The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-24
TAX BILL TO
CLAIM STAGE
IN LAST DAYS
OF SESSION
Unimportant Legislation to
Remain Stationary in SEN
ate Until Necessary Meas
ures Are Considered.
ELECTION BILLS up
(By Associated Press,


important pending legislation will re-
main stationary in the state senate un-
til consideration is given the tax re-
form. road, primary election and regis
tration bills, members Of the upper
branch of the legislature said today.
These measures and the regular and
speciAc appropriation bills, which are
to be received from the house, are ex-
pected to require most of the remain
ing thirteen working days Of the sew
enty-hrst session.
As committee Of the whole, the
state senate today received the tax
reform bill from Lieutenant Governor
Bush. Because printed copies were
not on the desks, consideration was
delayed. but as soon as copies come
from the printer, the bill will be
brought up for consideration, para
graph by paragraph, on the floor Of
the senate. The lieutenant governor
will Insist on action on the matter be-
fore the close Of the week. he said.
Ready to Report.
The roads committee probably will
submit its report on the house bill
creating q highway commission early
this week. Chairman Dobyns said. He
spent the weekend adjournment pc
riod In indianapolis reading the bill
and preparing amendments to take
away some Of the power conferred on
the director. The amendments would
provide that the commission shall ap-
prove decisions Of the director. whose
duties would include the buying OF all
material and supplies and the employ
ment of assistants under the bill in its
present form. It was with the under
stondfhg that the committee would
recommend such smendments that
Lieutenant Governor Bush handed tho
bill down. ~ -r.., 81
The proposed primary election and
county road unit legislation will be be
fore the senate tomorrow and amend
ments will be offered to both of them
The Misunderstanding primary bill
which repea!s the present law and pro-
vides for primaries only in the elec-
tion Of delegates to political conven-
tiOns may be amended to provide for
direct primaries on ruling Of q major
ity Of precinct committeeman of any
city, township, county, judicial circuit
or legislative district. Senator Hogs.
ston will offer this amendment.
Amendment Ready.
When Senator Dobyns' bill, making
road taxation units Of counties, comes
up for second reading, Senator Beard
sley will offer an amendment, he said,
to provide that the county commission
ers may lay out highway plan on
petition OF one hundred property hold
ers and submit the plan to a popular
vote. Other amendments likely will
be offered. The Beardsley amend
ment would change that clause of the
bill which now provides that on petit
tion OF fifty freeholders the commits
sioners shall build road.
Prompt consideration probably will
be given the new registration bill to
be introduced in both houses stimuli
taneously. The bill was drawn by Leo
X. Fesler. republican auditor Of Ma
rion county. and w. w. Spencer, DEM
ocratic attorney of indiana, at the re-
quest of q subcommittee of election
committee Of the house and senate.
Two Registration Days.
The bill provides for two registra-
tion days-one sixty and another thir-
ty days before general elections. Vot-
ers could register by mail or messen-
ger. thus eliminating the necessity Of
personal presence at registration
booths. The permanent feature Of the
registration was not touched because
II was thought that no objection could
be taken to the present system under
the mail registration feature.
Senator McCray said he was pre-
pared to ask reconsideration Of his
bill legalizing Sunday motion picture
shows In towns where they are now in
operation. The bill failed last Wednes-
day by a vote of rs to 20, but Senator
McCray thinks he has sufficient votes
now to approve it.
Those opposed to the bill say they
will insists that it be not voted on
until all senators are present. They
are OF the opinion that the final vote
will be tied and that the lieutenant
governor will have the opportunity to
exercise his perogative of casting
the deciding vote. 1t is understood
that he favors Sunday movies" and
under such circumstances would vote
for the bill.
House 10 Busy.
Full time sessions are expected to
characterize the meetings this week
OF the lower house OF the Indiana gen.
eral assembly after 1t is reconvened
at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
With the final adjournment two
weeks away, the time element be-
comes all importantTif the house is to
carry into realization the ambitious
program Of its members. Added to
xhta fho vnomhera have hoon inform od
by Speaker Eschbach that he disap-
proves of placing several bills on pass
age at the sine time, and this means
that each measure will be considered
: Appropriation Bill.
Most important OF the business now
pending Is disposal Of the appropria-
ton bills--the regular appropriation
measure being the order Of business
for Monday afternoon and the SPECIFIC
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