The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-17
THE LATE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislature just adjourned having
been largely Democratic, of course the Re-
| publicans are seeking to discredit its work.
But the Republican critics are challenged to
cite General Assembly In which their party
| held the majority which has enacted so much
and so good legislation as the late one. They
| ere challenged to name any one feature of
| the late Legislature which can be criticised
| by any Republican Legislature. Its work
| bas been uniformly in the direction of pub.
| lie economy. 1t has nowhere increased
general public expenditures, but has con
| summated, at various points, reduction @;
expenses. Its legislation has been in the
interests of the people and markedly in the
| interests of the working people. Let Us 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 officers;
Abolisbing the offices Of City Treasurer
and City Assessor in cities of oyer 10000
populate on, and providing for the discharge
Of these duties By the County Treasurer and
Township Assessors, respectively;
Amending Section 206 OF the Revised
Statutes of 1881 so that claims not exceeding
$50 for work performed at any time within
the previous six months, by labOripg men
or mechanics, shall be treated as preferred
debts against any corporation or person fail
ing, assigning or having his business sus-
pended by creditors;
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 10
race or previous condition, the advantages of
restaurants, inns, eating houses, barber.
shops and all places OF public accommoda.
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 Der day has been the pay;
Reorganizing the Soldiers Orphans Home
oAN ASy Auh
and providing that three Trustees, one of
them q woman and the Others bonorably
DISCHARGED Union soldiers, shall be appointed
by the Governor as a Board OF Management;
Reducing the tolls of Telephone Campo
MES from 81 and s. per instrument to 81 90
and S. each.
These are but few of the excellent acts
of the Legislature. In addition to the laws
consummsted the General Assembly should
be credited with the act passed, bat for con-
stitutionsl defects disspproved by the GOV
ernor, for the establishment of the Court of
Appeals.
II this Legislature required an extra ses-
sion, so has its Republican predecesso rs.
But 1t 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
regular and the extra session.
The Legislature should be Judged by its
fruits, and 50 estimating it. the conclusion is
inevitable that ii was an industrious body
and one enlisted in the interests of the PEG.
ne.