South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-24
SENATE SITS
ON new COAL
CONTROL PLAN
Upper House Refuses to Con
cur on New Commits
sion Bill.
REFERS BACK TO HOUSE
Desires Powers to Remain in
Hands of Public Serv-
ice Body.

TNDIANAPOLIS. July 23.-Refus-
ing 10 agree 10 the establishment
OF a new commission with wide
powers To Fix the price Of coal. reg
ulatc its distribution and also con-
duct Investigations into the prices Of
ali commodities the Indiana senate
today amended the coal commission
bill passed by the house Of repre-
sentativcs. All the duties which the
house would have conferred upon a
coal commission the senate amend
, mcnts provide shall be given the
present public service commission.
The senate amendments make ap-
propriations which would enable the
public service commission 10 employ
engineers 10 investigate the coal
mining industry and arrive at con-
clusions regarding reasonable prices
Tor fuel.
Eliminate Seizure Clause.
The provision for seizure and op-
Grafton OF mines included in the
house bill was also eliminated by the
senate. The bill with numerous
amendments was finally passed &c TO
10 and sent back TO the house.
The lower body is not expected TO
concur In the Tevamped biz and its
reference TO a conference committee
Is expected.
Hoping TO complete enactment OF
the emergency measures presented
for their consideration some final
adjournment might be taken Satur
day both houses met in night ses-
s.ons tonight The senate worked
al top speed today. passing upon bills
sent 20 IL by the house and the lower
body remained In session ready TO
cooperate in any movement for an
carly adjournment.
May Adjourn Saturday.
The closing OF the session is de-
pendent however, upon the agree
mcnt OF conference committees
which have been appointed from the
two houses TO consider bills which
have been amended.
The senate took up tax legislation
late In the afternoon but deferred
sctsUn upon this subject until the
night session. a bill was offered as
"a substitute for the bill passed b.
th,, house which legalized the hori-
zontal increases made By the state
hoard Of tax commissioners IN 1919
assessments and which were declar-
- invalid by the supreme court.
The house Is expected 10 refuse con-
currence IN the tax legislation which
the senate Will pass and this subject
Will also go 10 d conference com
mittee.
Holds Up Tax Bill.
As a result Of refusal Of the house
20 concur today in senate amend
mCnts three bills are now in the
hands Of conference committees.
The home rule tax bill amendments
were refused by the house and IL
was sent TO a conference committee
composed OF Sens. Brown. Alldrcdge
and HogstOn ana Reps. Mendenhall.
Iscthrocl< and Winesburg. The bill
would restore TO local units power
now held By the state tax board
over certain tax levies and issuance
Of bonds.
The house also refused 10 concur
In senate amend mcnts 20 the bill Of
Rep. Fifield restoring lost amend
ments' 10 the county road law and
Swing township trustees jurisdiction
over dirt roads. 4 conference COM
mittee composed OF Sens. Negley.
Arnold and Strod and Reps. Butler,
Willis OF Steuben. and Giyan was ap-
pointed TO give the bill further con-
sideTatton.
Another bill sent 10 conference
was the measure Of Rep. Mallott re-
storing the Zee OF IS per day TO
county treasurers and auditors for
attending meetings of the board OF
review. The conferences on this bill
arc sens. Smith, WolfSon and Doug
las and Reps Aiallott, Cam and
Scott.
During the morning session the
house concurred in senate amend
iuents blue sky" bill and IL was
sent 10 the governor. The bill, aC-
cordinr 10 Sen. Oscar Rats who
chAmp!oned Il IN the senate, gives
Indiana a real blue sky law"
The senate committee on elections
this afternoon presented a favorable
rcDort on the house bill which pro-
vides for repeating the primary cleo
rIon law. The committees report
was concurred IN.