The St. Louis Republic., 1903-01-30
Decides That Bill Can Be With
drawn From Committee Only
by Two-Thirds Vote.
SEVERE CRITICISM AWAKENED.
Minority May Often BE Able to De-
feat Will Of Majority-New
Bills Introduced in the
Legislature. -
" A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

| Springfield, ILL.,, Jan. ~ - Inc senate
awoke from its inactivity to-day. It's COM
mittee announcements were made and the
report OF the Committee on Rules was rem
dered. In the latter was a provision requir-
| ing two-thirds vote to recall bill from
committee. which is considered almost revo-
lutionary in character, since 1t takes the
power of legislation from the majority.
| The provision Of the rules states specif-
| cally that when bill is referred to a COM
mittee 1t may be recalled only by a sus-
pension of rules. which requires two
thirds vote. Senator Parker led the fight
| against the adoption of this innovation.
He preferred a substitute, the effect OF
| which was that majority could recall.
Il do not see." said Senator Parker on the
| floor. how it can be thought either wise or
| necessary that a bill should be absolutely
| buried in a committee. notwithstanding the
| fact that a majority of the Senate may be
J opposed to such action. l do not charge.
nor do suppose, that any of the Senators
now have in mind the purpose of taking
any particular bill or class of bills and con-
signing them to oblivion but do say that
such a purpose might spring up In the
course of business. and do say that this
new rule which has been brought In here
is unreasonable. unfair and unnecessary"
SUBSTITUTE DEFEATED.
On roll call the Parker substitute was laid
on the table by a vote of % to 5. The nays
we're Senators Bailey. Dunlap. Fort. Par-
ker. Putnam, Riley, Pemberton and Wal
ter.
The Senates action is causing much con-
cern and awakening severe critieism. Lieu, Lieu,
tenant Governor Northcott this afternoon
said the rule taking from the presiding Of
ficer the power to appoint conference COM
mittees could be seriously criticisea out ,,bl bl
the other matter he declared that the pup.
lie will be much concerned IN It, since II
takes away the constitutional right of the
ma tority to govern legislation:
finder this rule" he continued, "a ma
jority of the representatives of a sovereign
people Of the State would be powerless to
free government on earth would such rule
be permitted to stand, and certainly the
Senate of Illinois cannot afford to rest un. %
der such a rule moment longer than the
first opportunity for its revision
After the heated debate on the report OF
the Committee on Rules and the committee
announcements twenty-three new bills were
introduced. OF these Senator Berry intro
duced four, two Of which have general sig
One provides that the Attorney General
must institute all suits in which the State
of Illinois is interested II is aimed at the
conduct litigation for boards and commits
sions. method by which. 1t is alleged.
nois and Michigan Drainage Canal Commits
sioners and for which accounting has not
been made.
Senator Juni introduced bills Nos. 6s to 90
constituting the first series of about eighty
bills, the recommendations of the Practice
4, to the
The provisions apply to numerous phases
Of legal practice.
The last bill. No. s6. introduced by Stub
blefeld, authorizes the Soldiers Home at
Quincy to admit as inmates the wives Of
old soldiers and sailors who may now be in
the home.
STATE CHARITY COMMISSION.
The second of the important Berry bills
gives to the State Commissioners of Public
Charities the authority to control all Of the
State charitable institutions, and abolishes
the boards of trustees of these institutions
and requires the Commissioners to perform
all the duties now imposed upon the trus-
tees.
Just before final adjournment of the Sem
ate. Senator Parker introduced a resolution
calling for an inspection Of State institu-
tions on the ground that it is commonly be-
neved that the State institutions. commits
sions and boards lack in Straightforward
business methods The resolution provides
shall visit the institutions. call upon them
for their books. examine them. and report
upon a method which shall guarantee a
uniform manner of keeping the accounts
and thus make possible effective compari-
sion between the expenditures in all depart
ments
The House session was a mere formality.
though several new bills were introduced
BY Joint resolution the House and Senate
adjourned until Tuesday Of next week. The
House committees cannot be announced be-
fore next Thursday. as the report Of the
House Committee on Rules will first be
rendered. That committee cannot report for
given. It is probable the Committee on
Rules will not report before Thursday or
Friday, and that the House committees will
not be made public until the week follow
ing.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS INTERESTS
Southern Illinois has evinced decided in
terest in the two bills offered in the House
Oem.). both Of Centralia. The Bundy bill
affects the assessments of taxable property
and the Pullen bill deals with the method
Of taxing Illinois Central Railroad property.
These and the judicial apportionment ques-
tion of the matters now formally before
for the Southern part Of the State.
The Bundy bill resurrects an old problem
how best to harmonic the interests OF the
County. and those Of the counties OF lesser
population. Last session the matter of
changing the ratio Of the sssessable value to
Chicago interests won.
The assessments are now made on a ba-
This is the maximum upon which taxes can i
be levied at the rate of Is cents to 800. |
the constitutional limit. In populous Cook
County, where values are high. one-flfth of
the cash value. taxed at IS cents on the
500 is productive Of revenue sufiicient to
meet the needs Of the schools and the other
benefciaries of county revenues. But in
the south the one-ffth ratio, 1t ie claimed.
does not give a sum large enough to pro-
duce the county income necessary to sus-
tain properly the schools and institutions.
Bundy's bill makes the percentage one |
third instead of one-flfth, and this rate |
Representatives from the rural districts 1t |
is not a party matter. and Democrats and |
Republican, alike are interested. Thomas |
TiIpitt. leader of the Southern Democrats. |
said that he was strongly in favor of the /
bill, but had light hope OF its going through |
mise might be effected at one-fourth.
The Chicago delegates claim that to make [
the figure one-third or one-fourth would al
low Cook County to levy an unnecessary |
sum Of money, and that the boodling and |
grating charges now heaped upon the /
Justice. The idea that the revenue law be |
arranged to apply at different ratio in |
counties varying in population Is looked !
upon as altogether impractical.
RAILROAD BILL.
Pullsn's Illinois Central bill Is causing
much comment. That railroad now is taxed +
on basis peculiar to 8. In lump sum. it |
ally into = State Treasury. This il done !
under a Charter granted when 1t was built
In consideration Of what the road has a |
100 foot right OF way through the center Of |.
the State.
Though paying the State a sum the eo,sl |
to the taxation Of any other railroads. the T
benefit accrues to all the counties instead
Of those through which the road runs Thus !
In the latter countfee-Marfon, for instance,
In which Pullen lives and in which are two I
trai property. out Of which the schools and (
other. OF the county dependencfes proff