The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-29
New Measure Framed I'm the Attorney
Generals ONCE, and VIII
BE Presented.
Mr.. HUFF ALSO HAS A NEW BILL
WHICH WILL INTEREST THOSE WHO
ENLISTED IN THE LAST WAR.
Proceedings in the House Yesterday
-EIoauent speech by MIR. Powers
Progress of Various bills.

nave not become discouraged Dy the tISit-
ment the House accorded the bill to pre-
vent mobs on Friday, and yesterday new
bill was drawn up in the attorney generals
Office which leaves out the features of the
defeated bill which were objected to by the
members. The new bill defines the crime
Of lynching as did the other bill and con-
tains the same section providing for the
vacation Of the office by the sheriff or other
officer who permits a prisoner to be taken
from him. The punishment for the crime
of lynching is placed at death or life i'm
prisonment, as did the other bill.
The new bill further provides that prose-
cutions may be held on information, and
that indictments are not necessary The
bill is practically the same as the one de-
feated, with the features regarding the re-
coyery of damages eliminated. 1t will be
introduced by Mr.. Noel on the first roll call
for introduction of bills and will be an at
tempt by him to see If the members were
sincere in their opposition to the former
bill.
Another bill which win be presented at
the first opportunity viii be one by Mr..
Huff to repay to those who enlisted in the
United States service during the war with
Spain the sum withheld from their pay by
forms and other equipment they brought
with them. When the members of the IN
diana regiments were mustered into the
governments service they were fully uni
formed and equipped, and the government
made an allowance for their uniforms and
equipment. This allowance viii he repaid
TO the State, but each nan was charged
with the full amount and it was deducted
from his pay when he was mustered CIT.
The situation is that each man was COM
PEELED to pay for his equipment, AID, while
the United States government will pay the
State for it, each man can get his money
only by special Legislation. and this will be
the object of Mr.. Huffs bill.
THE COMMON SCHOOL BILL
The House yesterday morning, after
prayer by Rev. w. NJ. Whitsett, of Hyde
Park M. Z. Church, resumed consideration
of the bill by Mr.. Reece on the common
schools of the State Mr.. Neal sent in an
amendment that the tuition paid should not
exceed 81 a month for the attendance of
pupils at a high school, Mr.. Blankenship
sent in an amendment that a township or
joint township high school should be built
only when there were fifteen or more pupils
graduated from the common branches who
desired to attend. This was adopted, and
after two or three other amendments had
peen attempted and lost the bill was or
dered engrossed.
Mr. WIlIoughby became alarmed on the
SUBJECT OF smallpox, and presented a resO-
luton to detail one OF the assistant door
keepers as a special policeman to keep
from the House or from the Statehouse any
person who might be a menace on account
of the disease. Speaker IittletOn said that
smallpox Is becoming a serious question
here, as the disease is prevailing. 1t was his
understanding that the city would detail a
policeman for the Statehouse. A number Of
members expressed their approval of the
resolution, and after it was so amended as
to provide that the State Board of Health
should select the man the resolution Nyas
adopted. Speaker Littleton then announced
that he was prepared to decide the point
OF order as to the offering of amendments
10 the Constitution. He said he had con-
suited with the attorney general with the
judges of the Supreme Court, with the COM
mlttee OF the indianapolis Bar Association
on the question, and had decided that as the
last General Assembly had adopted two
amendments which are yet to come before
this General Assembly, no other amend
upon withdrew his proposed amendment
that county officers should hold their offices
for no more than four years out of any
Mr.. Fuller's bin regarding mechanics
liens was recommitted to the judiciary COM
nlttee, as there was a question regarding
It's TUE. MI. Hedgecock presented q resO-
luton providing for the appointment OF a
committee of three to investigate the cost of
purchasing an exhaust fan to improve the
ventilation of the House chamber Mr.
Roose arose and moved that -he resolution
be committed to the committee on draj1s and
dykes, but Speaker Iittleton said it was a
serious matter and was not deserving If
any attempts at Jokes. The Resolution was
adopted, and the speaker named Mr. Strong
Mr. Hedgecock and Mr.. Manifold as the
committee. Numerous attempts to adjourn
We're made, but the speaker ned them down
ana declared constantly that the noes had
the question 1t was finally decided that
10 ~ lTsarYYs L.
o'clock Monday morning.
STRONG PROTEST BY MR.. KNOTS.
Mr.. Mulfs bill to TAX land lying within
incorporated limits of any city or town
which are used for agricultural purposes
and are wholly unimproved, according to
the township rate of taxation, instead of
the city rate of taxation called out a strong
protest from Mr.. Knots, who is from Ham
mond. The bill provides that no trace, 10
be exempt from such taxation shall be Of
less than five acres in extent MIR. Brown
said there was an injustice IN taking in
land and then forcing the owner % pay the
burdens of city taxation. AR LoIlttir CON
tended that the bill is for the benefit Of
SPECTATORS only, and Mr.. Eichhorn answered
Mr.. Knots by producing the del'nfuent
tax list of Hammond showing The large
tracts of land ordered to lie sold The sill
was finally ordered engrossed by a vote Of
A ayes to % noes
Mr. Bonham's bin to prGyi6e for twenty
years statutes of limitation on schooI-fuDd
loans was amended so as 10 take out all Of
the essential features of the bill Mr. BON
ham then asked TO withdraw it, but as the
roll call had been commenced this was re-
fused and the bin was killed by striking
out the enaeting clause.
Mr.. kirkpatrick called up the motion to
reconsider the vote by which Mr. ROots's
bill to appropriate SSo0 for the temporary
care of the criminal insane at the State
Prison was defeated; and Mr.. Roots ex-
planned that he had an amendment to offer
which was signed by Mr.. Shi3eler and him
self. He said he was satisfied that ne and
Mr.. Shideler had not understood each other
the day before and he hoped to have the
vote reconsidered. Mr.. Roose said he be-
lieVed that the members had voted in good
faith on the bill the first time and he
moved to table the motion. This was done
and the bill was disposed of tAe third time.
The bill by Mr.. Powers providing that no
case involving less than $50 may be appealed
from a Justices court and that every
litigant shall have the right TO q trial by
jury, came up on two reports from the
judiciary committee. The majority favored
the indefinite postponement of the bin and
the minority recommended its passage. This
is the only bin that MIR. Powers has intro
duced at this session and he had never made
a speech until yesterday. On this report he
sentiment He said the tendency of the
times IS for the rich 10 get richer and the
poor. poorer. He made an eloquent speech
In defense of his bin and asked that the
minority report be adopted. He expressed
himself as in favor of arbitration and OF
abolishing courts altogether. Mr.. Powers
spoke ait length on his bin and scored the