The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-30

BASEBALL BILL GOES THROUGH.
House Holds Lively Afternoon Session,
With Statesman I'm the Chair.
There were several interesting features of
the session of the House yesterday after
noon. Booth Harrington introduced his
first bill, Representative Statesman welded
the gavel for the first time. the bill per-
hitting the playing of baseball on Sunday
in this city passed. and there were
parliamentary Tits on two or three ques-
lions that made the proceedings seem more
like the real article than anything that has
occurred during the session.
Contrary to expectations. and the hopes
OF many Of the members and spectators
who wanted to hear Harrington again. the
baseball bill passed without discus
sion. 1t was handed down about the middle
OF the afternoon and placed at once on its
passage. During the roll call the interest
OF the friends OF the bill was at fever
heat, because about twenty of the members
declined to vote one way the other and
there were more noes than had been ex-
pected. However, the total showed sixty
votes for the bill to twenty-one against il,
and II was safely passed. Mr.. Muir, of
ton that the vote be reconsidered and
that that motion be laid upon the table
the parliamentary form to prevent any fu-
ture reconsideration of the vote by which
the bill was passed-and his motion pre-
vailed. The House can take no further &C
ton on the measure and it is now up to the
Senate.
w. III. Watkins and Charles Ruschaupt,
the owners OF the Indianapolis club of the
American Association, were perhaps the
most interested spectators during these
proceedings and the smiles that Illuminated
their faces when it was known that the
Dill had passed were worth going miles 10
see. Some little opposition to the bill had
developed among the ministers of the city,
but as IL was Endorsed by the press, the
Central Labor Union and the business men
OF indianapolis the opposition had little eff
Mr.. Branch. of Morgan, availed himself
OF the opportunity to take dig at the
county in general by explaining his vote
and declaring that he supported the
measure because IL affects only this city
and he had come to the conclusion that the
sole purpose OF the General Assembly was
to give Marion county everything it
wanted.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
Reports of committees was the first order
of business, and the following bills were
advanced to second reading on favorable
recommendations: House bills, Nos. 81, pro-
viding a sliding scale for the minimum
wages for school teachers; 142. authorizing
the establishment of manual training
school in Evansville; 2l1. concerning the
construction of free gravel and macadam-
lied roads; III. regulating the time for
filing reports by foreign insurance COM
panies; 10. requiring safety appliances on
| steam boilers, and 10, providing for in
crease IN the State school tax levy from IL
TO 20 cents; and Senate bills Nos. 9. pro-
viding pensions for disabled or retired po-
licemen in Evansville: 81. amending the
Fort wayne charter In regard to sidewalk
I INN Ii
tam acts of the mayor and Common Coun-
Gil OF Jacksonville, and g. exempting GER
tain funds OF fraternal and beneficiary as
sociations and orders from taxation
The following bills were killed on UNI
favorable reports: House bills Nos. 1l3, reg
ulating the minimum wages of school
teachers: Isl, providing for deaf and dumb
school In Evansville to be supported in part
by the State: 2l9. requiring county audi
tors to advertise the amount OF school
funds not loaned; 20, providing for the
making of annual reports to circuit Judges
by county officers. and 220. authorizing the
owners of traction and road engines to run
same on the public highways
House bills Nos go concerning pleading
ana proof In action against common car
riers for loss OF personal property; l59, au-
thorizing cities OF less than $1,000 to grant
to sewer companies the right TO construct
sewers, and "a, egalizing the proceedings
or the town or Warren, Huntington county,
| passed without opposition.
w
At this stage in the proceedings Speaker
Marshall called Mr.. Statesman to the chair
As the gentleman from Miami grasped the
gavel that two years ago he coveted he
was greeted with a spontaneous burst of
applause from all parts OF the hall. He
smiled genially at the opening ripple. but
as IT was prolonged and renewed and pro-
longed again, a rosy blush spread over his
fana and
his neck. He recovered from his temporary
embarrassment. however, and turned the
situation neatly as quiet was restored.
The demonstration Is entirely in order"
! he said.
Mr.. Statesman handed down House bill
No. Z, providing for the restriction of dam
gerous. communicable diseases. on its third
reading, and In an effort To amend or re-
commit II the House tied itself in parlia-
mentary knot that required an arbitrary
ruling by the chair TO untangle. Mr.. Branch
wanted to amend the bill so that measles
| would not be declared a dangerous disease
and he offered motion that the bill be re-
committed to the committee on rights and
| privileges. which Mr.. Statesman held out of
| order on the ground that instructions as TO
the amendment must accompany recommit-
ment on third reading. Mr.. Sayre read
from the rules 10 show that the chair was
| in error In his ruling. but the chair stood
by his guns. Mr.. Branch then came TO the
| front again with motion for recommit-
ment to the committee on health with in
structions to strike out the word measles
| A general squabble arose over this as Mr.
Sayre sought to amend the motion by hav-
| ing the bill referred to the committee on
rights and privileges. In the end. by gem
| eral consent the bill was sent back TO the
| committee on health without instructions
This furry had not fairly subsidized when
another arose over MIR. Wright's voting
machine bill. which came up on second
reading.
Mr.. Branch offered an amendment max
! ing the adoption of voting machines COM
| pusory in every county in the State and
providing that the State should pay for the
machines. On motion by Mr.. Kirkman
! this amendment was tabled by an over
whelming vote. Mr.. Branch had another
amendment ready I'm case the first failed
/ which provided that the adoption of ma
1 chimes should be compulsory in every coun-
! ". but that the counties should pay for
them. and he offered IL. only to have il
| tabled.
FUN WITH THE SPEAKER
| Then the fun began and the temporary
! speaker was given the run OF his life. Mr.
Stookey offered a minor amendment that
was tabled. Mr.. Wright moved that the
bill be advanced to engrossment. but on
| motion of MIR. Stookey this motion was also
tabled. when ar. Slack added 10 the gen.
eral confusion with motion that the