The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-12
TIE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
fhe House Regards the Temporary
Loan Bill with Suspicion,
And Postpones Consideration of 1t Until Next
Wednesday-0ppositiOn to the State
University Appropriation.


The general fund in the State Treasury, which
has been getting alarmingly low, is now in dan
ger of being entirely exhausted before there is
anything done toward replenishing it. The
House, By its action on the temporary-loan bond
yesterday, evinces a disposition to make haste
slowly" even at the risk of having the prompt
payment Of the mueh.desired per diem cut off.
When the bill came up for passage it was OPP
posed by Mr.. GoodiHg, who intimated that there
was something wrong in relation to the matter
which was the cause of the haste to rush the Dill
through the Legislature. Mr.. Williams offered
a motion for the postponement of further
consideration until next Wednesday, for
the r1ason that the committee now investigating
the validity of the contracts for the construction
of the new Insane Hospitals, would then prob
ably be ready to report the amount that 1t would
be necessary to appropriate for the completion of
the buildings, which is the purpose for which it
is claimed the 5000, 900 temporary loan is mainly
needed. The motion was adopted by a vote of
6fty-four to thirty-seven, and III consequence.
even if the bill is finally passed, the treasury
will now be compelled TO run with the money
that is on hand, for at least ten days longer; but
If the fund in the meantime is exhausted, as it
probably will be, the members and employees of
the Legislature will be deprived of their per
diem until some provision is made for a tempo.
rary loan. A bill has been prepared-and may
be rushed through If an emergency arises
providing for a temporary loan to the general
fund of the State University endowment
THE STATE UNIVERSITY APPROPRIATION.
The bill appropriating $50, 900 for the benefit
Of tho State University at Bloomington, on ac-
count of the losses by fire, when the college
buildings were destroyed in 1888, came up for
final action in the House yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Gordon. of Putnam county, spoke for over
an hour in opposition TO it. He thought $50. 900
would be sufficient, and he favored the repeal of
the law authorizing the endowment tax for the
benefit OF the University. He made the asser-
ton that appropriations amounting to SAB, 600
for the University had already been asked at the
present session of the General Assembly. and he
said that of the AT students in the institution,
40 were students of Monroe county. Repre-
sentative Adams obtained the recognition of the
Speaker. butyielded for amotion to adjourn, and
ing. The hostility of Gordon to the in
s~titution, it is claimed by the friends of the
measure is due to the rivalry between the State
and De Paw universities. The latter is located
HI LMG COOubH AlOh OOl0Oh anu lN
is e. graduate Of IL. The discussion upon the
bill, when resumed, promises to be spirited and
prolonged. and, while it is believed the arpro-
priation will be made, it will be opposed by sew
eral of the Democratic members OF the Legisla-
ture.
METROPOLITAN POLICE BILL.
The committee on corporations in the House,
yesterday morning, presented a majority report
on the Butz metropolitan police bill, recommend
inn rho amaudmont of tho DroSaOf 1av Qxfapdipp
it's provisions to all cities of more than IL, 900
population, which will include Fort Wayne.
Terre Haute, Lafayette, New Albany,
Richmond and Logansport. Representative
Hayden, of Allen, offered a minority re-
port, recommending the indefinite post
ponement of the bin. There is much
opposition to the measure, and the Democratic
majority in the House is divided against itself
on the matter. The Fort Wayne represents
tives and the members from the neighboring
counties TO Allen are uncOmpromisingly OPP
posed to the system being extended to that city,
and yet, under the constitutional provision pro
hibfting special legislation, the law cannot be
made applicable to Terre Haute or the cities of
smaller population without including Fort
Wayne.
Representative Debs, the chairman of the
committee ON corporations, and a friend of the
bill, in speaking of the committee report, stated
to a Journal reporter yesterday afternoon that
the dmenOm0Ut proposed Dy Cu6 majority OF the
committee, making the law applicable to all
cities of more than Il, 900 inhabitants, instead Of
16, 900, was simply In compliance with the re-
quest of the smaller cities that desired the sys
tenn.
"Do you feel assured that the bin will be
passed.
w have no positive assurances. The sup
port of the bill is strong, but opposition is active.
The opposition comes mostly, | believe, from
Fort Wayne, where the local government is ire
trievably in the favor of the Democrats, and
they have no desire to share with the opposite
party the political patronage which they have in
their possession. There are special reasons why
we should have a metropolitan system in Terre
Haute. 1t is desired by the people generally.
We have a force now under metropolitan regu
lations, but it is under local authority, aud the
control of the Common Council. There are
many Democrats who will vote against the bill
as a matter of principle, because they believe in
local self-government. but the opposition, ]
think, will come wholly from the influence that
can be welded by the Fort Wayne people"
NO REDUCTION OF INTEREST.
The Williams bill. proposing a reduction Of
the legal rate of interest from 8 to 6 per cent.
which has been exhaustingiy discussed at al
stages of its progress, was finally disposed of in
the House yesterday morning. Although the
bill was engrossed, after the amendment which
reduced the proposed rate from z to 6 per cent,
II was, on. the third reading for passage, defeated
Wy q NoIc % % 10 "a, winch eIectuafly puts q
period to the interest legislation during the pres
ent session. The bill to reduce the rate on
school fund loans from S to 6 per cent will come
mp for final action this morning. and it will
probably be defeated by the same vote which
killed Mr.. Williams's bill yesterday.
Minor Mcmillan.
Romeo johnson is reporting the House pro-
eeedings for the Evening News and the Cincin.
eati Enquirer.