South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-20

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. 20
With the last lap of the 1915 session
of the Indiana legislature in sight, the
democratic majority members of the
senate today got down to business in
a secret session in the lieutenant gov
ernor's room, and mapped out plans
for rushing through administration
measures that have been urged by the
administration.
The senate is in receipt of q petition
from several wOmen'S organizations in
Bluffton asking the enactment of
woman suffrage law before the close
of this session.
y III ~ tFs pFaeffc9s1yaeerraf thar,
the present legisiatlIre viii take no
action looking toward, the draining of
the Kank;A-<e river Valley The Nc
COrmick bill which has been recom-
mitted for further consideration, like
ly will not be reported out in time for
passage even If the legislature were
friendly to it. If the bill lis reported
out it will be withSa an unfaVorable re-
port, which the senate is expected to
concur in. The bill proposes to CO.
operate with the state of Illinois in
improving the Kankakee river so that
SeVeral7 hundred acres Of land about
Knox, Ind, and on the Illinois side
of the. state. line Will be uncovered. and
converted into valuable farm land.
Pass Van Nuys Bill.
The senate Friday afternoon passed
the Van Nuys bill, appropriating
$4,000 for the relief of foot and
mouth disease sufferers"
The Kemp -Dragoo registration
measure, also providing for perma-
nent registration, passed the house by
a vote of 60 to %. This measure was
the one agreed on by the joint cleo
tions committees of both houses.
The house then passed the Rule
"red-hght" bill, seeking TO provide for
the abatement of resorts by action
against the property owners, by a
vote Of 56 to 90.
State BorrOws Money.
The new state board of finance, on
which George Bittler sat as state
treasurer for the first important ac-
ton, today, anade temporary loan of
100000 from local banks, 20 become
due June so, at an interest rate Of
two and a half percent, the lowest
ever made by the state. The loan was
necessary partially because of the ex-
penses to the state, from the foot and
mouth disease and partially because
of an investment of $50, 900 in sisal,
the raw material used by the state s
prison in making binder twine and
which Will be returned with profit
TO the state next October.
The solid democratic majority of
the house, seven republicans, includ-
ing Floor Leader. Eschbach and Rep.
Judkins, the lone house progressive,
united after an afternoon of demo-
craic oratory, to pass the Jones state
wide primary election bill, by a vote
OF 90 to 80.
1t is the general belief that the bill
will be killed in the senate.
John r. Jones defended his meas
ure and said it had been drafted to
meet the platform pledge of the party
made at the last convention of the
democrats. He urged that contracts,
not only OF a business nature, but po-
litical as well, should not be broken.
He had been taught in youth, he said,
TO keep his ear to the ground and
hear the voice OF the people He
said the opposition had contended
the bill did not come from the people.
Tells Its History.
He then related the history OF the
primary plank in the last convention
and said its passage by 1900 democrats
in the convention elected more ap-
plause than any other acton there.
The president. W J. Bryan, and the
entire Indiana delegation in congress
save possibly two were in favor of
such q bill, he said.
He then discussed the proposal to
again submit the primary question TO
a referendum. He chara cterized such
an attempt as an insult to the voters
OF the state.