The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-22
TIE LATE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislature just adjourned having
been largely Democratic, of course the Re-
publicsns are seeking to discredit its work.
But the Republican critics are challenged to
cite General Assembly in which their party
held the ms ority which has enacted SO much
and so good legislation as the late one. They
are challenged to name any one feature of
the late Legislature which can be criticised
by any Republican Legislature. Its work
has been uniformly in The direction of pub.
lie economy. 1t has nowhere increased
general public expenditures, but has con
summsted, at various points, q reduction Of
expentes. lis legislation has been in the
interests of the people and markedly in the
interests Of the working people. Let rs go
into brief enumeration. Laws were enacted:
Requiring the full monthly payments of
employees engaged in manual or mechanical
labor and making the claims OF such en-
ployes preferred claims
Prohibiting forced contributions of money
or property from employees by corporations
or their Ulcers
AbolishiDg the Offices OF City Treasurer
and City Assessor in cities of over 10000
populati on, and providing for the discharge
Of these duties by the County Treasurer and
Township Assessors, respectively;
Amending Section 5.2O6 of the Revised
Statutes OF 1881 so that claims not exceeding
$50 for work performed at any time within
the previous six months, by laborlng men
or mechanics, shall be treated as preferred
debts against any corporation or person fail
ing, assigning or having his business sus-
pended by reditors;
Regulating the practice of medicine, sur
gerry obstetrics, and providing for the issuing
OF Licenses to practice by the County Clerk;
Giving to all people, without regard to
race or previous condition, the advantages OF
restaurants, inns, eating houses, barber
shops and all places of public accommoia.
ton and amusement, and providing penalty
for violation;
Authorizing the appointment of short.
hand reporters for courts of record in coun-
ties with 10000 or more inhabitants, but
fixing the compensation at not more than
S. for each day actually employed, whereas
heretofore $40 per day has been the pay
ReoTeanizing the Soldiers Orphans home
hn0 Ael SOI
and providing that three Trustees, one of
them woman aud the others honorably
discbar. ed Union soldiers. shall be appointed
by the Governor as Board of Management;
Reducing the tolls of Telephone Campo
mics from 81 and S. per instrument to s. 50
and s. each.
These are but q few of the excellent acts
of the Legislature. in addition to the laws
contaminated the General Assembly should
be credited with the act passed, but for con.
siitutionsl defects disapproved by the Gov
err or, for the establishment of the Court of
Appeals.
If this Legislature required an extra ses-
sion, so has its Republican predecessors.
But it can be said OF the late extra session
that its work was efficient. The passage of
the Telephone Reduction bill alone secured
q saving to the people which, in two years
time, will pay the entire expense of both the
reeu' ar and The extra session.
The Legislature should be judged by its
fruits, and 30 estimating it, the conclusion is
inevitable that it was an industrious body
and one enlisted in the interests of the peo
| pie.