The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-26

Appellate Court Measure Goes Through
School ana Prize-Fighting Bills.
The Appellate Court bill written by
Judge Elliott and introduced by Mr. Gull
lop was read the third time in the House
yesterday. AS 1t now reads the bill does
not change the original term of life of the
court Two previous efforts to rush this
bill through under suspension of the rules
had failed. 1t gives the Appellate Court
final jurisdiction In all mlsdemeanor cases.
all civil cases originating in justices
courts, all cases of purely money questions
involving $500 or less. all actions TO re-
cover specific personal property. all
actions In regard TO decedents' estates
and actions In regard to administrators.
executors or guardians. 1t excerpts from
this jurisdiction all cases where the con-
stitutlonality of a statute or validity OF an
ordinance Is involved, and certain suits In
equity. The only change in the old law is
raising the jurisdiction In money suits from
81. 200 to $500. and giving the judges the
right to say what cases shall be reported.
Mr.. Guthrie moved to strike out the enact
ing clause. because it made the court per-
petual. 1t was discovered that this Origi-
nal intent of the bill was mentioned IN the
present title. Mr.. Cullop explained that
nothing of the kind was in the body of the
bill and asked permission to correct the
title. Mr.. Wright thought that if the APP
pellate Court had caught up with the work
laid out for 1t 1t ought to be abolished. Mr..
Hench spoke for the bill. and the bill
passed.
Mr. MoCallisters bill, repeating the law
of 1889 permitting county commissioners
to make donations to educational institu-
lions, came up for final passage. and Nc
Callister made a speech, detailing again
how that rIch corporation" Wabash Col
lege. had gotten gift of $4,000 from the
County Commissioners of Montgomery not
long ago. When the roll-call began Mr.
Alder voted for the bill and said few
words in favor of il. The bill passed by a
vote of 72 ayes and noes.
SCHOOLS AND POLITICS MIXED.
Mr.. McMullen's bill requiring the
election of school trustees by the people
instead of town or city councils or trustees
came up on third reading yesterday. The
important provisions of the bill are as fol-
lows:
AT the first election held after the first day Of
April, 1893, In each and every city and town, ac-
eording to the United States census of 1890, of
less than fifty thousand inhabitants, there shall
be elected three school trustees, who shall hold
their Office for the terms of one. two and three
years, respectively, as said trustees sh ali deter
mine by lot upon their organization, and annu-
ally thereafter there shall be elected one trustee
in each city and town, who shall hold his office
for the period OF three years; said trustees shall
constitute the school board of the city town,
and before entering upon the duties of their Of
flee shall take an oath faithfully to discharge the
duties of the same; they shall meet within five
days after their election and organize by elect
ing one of their number as president as
secretary, and one as treasurer. The treasurer,
before entering upon the duties of his Office shall
execute a bond to the acceptance OF the county
auditor. conditioned as In ordinary official bonds,
with at least TWO sufficient freehold sureties, who
shall not be members OF said board, in a sum
not less than double the amount ofmoney which
may come into his hands within one year by vir
fna nf hia
shall each give bond with like sureties to be APP
proved by the county auditor, In any sum not
less than one-third OF the treasurer's bond. All
vacancies that may occur In said board
of school trustees shall be filled by the Com
mon Council of the city or board of trustees OF
the town, bur such election to fill vacancy shall
only be for the unexpired term.
Mr. MoMullen spoke for the bill. saying
that It wonld cut off much corruption that
now exists. Mr.. Mauwarng sp oke against
IL. At his home there was no politics in
the schools and they did not want any.
Mr. Eench made vehement speech against
it. They wanted no such thing in Fort
Wayne and Terry Hoote.o as he called 10.
He rambled off into q glorious eulogy of the
Democratic party and Grover Cleveland,
but several Democrats called HIM TO order
on the ground that he was not speaking to
the question,
Mr.. McMahon spoke for the bill and let
the cat out of the bag. Why. he even
knew of Democratic towns where there
were Repu blican school trustees! Could
these things BET The people THAT is to say
the politiciansl ought to know who was to
be q school trustee when they were voting;
they ought TO have a chance to know who
was to select the teachers
Mr. Sulzer made a brief speech against
the bill. pleading elOquently for the pres
emit system of pon-partisan school boards
which had for most part held the schools
above parties and politics. He was OBJ
posed to dragging IndIana's schools into
the mire of partisan politics. He gave
sharp answer TO Hench's political argu-
ment by pointing to the celebrated gerry
mander.
DIR. Passage announced himself against
the bill. and then made remarkable ex.
PLANTATION of the gerrymander. saying it
was "a disposition of Providence" that the