The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-28
House spends Most of the Day Dis
cussing the Age OF Consent, and
Fixes 1t at Sixteen.
CIGARETTE BILL AGREED ON
SENATE PASSES THE TEN-PER-CENT.
INSURANCE MEASURE.
SWinebrecders' B~iII-HearinE on In
surance LegislatiOn-TaIk of
a "Shake-Up."

Cigarettes. the age of consent, insurance
and hog cholera We're the chief subjects
occupying the attention of the Legislature
yesterday. The rights and privileges COM
mittee of the House. to which have been re-
ferred about a dozen anti-cigarette bills of
various kinds. killed them all and brought
in "a bill prohibiting the sale of tobacco in
any form to minors and imposing fine and
Imprisonment not to exceed one year for
violation of the act. 1t is understood that
this measure is a compromise between the
demands of the W. C. T. L.. and the objec-
tons of the cigarette lobby, and is likely
to go through. 1t was made a special Or
der of business in the House next Monday
afternoon. Most of the time of the House
was spent upon the age-of-consent bill in
PRODUCED by Mr.. Thomas, fixing 1t at eight
cen years, which was up for passage. 1t
was discussed at great length and defeated
by Il heavy vote, though most of the men,
bers in explaining their votes declared that
they would vote for a bill raising the limit
from fourteen to sixteen years. Mr.. Little
ton, one of the opponents of the Thomas
bill, after the defeat of that measure, in
reduced a bill for sixteen years, and il
was passed unanimously under suspension
OF the rules.
Most of the morning session of the Sen
ate was occupied with a caucus of the two
parties. and then a joint conference over
the Culbert-Rogers contested election case
from Laporte county. The elections COM
mittee had come to a decision after mid
night to seat gilbert, the Republican con-
testant. In the consultation it was agreed
that the matter should be made a special
order for 1890 o'clock tomorrow morning,
and that an hour for argument should be
given to each side. The contest turns
upon charges of fraudulent voting, the
counting of spoiled ballots and the shut
ting out of qualified men from the polls.
The rest of the day the Senate occupied in
passing bills. The measure introduced by
Senator McCord. affecting insurance COM
panies, was discussed. 1t repeats the
clause in the old insurance law providing
that If an insurance company Incorporated
i'm this State fails to pay a fire loss within
sixty days the policy holder may recover a
penalty of 10 per cent. in addition to his
loss. This has acted as a great bar to the
organization of home companies. The bill
repeating it was passed by a heavy vote.
Another important measure that passed
the Senate was a bill prepared by the State
Association of Swinebreeders to prevent
the spread OF hog cholera. 1t requires the
s~trictest cleanliness and liberal use of dis
infectants in handling hogs by railroad
shippers, railroad companies and stock
yards. A bill by Senator Phares. requiring
veterinary surgeons TO obtain a license
from n state board, and another by Sen
atOr Houghton. concerning the widening OF
highways, were killed on third reading.
Minor measures passed were Senator
Hugg'S bill reducing the penalty for en-
Haz0Iofacnt urhnra tho nynnfIrf 10 Lass than
$50 to q minimum of five years imprison-
ment and $500 fine. and Senator Mulfs bill
requiring township trustees TO post notices
for thirty days previous to the sale of
nrODertY.