The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-01-14
Afternoon Session.

When the senate reassembled at , r.. IN.
the question of properly seating Mr.. Ma
gee came up for consideration. Mr.. How
ard offered a resolution hat the members
occupy the seats that were assigned TO
them by Librarian Dunn. This PROPOSE
ton met with strong opposition from the
republican side OF the house, and particu-
larly from those members who made their
selections upon the adjournment Of the
senate of 1889. After considerable dis
c%ussion, however, the resolution was
adopted, and there was a general chang
ing OF seats. Under the new arrangement
Mr.. Magee occupies a seat very near the
front of the middle row, while Mr.. HAYS
is relegated to the rear of the chamber on
that side of the house where republican
members most do congregate. This vex-
atious question having been settled, the
senate proceeded to the transaction OF
business.
At this stage of the proceedings Mr..
Magee startled his colleagues considerably
by the announcement that in his opinion
the senate had not been legally organized.
He said that he had made an exhaustive
research OF the statutes of Indiana and
had been unable to find any law empow-
ering the president of the senate to adj
minister the oath of Office to the members
thereof. Mr.. Magee said that in view OF
the fact that a great deal of political legis-
lation would be enacted during the session
this was a matter of great importance. In
the event that the question became in
volved in litigation it was Just possible
that the supreme court would decide that
the senate had not been legally organized
and its acts would 90 for naught.
Mr.. Magee's speech made a decided i'm
preston upon the democrats, and the ne
cessity of the new members taking the
oath OF office O second time from the
proper authority quickly dawned upon
their minds. A motion to this effect was
adopted, aud Judge Elliott of the supreme
court, called upon to administer the oath.
Mr.. Grimes of Vigo, who was seated in a
contested election two years ago, was
sworn In with the new members.
\ resolution was adopted authorizing
the secretary of the senate to make requi-
sitions upon the bureau of printing for
printing and stationery.
Mr.. Hubbell offered a resolution that
the secretary be instructed to provide for
the use of the members fifty copies of the
revised statutes and the session laws
passed since 1881.
Mr.. Ewing's amendment to include a
similar number Of Elliott's supplements
led to a very animated discussion. Mr..
Byrd supported the amendment and
Messrs. Burke and Hubbell opposed it
strenously, especially the former. Mr..
Burke said that he had no objection what
ever to the senate being supplied with the
revised statutes and the session laws for
the reason that they could be procured
free Of cost. The attempt to foist the
Elliott supplement upon the body was
merely the shallow scheme OF a publish
ing company, and he proposed to fight the
proposition. The number of copies of
which this amendment contemplated the
purchase meant the expenditure of sew
eral hundred dollars. Besides this a great
many OF the members were in possession
of copies of the aforesaid supplement.
They were available to those not so fortu-
nate in the law library. The amendment
was defeated and the original resolution
adopted.
A resolution adopted by the board of
agriculture recommending that the gen.
eral assembly appoint a commission TO