The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-11
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The Democrats in the Senate Oppose, but
Pass the Civil-Rights Bill.
Propositions to Make the Appellate Court an
Itinerant Judicial Concern-The Demo-
cratic Gerrymandering Schemes.

morning, and it was the subject of rather a
spirited debate. The bill was opposed on gen.
eral principles by Senator'S Hilligass, Magee and
others on the Democratic side, for the reason
that they believed that it gave the negro greater
rights than he should be allowed. Senators
Foulke, Youche and other Republican members
strongly upheld the party principle of equal
rights to all citizens, without regard to color or
nationality" and the discussion became political
in its tendency, with the Democrats against and
the Republicans for the rights of the negro.
Notwithstanding their opposition to the bill,
when the yeas and nays were demanded on the
passage, there were only three votes against it
Senator Benz and the Jay and Jennings Smiths.
THE APPELLATE COURT.
The bill for the creation of an appellate court
is likely to suffer from too much doctoring.
When it came up in the Senate on third reading,
yesterday afternoon, various schemes were sug-
gested regarding the system of its organization,
and finally it was referred back to the judiciary
committee for further consideration. 1t was pro-
posed that instead of FIVE jadges-one from each
Of the Supreme judicial district<trere should
be nine judges, divided between three districts,
in each of which terms of court should be held at
different places. 1t was suggested that Evans
vile and New Albany might be the points for
these terms in the First district. indianapolis and
-Asgansport in the Second, Fort Wayne and
South Ben@xfn the Third. 1t was proposed
that each of thepine judges should receive a sal
airy of 81, 600 ayears and, for clearinghouse reas-
ons, it was claimed that better judiciary service
could be obtained for So, 900 than for So, 500 a
year IL the judges were not required to reside IN
Indianapolis. Another proposition is that the
five judges provided for by the bill shall visit the
cities in the different parts of the State for the
purpose of holding terms of court, instead of re-
naming in indianapolis to rule upon all cases
appealed to them, as the Supreme Court does.
Senator Weir, the author of the bill, fears that
it will be overloaded with amendments, but he
expresses a willingness to accept any of the
propositions to make the court itinerant, if
thereby the enactment of the bill can be Sc
cured.
THE STATE MILITIA BILL.
The consideration of the State militia bill, as
reported in an amended form by the military
committee, was a special order in the Senate
yesterday afternoon. The amendments recon
mended by the committee reduce the amount of
the appropriation from $25, 600 to 500, 600, and
allow each man mustered into the militia So
instead of So a year for uniform. It's enactment
was urged by Senators Hilligass. Magee, and
Campbell of st. Joseph, and doubtless the bill
will pass the Senate, but there is little assurance
that it will be favorably received in the
LlOuSS WuCI0 % I'LL OulUOu( lLk Oil
the features of the Senate measure
was overwhelmingly defeated by the Democratic
majority. Although there is nothing political
in the matter, the opposition to the bill is wholly
Democratic. Acknowledgement Koontz and the
officers of the State militia, representing both
political parties. are working for the passage of
the bill, and if it is defeated it will be discourag-
ing to any further efforts to improve the militia
-Gfgan;zatian in the State. 1t was decided to
make the urther consideration of the bill a
special order for tomorrow morning, and to
take a vote u Don it at 1890 o'clock.
THE GERRYMANDERING SCHEMES.
1t is the disposition of the ''forty-eight ma
iority" to ~legislate more in the interest of the
Democratic party than the people. OF the many
bills that have been introduced, and the few that
are likely to pass, there are none receiving the
deliberate and absorbing attention that is be-
ing given the many apportionment
schemes that have been proposed for
she purpose of making the Democratic vote
spread over the State in a way to exclude Repub-
hcan congressional representation. The House
Rpportionment committees scheme, mentioned
yesterday would, upon the basis of the vote at
the last election, leave the Sixth and the Tenth
rs the only Republican districts in the State.
Representative Schley, of this county, has q bill
which has not been introduced yet, which pro-
Monroe from the Fifth to the Second district,
carrying Sullivan to the Eighth. Jefferson is
taken from the Fourth and added to the Third,
and, in exchange. Rush and Fayette are given
to the Fourth. Warren is transferred from the
Eighth into the boundaries Of the Tenth district.
Grant and Blackford are apportioned to the Sixth
in place of Rush and Fayette. With the changes
stated, and the loss of Grant and Blackford from
the Eleventh, the effect would be to leave the
Sixth and Tenth the only Republican districts.
The House committees bill has been agreed
upon in a caucus of the friends Of Speaker Jewett,
as the gerrymander which would materially
enhance his chances for going to Congress, as the
teal localities from which the young man
from Floyd" could draw strong support in q
nominating convention.