Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-03-22
Tbe Jnoepenoent
FRIDAY, MARCH %, 1901.
WHAT CONSTITUTES LAWMAKERS



numerous vicious and unnecessary /
bills defeated. The worth of a
member of the Legislature is not so
much in his success at getting bills
enacted into law, as IN keeping vi
cious measures from becoming laws.
His work in committee determines
his value as legislator to a very
great extent. Many of the best
Legislators introduced the fewest
bills, but accomplish the greatest re-
suits for the people by their vlgl-
lance in committee and their watch
fulness for dishonorable jobs and vi
cious bills.
Many vicious measures were I'M
dertsken in the last legislature as
are undertaken in every Legislature
and are quite successfully lODbied
until some vigilant senator or repre-
sentative exposes the real character
of the proposed laws. The repre-
sentative who discerns vicious bill
and by his efforts defeats it, is
worth more TO his constituency
than If he should succeed in getting
a dozen "pet" Measures passed, for
one bad law will injure more than a
dozen good ones can profit the peo-
pie. There were a number OF VI
cious bills before the legislature,
some of which were killed in COM
mittee, some by the senate and
some by the house.
The governors salary grab bill
never got out of the senate commit
tee. The republican leaders of the
senate wanted TO caucus on this bill,
but there were few who refused
TO abide by such caucus agree
ment and the bill died in committee.
1t could not have passed SO as to
enable Gov. Durbin to profit by the
proposed increase without suspen-
sion of the rules which requires a
two-thirds vote Even If the bill
had not died in committee the mi
nority could have controlled the Sit
uation and would have defeated the
bill. In such instances watchful
minority is useful.
The Muncie normal, NIncennes
claim and the epileptic asylum bills
each had some merits, but the fact
that the supporters of these bills re-
sorted to trading and dickering in
order to carry them through instead
Of resting the propositions upon
their merits was sufficient to justify
their defeat. These bills passed the
senate, but they all died in the
house. Senator Parks voted against
each of these measures.
The railroad consolidation bill
passed the senate with little opposi-
ton, but died in the house.
The telephone-monopolyb bill was
rushed through the house during
the last week and the members not
being given printed copy were un-
able to discern from the reading, its
harmful purpose, but when it got
to the senate printed copies were
ordered and watchful senators sent
it to its death.
The pawn-shop bill which passed
the senate met Its death in the house
on the first reading. 1t was vi
cious measure proposing to exact ID
per cent. from the poor people who
at times feel the necessity of raising
money on household or other goods
The Marshall county representative
exposed this bill and was credited
with defeating it. He also lead the
fight against the passage of the
bond and surety bill, which contem
plates the monopolizing of the lega
business of the state, increases tht
cost of settling estates and throw
the cost of the bonds of public off
Gals upon the taxpayers of the state
His efforts were unavailing agains
the work of powerful lobby.
Three bills, the valued insurance
policy bill, the Indianapolis labra
tory bill and the state school suppl,
board commission bill, were intro
duced in the senate, but neve
i