The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-31
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Resolution for an Investigation Ia
bled-The Vote-Buying Measure.

HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Resolution for an Investigation Ta-
bIed-The Vote-Buying Measure.
At the opening of the session in the House
yesterday Rev. Frank o. Ballard, pastor of
Memorial Presbyterian Church, offered
up and Mr.. Gerbers bill providing for vot-
ing machines was made a special order of
business for next Monday at 2 p. m.
House bill No. 80 when advanced to Sec
ond reading was made a special order for
Tuesday next at p m. The bill relates
to the regulation and adjustment of losses
by fire, lightning, tornadoes and explosion
by Insurance companies. etc. House bill
No. 15S to prevent the improper use and
dissertation of the United States flag. was
advanced to second reading and ordered en-
crossed. A bill by Mr.. Dirkson. one of the
principal features of which is to establish
graded schools as near the center of town.
ships possible when new ones are to be
established, was read a second time and
ordered engrossed. Among the other meas
ures advanced to second reading was House
bill No. 40, by Mr.. Scott, regulating the
transfer of children from one school cor
pOration TO another and fixing the price
of tuition. 1t was amended and ordered
engrossed. The principal amendment to the
bill was offered by Mr. James. 1t provides
that child shall be required to go. for
instance mile and a half to school
house In its own township or school cor
poration when there is another school a
mile distant in another corporation. In
such cases the trustee of the other cor
poration shall be required to transfer the
pupil. The amendment was adopted.
Mr.. Morgan objected to the engrossment
of Mr.. Murphy's bill legalizing the election
of officers in Incorporated towns, claiming
the act covered too long period. The OBJ
lection was tabled.
THE PASSAGE GAS BILL
Mr.. Passages bill regulating natural gas
companies and providing remedy for con-
sumers who pay in advance, ETC., passed to
engrossment after the emergency clause
had been stricken out, which was done on
motion of Mr.. Whitcomb. House bill No.
16, Mr.. Kirkman's measure regulating the
taking of fish and game, was handed down
for second reading and was made a special
order of business for Feb. at 10 o'clock
a. m.
Engrossed Senate bills No. 81 and No. &C
were read and referred to the proper COM
mittees, and House bill No. Ice was read
third time and passed. This bill was in
PRODUCED by Judge Roberts, of Dearborn
county. and applies only to the town OF
Aurora. Under its provisions the Aurora
Library Association may transfer its Ii
brary to the city. Mr.. Metskers trading
stamp bill was also passed by a vote OF
lS to 16 The author of the bill made a
long speech in its favor and was answered
py Representative Scott. The bill will
prevent the use of trading stamps in the
way they are commonly used now. There
is nothing in the measure, however, to
prevent the merchant placing his owr
trading stamps in packages of goods thai
he sells.
THE RESOLUTION KILLED.
Mr.. Murphy introduced a resolution pro.
viding for an investigation of the charges
against Superintendent Kelley, of the
Woman's Prison and Industrial School fol
Girls. The resolution was plainly a Dem
| ocratic measure, and Mr.. Erdlitzs motion
to table it prevailed by a vote of AZ ayes
| and 80 nays.
The chief argument of the morning arose
over the reports OF the committee on cleo
tons The committee reported on the bills
relating TO the buying and selling of votes
| One OF these bills was by Mr.. Sack, OF
| Johnson county, and provided for the con-
vlction Of both buyer and seller and fol
any attempt to buy sell votes. There
were two reports on this bill, the majorit,
Being against the measure. Mr. Minturi
explained the attitude of the majority OF
| the committee towards the bill He salt
| 1t was felt that the Caraway law which
| provides for the punishment Of the mar
| who sells his vote, should be allowed :
| chance to prove either a success or a fail
ure. The minority report in favor of tn,
| bill was made by Mr.. LAIR, who spoke OF
| the question. Mr.. Slack, the author O.
| the measure, also spoke for 1t and de
nounced what he called "the coward,
| act of the last Legislature in not puttins
| both buyer and seller on the equal" Mr.
| Van Fleet, Of Elkhart county spoke OIL
/ the measure. II believe Mr.. Stacks oil
| Is a good one.' he said, but am almos
driven TO vote against Ii because of hi.
speech 1t seems that every time mar
| on the other side of the house has some
| thing good he wants to claim ii for tn,
| Democrats" The speaker decried the ten
| dency to make campaign material in tn,
| House. Mr.. Statesman spoke In defens,
| of the Caraway law. Some one on tn
minority side of the House suggested tina
| if the buyer was not also to be punishe,
| I'm a law that convicted the seller, ther
| was no way TO reach the buyer of a vote
| Mr.. Statesman suggested that the buye
| could be reached through bribery charges
| and IN this correction Mr.. Whitcomb sug
| gested that not long ago prominent In
| dianapolis Democrat had been convicted o
| bribery. This brought Mr.. Slack TO hi
| feet, and pointing menacing finger a
| Mr.. Whitcomb he proceeded to ''get even
| by declaring that in the streets of Frank
| lin Oh election day a prominent Republican
/ boldly offered $50 for votes and declare
/ the vote taken the minority repor
| favoring the bill was rejected by a vot
| of IS TO 50.
MR.. ROBERTSS BILL.
Another report of the election committe
| was on the bill of Mr.. Roberts. OF Dearborn
county, providing for the punishment O
| the vote-buyer only. There were two re
ports, the minority being In favor of tn
| passage of the bill. On motion of Mr. Bon
| ham the minority report was tabled.
The Judiciary committee sent I'm two re
| ports on Mr. Mummert's bill in relation {
granting divorces and annulling marriage
| in certain cases. The majority report fav
| oring the bill was adopted. This bill give
authority to the guardian of an insane per
| son TO bring a suit for his ward for IN
| annullment of a marriage. Mr.. Mummert'
| bill Is based on a case which occurred 1
his own locality In which a woman wa
married to a man OF unsound mind an
Who was possessed of a good deal @
wealth. 1t was alleged that the woma
brought the marriage about with q view {
getting the benefit Of the mans property
Mr. Mummert says the difficulty that wa