The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-25
WORK IN THE SENATE.
High Schools for Townships Discussed
During the Morning.

The most important event in the Senate
yesterday morning was the special order
for the discussion of Senate bill No. %, by
Senator Goodwine providing that the
trustees of all townships shall be compelled
to build graded high school in their town.
ships, or, if desirable join with the trustee
of another township in the erection and
maintenance OF such school for the bene-
fit of both townships. Failing in either of
these propositions, then to pay The tuition
of all pupils of the township who, being
competent, desire to take a high-school
course. the bill had been favorably re-
ported by the committee on education, but
when called up for second reading several
amendments had been offered. Senator
Horner was violent in his opposition to the
bill, claiming that there were many town
ships in the State which had no need of
such a school and were not prepared to
build one.
Senator Drummond took the first step
to bring the matter up yesterday by max
ing a motion to reconsider the former vote
Of the Senate on Senator Horner's amend
ment, which provided that the building of
such schools should be left to the discre-
ton of the township trustees. Senator
Drummond asked that the proposition be
township the right to accept either one of the
conditions of the law, and in case the town
ship was not ready to build a school. or it
was impracticable to unite with another
township in the support of such school,
the trustee could, al his Opuon pay me
tuition Of eligible pupils in the nearest high
school.
Senator Shea, in support of the bill, said
that it might be true that there were town
ships which could not support high schools,
but that fact did not alter the righteousness
of the claim; that no township had the right
to deny to any bright country boy or girl
the right to demand a high-SchoOl educa-
ton. nor to exclude them from the same
educational advantages city boys and girls
Senator Hogate said he was heartily in
favor of giving every boy or girl who
wanted it a high-school education, but did
not believe in the advisability of giving
township trustees any discretion in the mat
ter of providing it.
Senator Nusbaum said he thought the mat
ter has been presented sufficiently from all
sides, and asked that the rules be suspend
ed and the bill placed on its passage His
taken Immediately after the Senate con-
Vened at o'clock, the Lieutenant Gov
ernor saying that he wished to establish
the practice of adjourning promptly at II
o'clock each noon and suggesting that the
vote could just as well be taken at as at
Il o'clock.
TAXATION OF REAL ESTATE.
The only other work done during the
several committee reports. One of these
brought on a heated discussion before it
was finally disposed of. The judiciary COM
mittee brought in a divided report on Sena-
tor Balls bill exempting from taxation up
to $1,000 all real estate on which there was
a mortgage. A majority of the committee
asked that it be indefinitely postponed, while
minority thought it should be passed.
Senator Ball, in asking to have the minority
report substituted for the majority report
said that the real estate of the State was
bearing an unjust proportion of the taxes,
and that the bill tended to distribute the
burden more evenly.
Senator Newly held that the most of the
MORTGAGES were not on the homes of small
property owners, but that the rule, as he
had found it. was that most of them were
paid for. He held that by eXempting the
property from taxation to the amount of the
mortgage, up to $1,000, the burden of taxa
ton would be added on those who had paid
for their homes. He did not think it fair to
discriminate In FAVOR OF the man who had
mortgage on his property, against a man
who went out and borrowed his money on
his personal security or note and had no
visible outstanding claim against his home
The latter man, said he, would be obliged to
pay. the entire valuation Of his property,
while the man whose debt was apparent
would be exempted to the amount of that
obligation.
Senator Hawkins called attention to the
fact that most OF the mortgages against
real estate of Indiana are now held by non
residents, who could not be compelled TO
pay a tax on it, and If the bill passed it
would not only result i'm cutting down the
tax returns materially, but would create an
inducement among small property owners
to place mortgages on their property, either
as genuine obligations or as a subterfuge
to avoid paying the tax on the total valua-
ton.
Senator Agnew said he thought any law
unjust which exempted any private proper
ty from taxation, as 1t encouraged and put
o premium on Indebtedness. Senator Drum
onI1d in adv he oa Of hah
said that it was the duty of the State to
protect the little man as well as the big
man." and therefore, in answering the ar
gument of Senator Hawkins, he suggested
that as the mortgages against property
would be matter of record it would be
possible to compel the owner Of the mort
gage to pay the tax on it.
"ONE OF THE POOR MEN"
Senator Wood upheld the bill, saying that
its passage would equalize taxation. Hub
bell said he was lone of the poor men,"
but was against the bill, because it would
encourage poor men to mortgage their
property. and that when a mortgage would
be placed on property under the proposed
law the lender Of money would insert a pro-
vision in the mortgage note making the
mortgageor pay the entire tax due on the
property This, he said, would not tighten
the burden on the small taxpayer but
would be. in effect, double taxation
On mOIOn OF senator Lambert, 1t was 0e-
cided to adopt the minority report in favor
of the bill.
The bills reported favorably were as fol-
lows:
Judiciary-No. 16S: To destroy the growth
of the Canadian thistle; No. 1903: Regulating
the assignment of mortgages; No. 9S:
Amending the mechanics lien law
-Engrossed House bill No.
lis: Requiring county commissioners to
have prepared complete plans and specifica-
lions before advertising for bids on any pub
lie Improvement.
Public Buildings and Libraries-No. 1875:
Concerning libraries established for public
use by private donations; No. oil: Providing
for the better collection and distribution of
state documents; No. 165 Allowing the Ii
braries of Bedford TO consolidate.
Public Health-No. 76: Enarging the pow
ers of the State Board of Health; No. 81
Forbidding the sale OF aduterated food and
drugs No. ISL Prohibiting the sale and
manufacture of adulterated candy.
cities and Towns-No. 1875: Regulating the
assessments and liens against property for
the building of sidewalks.
Labor--No ll2: Creating n state depart
nlent Of inspection ana abOliShing the Of
flee of factory inspector.
Revision of the Consutution-Joint resolu-
ton No. e. introduced in 1897 by Senator
Early, increasing the Supreme Court.
The bills reported unfaVorably by the va
rious committees were:
Judcary--No. 1866: Regulating the admits
istration of relief to poor persons and spec
flying the duties of overseers; to be referred
to the committee on county and township
business. No. l19: Fixing the time when
county officers shall assume their positions
No IS Exempting that portion of property