The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-15
What the Two Branches of the Legis-
Iature Are Likely to Take I'D
During This Week.
BUILDING AND LOAN MEASURE
POLITICAL LEGISLATION TO BE
CLEANED UP IN A FEW DAYS.
Little Likelihood of an Educational
BiIl-ApprOpriatiOns Not Likely to
Vary Much from 1895.

nhlI weeks OF working time, and hdlt
week Of that must be devoted to the con-
sideration of the general appropriation bill.
so that 1t has practically but three weeks
in which to dispose of the hundreds of bills
before it. among the more important of
which are bills on legislative apportion-
ment, amending the election law, on build
ing and loan associations, on trusts, on
prison management. the conversion of
the Prison South into a reforIlatory, on
the revision of the local government laws,
on cigarettes. on pure foods and drugs, on
the practice of medicine, on the practice of
pharmacy, the general education bill and
the street-railroad BILL This congestion of
legislation does not arise from inactivity
during the early part of the session, for
this Assembly has worked harder than
most of its predecessors, but from the fact
that there is more legislation of general i'm,
portance before this session than has come
up for years past. And by the same token
there has been more general interest dis
played in this session than in any for years
past.
The majority passed the critical stage
with it's political legislation when the ap-
portionment bill was put through the House
last week, but the political work is not
quiteN done yet. The Senate will take up
and pass the apportionment bill this week,
though it will probably devote the major
portion of one day to discussion of il. 1t
will also probably pass the prison control
bill this week, and this will clean the Sem
ate calendar of political legislation. The
House has yet TO pass the election BILL the
metropolitan police bill and the prison bill,
and it is probable that none of these will
get further along than second reading this
week, as the majority there is not large
enough to suspend the rules.
The building and loan bill may get
through the House this week. The men,
bers will find this morning printed copies
of the bill on their desks. and the commit
tee VIII ask that a time be set early in the
week to discuss the measure on second
reading. Those familiar with the building
and loan business, and not directly inter-
ested. declare that this bill is far the most
satisfactory that has yet been suggested
on the subject. The Senate committee has
not yet made its report, but it is the ex-
pectation of it's members that it will
port q bill substantially the same as that
in the House, with the one exception that
the Senate committee favors any per cent.
limit for interest and premium. This was
the bone of contention in the joint meet
they were able to agree upon all other
points of the bill, they disagreed on this.
Antitrust legislation has made no fur
Their progress in either house than favor
able committee report. The Senate COM
mittee has reported favorably the Gilbert
bill. which the Journal printed in full last
Wednesday. The House has reported the
Linck bill, which the Journal printed when
it was introduced. a month ago. This is
an exact copy of the Georgia law There is
a general feeling that the Legislature
should not adjourn without passing an
antitrust bill. but it begins TO look bit
dubious as to whether either of these
house in which IL originated. There is not
such q wide difference between the two
measures. however, as TO make il impossi-
bic to come to an agreement. The difficulty
lies in the fact that there is nobody suff-
GENTLY interested in seeing an antitrust
bill passed to devote their time TO ii. while
there are many large interests who are OPP
posing il and are paying attorneys to argue
and work against ii.
There will probably be no further argu-
ment or difficulty over the anti-cigarette
bill. The Senate has taken up the measure
passed by the House and amended it by
eliminating the clause referring to cigars
and tobacco. AS the bill stands Ii prohibits,
under heavy penalties, the sale of cigar
of age. In this shape the Senate will pass
it. and the House will probably accept the
amendments.
1t begins to look very doubtful whether
there will be any general educational bill
passed at this session. 1t is such a big sub
ject and the members feel so little compe-
tent TO make a general overhauling of the
educational system of the State that they
do not feel like undertaking it unless there
is general agreement upon measure by
the educators. The arguments before the
committee of the two houses have shown
that there Is anything but general agree
ment and scarcely n day passes that some
feature of the Geeting bill to which he OBJ
jects. The bill was never completed and
given to the puolc until the session had
begun, and the time for discussion has
been short in proportion to the great i'm
portance of the subject. 1t seems likely
that the agitation started at this session
will be carried on during the next two
years and result in action ut the next SEES
sion of the Legislature
The two professional bills dealing with
the practice Of medicine and OF pharmacy
have not progressed very rapidly. though
the latter is further along its way than the
first. 1t has come to third reading in the
House and has been put in .uch shape that
1t will pass that body with little or no op-
position. The medical bill W III come up for
discussion upon second reading in the
House to-day. Indiana is one of the very
few States in the Union tt;st does not reg
ulate the practice of medicine and surgery
with proper safeguards. This Is n measure
upon which the physicians of the leading
schools are agreed. and the only opposition
that has thus far developed 10 II has been
pushed by concerns in Chicago.
There has been no such fight against a
pure-food bill at this session as was sue
Ccssfully made two years ago. when all eff
forts in that direction were smothered in
committee through the active efforts OF the
wholesale grocers' lobby. pretty thor
oush measure. introduced by senator
Shively. has passed the Senate, and will
probably be taken up for consideration in
the House tbs latter part of this week
IL covers drugs well as all sorts of
food products. The wholesale grocers lob
byists declare that instead of this hill they
favor the Hurty general-health bill. Ii Is
easier for them 10 do this, for the Hurry
bill carries with IL s'.ch AN expense that II
stands no more chance OF passing than
does SNOWFALL in midsummer
The appropriation bill will be drawn and
introduced in the House, along with the
tax-levy bill, early this week There will
be no change in the levies from those of
two years ago, and the changes I'm the an
preparations for maintenance of the state
institutions will be comparatively slight.
~ te1W fhar.1 lin