The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-03
Light by the Houses Action
ON the Bill.
JUDGES LOSE sTENoGRAPHERs
LEGISLATIVE MANUAL WILL MINOR
TALIZE THE MEMBERS.
Eight Thousand Copies Of the GeolO-
gist's Report to BE Printed-Other
Phases of the Bill.

yesterday, item by item, Incorporated a
few amendments, none of especial impor-
tance, and then passed the bill under sus-
pension of the rules. Three noteworthy
things were shown by the Houses action
on the bill; first. that large majority of
the members desire that their deeds be i'm
mortalized in a legislative manual; second,
that State Geologist Blatchley is at last to
be given the privilege of printing eight
thousand copies OF his annual report; and
third, that the judges of the Appellate
Court are not TO have the usual $500 allow
ance each for a stenographer.
The amendment providing for the COM
pilation and publication of a legislative
manual was incorporated on motion by
Representative Slack, the minority floor
leader, and was adopted in spite of two
vigorous fights made against it by Repre-
sentative Sayre, the watchdog of the treas
ury. Sayre contended against the amend
ment when ii was first proposed in COM
mittee of the whole, but he did not realize
that the members were taking the propo-
sition seriously until 1t had been adopted.
Later, when the House took action on the
work of the committee of the whole, he
again attacked the amendment, and moved
that ii be stricken out, but in spite of the
ridicule he heaped on the members, sug-
costing that those who voted for it did so
because they wished TO have their pictures
and self-prepared biographical sketches
published in book form, the House, by
substantial vote, reaffirmed its intention to
have the manual published
No appropriation was provided for the
work. the amendment reading that an
amount sufficient to meet the expense of
the compilation and publication be pro-
vided. to be expended under the approval
of the Governor. Sayre estimated that the
manual will cost from $1,000 to $1,000.
HISTORICAL DOCUMENT.
Slack, in supporting his amendment, said
that the manual published four years ago
was valuable historical document, and
that it was in great demand by libraries.
schools and private citizens all over the
State. More than that, he said, the Sixty
third General Assembly is one of the best
Indiana has had in many years. He said
that he was proud of being a member, and
that he wanted a permanent record of the
Assembly, including the biographies and
pictures of the members.
Van Fleet, of Elkhart, was the only
other member who spoke for the amend
spoke against it, but when the vote was
Sayre's motion to strike it out demonstrated
clearly that at least one of the sermons in
economy preached by the gentleman from
Wabash had fallen on deaf ears
The House resolved itself into COM
mittee of the whole at 1:30 o'clock in the
morning on motion by Sayre, and the
speaker called Representative Bamberger
to preside over the committee. The first
amendment proposed was to insert the
words "et cetera" in the provision carrying
the appropriation of S1.S0O for rent for the
Governors residence. 1t was adopted with
out opposition. AS amended the line reads:
For the rent of the Governors residence,
ct cetera, 1880"
The first fight came up on an amendment
offered by Mummert, of Elkhart providing
that the judges of the Appellate Court
should be given an allowance of $500 each
for stenographer. Sayre at once took up
arms against the amendment. determined
that after all his opposition to the PROPOSE
ton to increase the salaries of these judges
he would at least shut them off from this
allowance. He said that the judges of this
court had been given an increase In salary
to $780, an increase of almost s. per cent,
and that this was certainly all that the
Legislature should give them. He said that
the Appellate judges were not entitled to
the same compensation as the judges of
the Supreme Court, and that IL they needed
stenographers they could hire them out of
their increase in salary. In conclusion
Sayre said that If he had his way there
would be no allowance for stenographers
for any of the state officials. You may
not realize it, he said, but this bill carries
an annual appropriation amounting to
$4,000 for stenographers for the various
officials in this Statehouse."
SPEECH OF MUMMERT.
Mummert spoke for his amendment, urg-
ing that if the judges were not given the
| allowance they would have to write their
opinions out in longhand, laborious and
hind in their work and prove that in de-
priving them of this allowance the Legis-
lature had made poor stroke of economy.
Sayre answered this by stating that under
the law the judges Of the Appellate Court
are not required to prepare written opin-
ions, but may deliver oral opinions, and that
in any event they could hire stenographers
out of their own pockets.
Mummert replied that there was no way
to compel them to hire stenographers and
that they probably would not do so.
Statesman also spoke in favor of the
amendment, but il was defeated by a very
much one-sided vote.
On motion by Statesman the appropria-
ton for the public library commission for
| organization, books and collections of books
and equipment for travelling Libraries was
| increased from $500 to 5000.
In the afternoon, when the bill was again
| taken up at 2:S0 o'clock. Decker, of Evans
vile, offered an amendment increasing the
dppfOprldtiOH LOT a idunQry Tor the South
ern Hospital for the Insane from $4,000 10
! $4,000. Luhring, of Evansville spoke for
the amendment but IT was defeated by an
overwhelming vote.
Bell. of Randolph. offered an amendment
reducing the appropriation for additional
maintenance for the current year for the
| Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home from
1 $1,000 to $4,000. He said in support OF
his amendment that the board of managers
/ of the institution had not requested the
4 allowance of the legislative visitation com
mittee, and I'm this he was substantiated hy
Speaker Marshall. who was a member OF
that committee
However. when Representative Baird. OF
| Delaware, made the statement that he had
/ reliable information that the management
| OF the institution had been forced to such
extremes of economy during the last wear
that the little children in the home haS
been forced to do without meat for -four
months. there were few members who were
not heartily In sympathy with the proposed
| increase and the amendment was defeated
| Later a motion to reconsider the vote by
| which the amendment was defeated was
| offered and carried. but again the amend.
ment voted down. The members evi.
IDENTITY were OF almost one accord i'm de.
string that the little fellows in the home
have plenty to eat.
STUTESMAN STARTS FIGHT.
Statesman started the old fight between
the state and nonstate schools by Offering
an amendment striking out all of the spe-
cific appropriations for Indiana University
which aggregate about $4,000. In support
OF his motion Statesman said that the