The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-10
POLITICAL LEGISLATION
CAUCUS REFUSES TO MODIFY THE
LEGISLATIVE APPORTIONMENT.
And Rejects Mr.. ShiveIy's Bill for
Prison Management-May He
New Congress AppOrtiOnmcnt.

At the joint Republican caucus OF the
Senate and House last night several of the
political measures were disposed of. The
apportionment bill agreed on at the last
caucus was again ratified without modifica-
ton, and a substitute for the Shively bill
abolishing the present boards of control of
the prisons was adopted. as well as Sena-
tor Hugg's, custodian BILL
The first subject considered was the
Shively bill providing for an entire new
method of managing the penal institutions
of the State. 1t provides that the present
boards of control of the northern and
southern prisons shall be abolished and
that hereafter the affairs of those insti-
tutions shall be conducted by separate
boards of control OF three members each
to be appointed by the Governor, not more
than two of them at any one time from the
same political party This was the sticking
point. Some of the more radical thought
the Governor should he left untrammeled
by political considerations in making the
appointments, and although the bill had
been approved in caucus IL was held up in
the Senate a few days ago. A new bill was
reported last night, prepared by a COM
mittee composed of Senator Gilbert and
Representatives Willoughby and Harris. 1t
was essentially the same that of Senator
Shively, but makes no reference to political
considerations. After a rather prolonged
discussion the motion TO substitute the
Shively bill for the committees bill was
lost by vote of 46 to %, and the latter
was declared to be the caucus measure.
An hour and a half was consumed in the
informal discussion of a report on the legis-
lative apportionment The opponents of the
bill were given the fullest opportunity TO
speak in favor of the amendments they pro-
posed, but after a thorough discussion,
seemed satisfied that 1t was a physical i'm
possibility to make an apportionment that
would please everybody, he absolutely fair
and comply with the dictum of the Supreme
Court. When the bill came up in the House
last week it was opposed because residents
of Lagrange, Steuben and Rush counties
opposed 1t. The representative unit Is $40.
Lagrange and Steuben counties, with a
combined population of nearly nine thou
sand. were given but one representative.
while other counties with but little over
four thousand were given separate repre-
sentatives. Representative Thomas, OF
Rush county spoke at length last night on
this phase of the bill. He asserted that
while he had some objection to the bill 1t
was his determination TO abide by the de-
cision of the caucus, even though the
amendments he had to propose were not
adopted. The amendments were voted down
and the original bill again ratified. The
opinion was confidently expressed that the
bill will pass both houses.
AT the beginning of the session ii was
generally believed that IL was not the thing
to make new congressional apportionment
at this session of the Legislature. There
has been a growing belief the last few
days that this was a mistaken idea and
that new congressional districts should he
made. Last night Senator New gave no
tice that at the next session of the caucus
| he would move to reconsider the vote by
which il was decided, two weeks ago, not
to make a new congressional apportionment
this year.
The Hugo BILL providing for the creation
of superintendent of public buildings and
abolishing the offices of custodian and en-
gineer of the Statehouse, was also made a
caucus measure. If this bill becomes a
law, and there seems to be but little doubt
of it, Timothy Griffin will have to surrender
the comfortable berth he has so long held.