The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-16

Fifty-Efght Bills Introduced and Re-
fcrred to Committees.

fcrred to Committees.
The Senate began to do business in earn
est yesterday. there being a total of fifty
eight bills presented and referred to various
committees at the morning session.
The morning session, which began at 10
o'clock, was opened with prayer by the
Rev. William A. Quayle, pastor of the
Meridian-street Church. of this city.
motion to dispense with the reading of the
journal, by Senator Cregor. was opposed
by Senators Wood and Ball, who both in
sisted that the journal should show that
both houses were present when the vote
for Governor and Lieutenant Governor was
canvassed yesterday The motion was lost,
and the clerk proceeded with the reading
of the journal for several minutes. when
Senator Osborne arose and made a motion
that only such part of the journal as re-
lated TO the joint canvass of the vote on
the day before should be read. the motion
carrying unanimously.
A message was received from the House
notifying the Senate that the House had
passed the appropriation bill which pro-
vides S105,000 for the expenses of the Gen.
eral Assembly.
The motion of Senator Ball to suspend the
rules and allow each senator to introduce
many bills at yesterdays session as he
desired was adopted.
Next in order of business was the intro
duction of resolutions; Senator Joss sub
mitted a resolution asking that the Senate
committee on elections take up the Ryan
Fleming contest. in Allen county, at once
and make report on the case as soon as
possible, which was adopted. The motion
of Senator Lambert to istruct the secre-
tary of the State Printing Board to have
1000 additional copies of the pamphlet con-
tanning Governor Mounts message and
Governor Durbin's address was lost Sena-
tor Lambert explained that he had made
the motion under a misapprehension of the
number that had already been ordered
printed. essf-r
A HISTORIC GAvEL.
The regular routine of the Senate was
interrupted at this point by the presenta-
ton by Senator Agnew of a gavel made
from wood brought from Porto Rico by
Walter A. Evans, of Valparaiso, who is
in the quartermaster's department on the
island. The wood was taken from the gat-
ing of an old window in the old fortress of
FL MORO, which has guarded the entrance
tc San Juan harbor for more than 300 years.
The handle was made from piece of wood
taken by Col. Russell B. Harrison from the
military barracks at Ponce, the principal
city on the south side of the island. The
gavel was carried by page up to Presi-
dent Gilbert. who responded briefly to
the token.
Two joint resolutions were next intro
duced, one of which seeks to amend the
State Constitution to allow the use
OF voting machines, and the other amend
ing the Constitution so as to extend the
term of all county officers TO four years
and making any person Ineligible for re-
election who has held a county Office for
eight years. >
The order of business next taken UP was
the introduction of bills, and when the
roll call had been concluded the record
showed that a total of fifty-eight bills had
been presented and referred TO the various
committees. "A synopsis of the more i'm
portant of these bills is given elsewhere
in the paper: Following the presentation
OF bills the Senate, on motion of Senator
Ball, adjourned for the forenoon.
IN THE AFTERNOON
The afternoon session convened promptly
that resolutions would be In order, where
upon Senator Ball submitted motion to
send House bill No. l. appropriating sos, 900
for the expenses of the present General
Assembly, back to the House. He ex-
planned that the House had passed the
appropriation bill at its morning session
and had then sent the original bill to the
Senate. instead of an engrossed bill, as re-
and the bill was returned to the House.
Senator Joss offered a resolution requir-
ing the secretary of the Senate to prepare
a calendar every Monday morning showing
the status for the week of the various bills
of the Senate and to place the same On
the desks of the senators In order that
they may more conveniently acquaint them
selves with the business transacted by the
Senate. The resolution was adopted
President Gilbert called the attention
of the senator's to the fact that there was
now plenty of work for the committees to
do, and requested them to announce any
committee meetings that might have been
| arranged for last night. A half hours re-
cess was taken to allow the committees to
get together, during which time the COM
| mittee on rules. of which President Gilbert
| is chairman, met in the Office of the Lieu
| tenant Governor and informally discussed
number of proposed revisions in last
years rules. President Gilbert said after
ward that nothing was done at the meet
| ing, and that in all probability there would
| be but few changes, mostly of minor
character, in the present rules under which
| the Senate is working
At the expiration of the recess the Senate
met, and on motion of Senator Parks ad-
| journed until 10 o'clock this morning