The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-09
IN SENATE.
SATURDAY, March


LENGTH or SESSIONS.
On motion Of Mr.. BRYANT the resolu.
ton II. r 13-see page 222l proposing an
amendment to the Constitution increasing
the regular term Of The General Assembly
from sixty to 100 dayf and the extra from
forty to Fifty days, was taken up. Amend.
ments were offered 70 substitute a fx,d
salary for members in place OF per diem.
Mr.. WINTER moved to pay members 800,
payable quarterly.
Mr.. WILLARD moved 20 amend the
amendment by making il $780, De said:
/ believe the salary should be commensu.
rate with the length o. the session. The State
OF New York pays her representatives 81 500
Every time that fee and salary bill bill is
attempted to be passed we fnd protests
against II. / state that the average salary of
the four principal Offices in every coan ~ in
the State is not less thOn $1,000, aud yet
these gentlemen have the opportunity of
engaging III various kinds OF business, and
they always say II is little enough.
have TO come to this CITY,
practically abandoning their business, and
devote their tine 10 the State for the paltry
sum of So day. This is a constitutional
amendment, and will 90 20 the people and
whether it is too much or too little.
Mr.. FOULKE: don't think man ought
TO become member OF the legislature for
the purpose of making money. In the EDg-
lish Parliament there is DO money paid the
members. There ought TO be enough paid
to the members 10 pay expenses and enable
q poor man te come to the Legislature Just
as well rich man. 1 think that
$500 viii be sufficient 10 Tay the prob
sble expenses OF any man who chooses to
fth y IA uxI.f
rot TO exclude poor, deserving man from
the Le legislature on account of the ex penses.
MIR. MAGEE: To pay legislators the pitt
sole sun Of 500 would serve to procure the
cheapest class Of legislators Men would
cone here with no experience. Men OF OK
perience could not afford TO leave their bust
nets and cone here TO legisiate Every other
State pays their legislators differently.
think that resolution ought to q the salary
at 81 900 or 81 500 year.
Mr- MCCLURE: l generally stand op-
pcsfd TO all amendments 10 the Constitution.
think that sixty days il sufficient time
for us TO legislate il behalf of the interests
81 the State, il, after We come up here. we
attend to our business and accomplish il a
the shortest time. Ny fIst experience in
tie Legislature was under the old Constitu-
ton, when the Democratic party came ia
nnder retrecchment aud reform. By joint
resolution at that time We limited ourselves
q elk weeks of Legislation. and we eccom-
time received only So day.
Dir. JOHNSON, OF Tippecanoe: j think it
worid be proper to make the compensation
5000 for she two years, payable at the time OF
the Legislature. IL would enable the legis-
lators 10 pay for their expenditures while
here.
The amendment to Il e amendment was re.
iected by yeas 10 nays -
Mr.. DRAKE, IN explsEat.on OF his vote,
said: | sm opposed 10 the amendment and
rosolutfor Thoro world ba r,o accasioy, for
the extension of the time to legislate any
longer than sixty days If the members at
tended to their duty. The people will never
vote TO keep the Legislature in session 100
days, and then have them called fifty days
longer. IL the time spent on the Apportion-
ment bill had been spent on the Appro pria d.
ton bill and the Knightstown bill, We might
be ready to 60 home. vote mo"
Nj. MCCULLOUGH: / am opposed to
amending the Constitution. Bat IL we are
compelled to sit 100 days and then be called
10 sit fifty days more, think 5000 is ABOUT
right.
Mr.. MCINTOSH: l am opposed to the
observation-disclosures and resolution. The peo-
PIE will vote this resolution down. ] vote
'ro."
Mr. RAHM: L am in favor of the consti.
tusionsl amendment tightening the session
TO 100 days. i was a member OF the session
of ISL and We sat 101 days and then did not
get through with the business. | vote no.
Mr.. SELLERS: 1 am in favor of the reso
linton and amendments. Senators ssy all
necessary legislation may be Iagssd in sixty
Gays, but IL has not been done. / believe
the passage of the resolution will save the
people Of the State more money than the
extra expense Incurred by it. The matters
will be more fully considered, and ii will
not tie necessary 10 hurry through immature
bills. believe that the people will ratifY
these amendments and adopt them. think
every body believes that the time is too
short. / know from experiences that the
salary received will not Jay the expenses Of
i. the members of the Legislature. vote
aye"
Mr SMITH, of Jay: intend to vote for
this smendment because / think that $500 is
small enough even IL this resolution is
iouted
Mr. WILLARD: Since 1852 the populs
tion OF the State has more than doubled and
the business o. the Stats has more than mul-
tipied ten times. We enacted the C0Dssi-
tution OF 1852 for 3 comparatively pioneer
people. We now find ourselves iowa ID the
close OF the nineteenth century with diversi.
ned industries, sitting only sixty days In
two years. Other Legislatures sit three,
four, i've aud six months. From 1851 20 the
present time no General Assembly has
passed a General Appropriation bill in sixty
Gays. il IL false economy to continue IN
tession only sixty days. vote aye"
The vote was then announced as above.
an inehectual motion was made to lay
tie amendment (Mr. Winter's) on the table.
Mr.. CAMPBELL. OF st. Joseph, moved TO
smerd the amendment by inserting 500 for
$500. payable annually lie laid There Is
certain amount of gush that causes some
men TO desire TO work without a sufficient
conversation. There is not Senator upon
this hoor who has any valuable business bat
What absolutely loses money in the neglect
II bis business.
on motion by Mr.. HILLIGA ASS the reso
iu;ion and amendments were incednitely
postponed By yeas 2s nays -.
oRnrE or BUSINESS.
ON motion by Mr. WILLARD, n was or.
, .sfsd fha, the special orders. as they 40 psa-
On the Presidents desk the bills s. 235. 2G1
II R DO 40 % II Il l3 II ]. R IL s