The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-28
THE AGE OF CONSENT.
House Spends Most of the Day Argu-
ing the QuestiOn-Fixcd at Sixteen.

After concurring in the report of the
rights and privileges committee upon the
cigarette bills yesterday morning the House
devoted most Of the morning TO the intro
duction of new measures and about thirty
bills were introduced, the most interesting
of which was one by Mr.. Reynolds to en-
courage the growth of forests.
The Prison North committee reported
Willoughby's convict discharge bill favor
ably with an amendment and the House
concurred.
The concurrent resolution concerning in
spection of the drainage Of the Southern
Hospital adopted Tuesday came back with
the Senate amendment, striking out the
clause authorizing the employment of an
engineer and was discussed to some ex-
tent. The House concurred in the amend
ment. The bills passed in the Senate on
Monday and Tuesday were handed down
and went through first reading in the
House.
Mr.. Thomas's bill fixing the age of con-
sent at eighteen years was handed down
upon third reading. Mr.. Linck and Mr..
Packard spoke for the bill as a protection
to young girls. Messrs. East, Littleton,
Jones and Lambert spoke against it on
the ground that 1t would give adventur-
esses and lewd women great opportunities
for blackmail. Mr.. Smith spoke in favor of
the bill. clearing up the point tina it would
not interfere with early marriages. The
previous question vas demanded upon a
motion of Mr.. LittletOn to recommit with
instructions to make IL sixteen years. In
explaining his vote Mr.. Thomas made a
strong plea for morality and was ap-
plauded- The vote to recommit was lost
vote was 81 to "a to recommit.
At the beginning or the aft
ernoon session the bill was up for passage.
Mr.. Nicholson spoke for the measure and
the vote was taken under operation of the
previous question demanded by MIR. Hen
derson. Most members explained their votes
and many of those voting against it said
they would be glad to vote for a bill fixing
the age at sixteen. while some OF those
voting for it said they would prefer such
a bill. The measure was defeated by a
vote of 81 ayes to 10 noes, as follows:
Ayes-Messrs. Archibald. Babcock, Bar
lor, Blankenship, Canada. Clauser, Clay
comb. Cockrum, Engle. EichhOrn, Furness,
Gibson, Goddard, HALEY, Henderson,. Hub
bard, kell. Linck. McCrea. McGeath. Mony-
Record. Remington. Reynolds, Rifenburg.
Rosse. Sence. Smith of Tippecanoe,
Spooner, Stetler, Swope Thomas. Wallrath.
Noes-Berry, Bowers. Downey. East. FL
lott of Henry. Elliott Of Marion. Elliott of
nam, Hart. Hedgecock, Herod. Hicks.
James. Jernegan. Jones. Kayser. Knepper.
Littleton. Mann. March. Morris. O'Bannon,
patterson OF DdNltSSs I1lltiSOn OF L rank
lin. Patterson of Fulton. Purvis. Rhodes.
Ryan. Schaal. Schrader. Shideier, Sullivan,
Thornton. Titus, WAR. Wiener, Willough-
by-total, As.
Half an hour later Mr.. Littleton. by con-
sent, introduced the same bill with the age
limit at sixteen. He asked for a suspension
of the rules I'm order To place the bill upon
its passage and the rules were suspended
without opposition. Upon the second read
ing Mr.. Thomas offered an amendment
making il seventeen instead OF sixteen. Mr..
Smith raised the point of order that an
amendment could not be offered under sus-
pension of the rules. There was some argu-
ment upon the point of order and the
Speaker finally ruled il not we'll taken.
Mr.. Hicks then moved 10 table the amend
ment and his motion was carried by Il
vote of "a TO 80. Mr.. East offered an amend
ment making Ii fifteen years, but got no
second. The bill was then placed upon it's
senting vote.
Bills TO pay the following paving claims
against the State were taken up and