stimulants and narcotics shall be
taught in the public schools. The petitions, the
signatures to which numbered several thousand,
were all referred to the committee on temper
ance without reading.
Representative Sayre's bill. introduced yesters
day. limiting the number of members in the
General Assembly to thirty in the Senate and
sixty in the House. did not meet the appreciation
of the Democrats for spoils members 1t was in
the nature of an economical measure, as well as
a wise one, because it would save the State $780,,
600 every two years and would expedite legisla
ton. However, Economist Gooding violently
opposed it and promptly moved to reject tia
moot unfair and extraordinary proceeding. The
bill, however, was allowed, by a majority vote.
TO 60 to committee for consideration.