The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-12
THE SENATk'S SESSIONS.
nat B~inkley's Little J~oke-Senator
Ball Calls Up Normal Bill.

Had it not been for a bit of pleasantly
on the part of Senator Binkley at the close
of the afternoon session of the Senate yes
terday it would have passed unmarked by
a single diverting incident.
After a motion to adjourn had been put
President Gilbert, with a serious mien and
sepulchral tone, announced that there was
something Of Importance for the senators
to consider before they left the chamber.
A petition had been presented to the finance
committee. he said. signed by six of the
seven pages of the Senate, and while the
light of petition was inherent in every
American citizen. yet. in this instance. a
reflection had been cast upon the Senate
which IL could not afford to ignore. He
said he had promised Senator Binkley.
chairman of the finance committee. who
was very much incensed about the matter,
the privilege of publicly r~eprimanding the
pages for their untoward conduct, and he
then ordered the pages to line up in front
of the Senate. The little fellows, ranging
In age. from eight to fifteen with trembling
limbs, obeyed the order of the president
and, with startled faces, waited for Sena-
tor Binkley to begin. Their apprehension
was increased at this point by a suggestion
from Senator Burns that they be expelled
without a hearing. Senator Binkley, with a
menacing look, commanded the boys to face
the Senate and commenced his public ar
raignment He charged them with having
presented q peLltlO0 WHICH 0du OulIdBcu
the members Of the finance committee and
then dwelt on the condign punishment
which should be melted out to them for
such an offense. After keeping the boys In
dispense he finally accused them OF the ter
rible crime Of having presented a petition
asking for badges which they might wear
as an insignia of their rank. and then, to
their great surprise. he presented each boy
with q beautiful badge which. the president
of the Senate afterwards informed the
boys, had been purchased by Senator Bink-
- - M - .a ~.AAAAl -f4l
great applause by every senator in the
room.
BILLS ON SECOND READING.
The entire afternoon session was taken
up with bills on second reading. The bill
introduced by Senator Purcell, which pro-
vides for the issuing of bonds by the State
Of Indiana for the liquidation of the claim
of the board of trustees of Vincennes Uni
versity against the State, which had been
made a special order of business for 2
O'Clock. was postponed and made a special
order of usine for Feb. Il, at 2:30 p. m.
Among the bills advanced was the one in
troduced by Senator Thompson, regulating
the granting of divorces in Marion county.
Another bill by the same senator was also
advanced, but only after a prolonged de-
bate. The bill referred to taxation and
seeks TO amend the present law so that a
taxin officer shall be required In each in
stance to make an affidavit that he believes
an individual mas certain SeQueSlereQ prop
erty before he shall be allowed to search
for it on the records of any bank or other
like corporation. The opponents to the bill
maintained that it was aimed TO destroy the
efficacy of the present tax law. and was a
measure designed for the especial benefit
of the ''artful tax dodger." Senator Corr
offered a motion to strike out the enacting
clause, but IL was lost and the bill was
afterwards engrossed. The friends of the
bill maintain that il will make the present
law more efficient, because IL will allow the
date which will be acted on at once, and
will do away with the system of delay
practiced under the present law.
STATE NORMAL BILL.
In the morning Senator Balls bill to
create a state normal school at Muncie.
which had been ordered printed by the
committee On education, was called up by
it's author for second reading. A motion
was offered by Senator Layman to recon-
nit the bill to the committee on education,
for the reason that 1t was a measure Of
such Importance that further time should
be given for its consideration by the COM
mittee.
Senator Ball objected on the. ground that
Il was a scheme TO delay the passage of the
bill. He said the bill was before the Senate
and should remain there. as it might be
throttled by the committee without giving
the Senate a chance TO debate Its merits.
Senator Ball was supported in his argu-
ment by senator's StillWell, 1nman and
johnson. The motion of Senator Layman
was lost and the bill was advanced to en-
grossment without debate or amendment.
A lively debate ensued over Senator
Brooks's legal advertising bill, which finally
resulted in the author of the bill Directing
Ia it's engrossment. When the bill was
calleds up for second reading Senate Gwin
offered a motion to strike out the enacting
clause. In support of his motion he said
that the bill would work an injustice to
weekly papers and was designed for the
were owned by the senator from Lawrence.
He also minated that Senator Brooks.
who is chairman of the judiciary commit
tee, had his bill considered when there was
not a full meeting OF the committee present.
In reply 10 Senator Gwin Senator Brooks
insisted that all had been fair and above
board, and that no underhand methods had
been resorted to in order to advance the
bin.
INMAN'S CHARGE.
Senator Inman. who is a member of the
judiciary committee, openly accused Sena-
tor Brooks OF conduct approaching sharp
practice. He said he had Informed Sena-
tor Brooks that he wished To make n
minority report against the bill. but had
been given no opportunity for doing so. lie
said he sincrelely hoped the bill would not
be made a party measure In the Senate, as
there was no politics in it Senator Gwin