The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-22
1t Has the Approval of the school
Board and Contains Two Fea-
lures OF Importance.
USE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS
1T Is EXPLAINED BY VICE PRES
DENT SWEENEY, OF THE BOARD.
Talk of Successor to the Late Sena-
tor c. C. Binkley-Political News
OF General Interest.

A policy was inaugurated yesterday at
the caucus of the Republican senators
which, if carried out and Endorsed and fol-
lowed by the members of the lower house.
will insure session of the General Assem-
bly, this winter that will be record-break-
so far as economy and the disposition OF
legislation In a business-like manner are
concerned. Plans were outlined at the con-
ference for some radical departures in the
affairs of the Senate and the sentiment Of
the meeting was unanimous that the
forms proposed should be adhered TO. There
was not dissenting voice TO any OF the
changes suggested.
AS one result of the caucus Lieutenant
Governor Gilbert will in few days appoint
a committee TO revise the rules that have
governed the proceedings of the Senate for
several sessions. This committee will do
fits work at once and by the opening of the
Legislature will have a new set of rules
ready for adoption on the first day. Here
tofore at the opening of the Senate a COM
mittee on rules has been named. but IL has
always recommended that the old rules be
adopted temporarily. and then this action
has been made permanent. Changes will
be made this winter, and TO insure that
they are made without any waste of time
the committee was provided for yesterday.
An important change in the rules dis
cussed yesterday was one providing that
the public shall be excluded from the floor
of the Senate while that body is in session.
an exception to be made for representatives
of the press Many of the senator's thought
that the galleries were for the use OF vis-
tors and that the legislators should not be
bothered by the crowds that gather en- the
floor at interesting points in the proceed
ings Others thought that the public should
be excluded. with the proviso that each
senator be entitled to two visitors tickets
each day. This, however, IL was argued,
would be little Improvement upon present
conditions.
ANOTHER CHANGE PROPOSED.
Another change was in regard to the
committee, IL being proposed to do away
with some of the committees that have be-
| come obsolete-for instance, the commit
tee on swamp lands and drainage and the
one on natural gas-and the changing or
| committees that are incongruous. the ex-
| ample cited being the committee on federal
relations and the rights and privileges Of
| citizens of the State. These changes will
| all be considered by the committee to be
named by the lieutenant governor and the
Senate will be largely guided by its recon-
/ mendations.
AS a second result Of the conference It
was decided to do away with the "punder
committee" an informal and unauthorized.
but extremely important. committee that
| has been an adjunct Of sessions past This
committee has had the disposition OF the
various offices in the gift OF the Senate
Two years ago Senator Ball. of Muncie. and
Senator Joss, of Indianapolis, were prom
inent members of the plunder committee.
The new plan is to have all the positions
/ disposed of at a general majority caucus.
each senator nominating his man for the
position desired and the caucus ratifytng
| the selection provided that committee.
appointed yesterday. shall first be satisfied
that the proposed employe is thoroughly
| competent The members of this committee
are Senator Ball, of Muncie. Senator Goch-
enour. of North Manchester. and Senator
Wood, of Lafayette. The duties OF this
committee are to examine every applicant
| for a position in the Senate and pass upon
his qualifications. 1t is the idea Of the
senators that no incompetent employe be
appointed There have been instances in
which a man was appointed clerk who
| could neither read nor write or who had
only a very limited knowledge In that iine
and the senators purpose TO make no such
mistakes again. The principal engrossing
clerk and the principal Journal clerk shall
he selected with special reference to their
fitness for these important positions.
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.
The question of reducing the number Of
employes also received special consideration
and there was no one to oppose the propo-
sition to do away with large number OF
employes who have little TO do beyond
smoke good cigars and draw their salaries
II is difficult TO learn the exact number
of the employees of the Senate in recent
sessions The law contemplates about thir-
| tv-five or forty, but the real number has
been nearer twice the latter figure. So
much pressure has been brought to bear
| from this interest and that TO md place
| for politicians who have been active party
workers In a small way that the number
has swelled beyond reason. and the sena-
| tors argued yesterday that the time had
| come TO put a full stop and then do a
| little back-pedaling.
This movement may not prove generally
| popular but the senator's believe that IL
| will be a decided step toward an economical
| and businesslike session.
other questions were discussed informally
and certain courses outlined. but the inn
| portant results OF the conference have
| been cited The meeting was held I'm
Room ss at the statehonse and the follow
ing senators were present:
| BALL OF Muncie; Barcus. Terre Haute:
Barlow. Plainfeld; Burns. South Bend:
| Coates Winchester; Conlogue. Kendall
Vile; Crumbaker. Evansville: Crumpacker.
| Westville; Darby. Waterloo; Dausman.
Goshen. De Haven. Kokomo: Gard. Frank
fort; Gochenour, North Manchester; Good
! wine Williamsport; Hendee. Anderson;
| Kittinger, Anderson: Layman. Indianap-
| oils: Llndley. Noblesviile: Lyons. Fair
mount Matson. Indianapolis: Newhouss.
GreensburS: Parks. Plymouth Powell -