The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-08
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
A Specific Appropriation Bill Agreed
Upon and Engrossed by the House.
The Senate on the General Appropriation
Bill-Enactment of the Bill Prohibiting
the Importation Of Foreign Labor.

There were many empty seats in the House
during the afternoon session yesterday, and the
absence of a corresponding number of members
could only be accounted for by a joint session of
Che base bali clubs out on the Seventh street
grounds The Speaker was moved to give ex-
preston to the observation that the House
looked very much as if there might
be ball game somewhere in the vi
entity. There were a sufficient number
Of members present to transact business, but
the proceeding were embarrassing. the only
thing occurring to enliven the session being a
brief, somewhat spirited discussion over a mo-
ton to incorporate in the specific appropriation
bill an item allowing NJ r. Slater the sum of
81, 254 for printing Office at Franklin, destroyed
by company of Pennsylvania Union soldiers
sduring the war, to which Mr.. Brownlee earnestly
Iobjeeted because the newspaper had made itself
offensive by advocating dsloyal sentiments. Mr..
Helms declared that, although the printing ma
terial had been thrown into the street, it had not
kbeen entirely destroyed, because he had himself
afterwards purchased part of il, and the al
legged damaged press, he stated is now in use at
Bloomington The proposition to allow the
claim was defeated.
THE APPROPRIATIONS.
The House concluded consideration of the spe-
ciic appropriation bill, as a committee of the
WHOLE during the afternoon. Additional items
were, one by one, tackled to the bill, until it was
made about twice as long as it was in its original
form, and the aggregate amount of the appro-
Friations was nearly doubled, the total
reaching somewhere between 1926. 900 and
$I50,000 The bill was engrossed last
evening, and will doubtless be passed today.
IA aly
by the Senate but if the discussion in the SEES
sion as committee of the whole is prolonged to
the same extent that it was over the items In
the general appropriations, it is doubtful If the
bill can be finally passed before the end of the
session next Monday.
The whole of the afternoon yesterday was
devoted by the Senate to the further discussion
Of the general appropriation bill, but there were
no changes from the allowances agreed upon in
the committee of the whole. There are yet nine
items in the bill to be considered before a vote
will be reached. and even after it has been
passed it will be necessary to have committee
of conference between the Senate and House to
bring about compromise on items aggregating
something more than $50, 600.
MINOR MENTION
Senator Baiiey's bill prohibiting the importa-
ton to Indiana of foreign laborers to work under
contract was enacted yesterday.
The House last night held its first evening
session since it entered upon its last lease Of ex-
istence, and before the hour of adjournment
there was an almost unanimous sentiment
against holding another
There are only FIVE moro working days of the
session within the time fixed for final adjourn
ment and of the nearly 1000 bills which have
been introduced there are over 200, it is es.
timated, upon which there can be no final action.
Martin Morrison, the reading clerk of the
House. is something of phenomenon to visitors
70 the legislative halls His voice is a marvel of
vocal power, and if he should some day let it out
to the limit of its possibilities the windows in
indianapolis would probably rattle. During
the session of the House last night he could be
distinctly heard calling the rolls for distanceof
nearly two squares north of the court -house.