The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-10
The Minority Report TO "Indefnitely
Postpone" Was COncurred In
Yesterday.
VOTE OF 81 TO SO RECORDED
BILL PROVIDED FOR A UNIFORM SYs-
TEN OF KEEPING ACCOUNTS.
Senator Hugg's COntributOry NegIi-
IntrOduced-CO mmittee Meetings.

The first Of the county and township COM
mission bills to receive the consideration
of the House appeared yesterday afternoon,
and the consideration it received was scant.
The bill was the one introduced by Senator
New providing for a uniform method of
keeping county and township books. The
bill further provided that the blanks should
be prescribed by the auditor of state. AS
it passed the Senate it was reported by the
House committee county and township
business with two reports. The majority re-
port recommended its passage and the mi
nority report signed by Mr.. Reser and Mr..
Green, recommended indefinite postpone
ment.
The question was first on the adoption of
the minority report and Mr.. Reser was
recognized. He proclaimed the bill TO be the
worst monstrosity he ever saw. He read
that portion which stated that the auditor
of state should prescribe the blank forms
to be used by all county and township Off
GERS and said he regretted he was not in
the printing business in Indianapolis so that
he could secure this contract. He did not
believe that a uniform system is necessary,
for it would cost many thousands of dollars.
He supposed case where the county officers
had books which cost them large sums of
money and which would not be used up for
three four or five years. and yet this bill
would force them to throw those books away
and purchase new ones. He said that no
two banks or business houses use the same
system, yet their systems are so near alike
that an expert accountant can go over their
books without trouble. He did not believe
that the state auditor could do the work
this bill required without at least ten addi-
reminded the MEM
bers that the policy of this Legislature is
against the creation of new offices. He said
that the bill specifically provided for one
salary and that the deputy auditor should
have travelling expenses and unlimited al
lowances for stationery etc. He declared
the intent of the bill to be to centralize
power in the Statehouse, and pronounced it
paternalism of the worst kind and un-Amer
lean and unpatriotic. The bill. he said, re-
ferred to the county council and the ad-
visory board when no such things exist in
the State
Mr. Reser then INDUCED himself in per-
sonalites regarding those who had no con-
nection with this bill in any way. He said
the bill is not to appoint a state officer to
look after state affairs, but 1t says N cf
feet 1.-The county and township officers Go
not know how to look after business, and
we will send out a man to show the deluded
country people how to do it.. Further
more, Mr.. Reser said, the power 10 prose-
cute, which is vested in the deputy auditor,
is a dangerous power. If the county or
township officers, he declared, used ledger
with two columns when three columns had
been prescribed, they would be liable to Il
fine and Imprisonment. The deputy au-
ditor could force them to draw four lines
one way and five lines another, he said. lie
drew an imaginary picture of the visit of
the deputy auditor to his county. how he
would examine the books, call in the Off
GERS. find fault that they had not complied
with some small thing and then call in the
prosecutor and prosecute them Mr.. Reser
closed by asking that the minority report
time, but he was given the time of Mr..
O Damon, Democrat, and Mr.. Lief Popu-
list, IN which to finish his speech.
MR.. BLANKENSHIP REPLIES.
Mr.. Blankenship, as acting chairman of
the committee, replied to Mr. Reser. He
said he never knew a session of the Legis-
lature when county otncers were not as
sessed to pay the expenses of looking after
legislation for their benefit or preventing
legislation that was hostile to their inter-
ests This he knew from experience, hav-
ing been a county officer once himself, and
in addition he had many letters which have
been sent to him by men now in office.
showing what efforts are being put forth
to defeat these bills. He charged that dur
ing the morning the president of the Coun-
ty Officers Association had been in the
ante-room with a stenographer debating
amendments to the bill Turning to Mr.
Reser he said: You were sent here to legis-
late for the people and not in the interests
OF corporations and such associations. Mr.
Blankenship said the township officers are
organized and that the time has come to
stand up for the rights of the people, as the
taxpayers are being robbed in every coun-
counties.
Mr. Murphy of White, moved the previous
question and the roll was called. Just before
the vote was announced Mr.. CaraWay
it is not expected that this result will be
accepted without another contest. On the
question of -concurring in the minority re-
port to indefinitely postpone the vote was
81 ayes and 38 noes. The detailed vote was:
Yeas-Aikin, Baker of Whitley, Baker of
Martin, Brown, Burkhart, Caraway, Clark,
Washington, Cotner, Cunningham Dilley,
Durham, DoGWney, Eichhornf Furness.
cock, Herod, Herrold, James. Knots. Krick,
LAIR. Lawrence, Left, McGary, Marshall,
Miller. McCarty, Madden, Marsh, May; Nor
O'Bannon, Powers, Reser, Schrader, Schaal,
Shirley, Sullivan and Wise.
Nays-Artman, Barlow Beardsey, Blank
enshp Bonham, Burrier, Canada, Fuller
Glossbrenner, Hayes, Hays, Heuring, Hol-
comb HUFF, Kerwood, King, Kirkpatrick.
Noel Osborn, Owen Rifenburg, Roose,
Roots, Scott of Montgomery Scott of Law
renee, Shideler, Somers, Stevens. Strong,
Titus Whitcomb of Vigo, Whitcomb OF Ma
Iion, Willoughby and Littleton.
Acknowledgements. Cravens of Monroe,
Roberts, Ross, Vogel and Williams.
Under the leadership of Mr.. Eichhorn
Senator Hugg's bill on contributory negH-
gence was sent through on a run and after
the required number of votes had been re-
ceived salt was rubbed into the gaping
wound of the opponents by cinching its
passage This is the bill which caused two
fights in which much was heard about cor
porationS" and corporation influence" The
bill provides that il shall not be necessary
in suits for personal damages for the plain
tiff to prove the want of contributory negli-
gence. When the bin was first considered
on its second reading an amendment was
forced through which materially weakened
the effect Of the bill. On the next day the
bill was reconsidered and the amendment
stricken out, so that it came up on third
reading in its original form. Mr.. Eichhorn
moved to take up the bill yesterday and
the motion carried with q rush He rose
and said that when the bill was under con-
Sideration before the statement had been
made that its passage was favored by none
but the weaker lawyers, in order that dam
age suits might be the more readily brought
members of the Marion County Bar Associa-
ton asking for the passage Of the bill The
House insisted on hearing the names of the
signers and for some time Mr.. Eichhorn
stood on the floor reading them.
MIR. NOEL'S REMARKS
Mr.. Noel. who had championed the amend
ment which was lost. said that every name
that could be secured to such a petition
was on that paper and he did not hear the
names Of many eminent attorneys whom he