The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-03-07
SERIOUSNESS
MARKS WORK
OF ASSEMBLY
Session Just Closing Proves
Business-ike Throughout
Important Bills Virtually
Disposed of by Solons.
few FREAK MEASURES
BY PALLADIUss CORRESPONDENT

BY PALLADIUI CORRESPONDENT
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. March T.
Although the 72nd general assembly of
Indiana probably will not adjourn sine
die until midnight tonight or later it
is possible even leaving out of con-
sideration the action today, to get a
pretty fair idea of what has been ac-
complished. Generally speaking all of
the important legislation had been vir-
tually disposed of when the sessions
began today; at least with a few ex-
ceptfons 1t had either been killed or
was in such status that it was possible
to determine pretty accurately wheth-
er it would die or be enacted. This
statement, of course does not apply to
the great number of bills of minor i'm
portance or local significance, many of
/, which will still be buried deep in COM
mittee when final adjournment is TAX
en-.
1t is interesting to know that of the
725 bills introduced inboth branches
during the session fewer than rs by
the most liberal standards, were of
any great general interest. Many of
them related to local or even personal
needs or imagined needs. However
this session was noted for the small
number of freak bills, and bills of this
character that were presented, receiv-
ed scant consideration.
Business-Like Session.
The legislative session just closing
was throughout it's career much more
business-like than any previous ses-
sion for a long time. Old-timers
around the state house can recall when
the senate or the house would spend
an entire afternoon at great cost to
the state having fun out of a freak
chicken bill or some other measure of
the sort. There was nothing of the
kind in this session.
The house particularly was surpris-
ing in this respect because houses
generally are not expected to attain
to the same degree of dignity that is
maintained by senates and this year
the house had many young men in its
notwithstanding like 25 World
war soldiers were members. But this
session the house held it's own and
from the beginning has been on the
job --.. -.e.- --.---4.s.
Natural Classification.
1t would be possible of course to
classify the legislation of this session
under many different heads depend.
ing on the mental trend of the person
who was doing the classifying. The
most natural classification appears to
be the following: Bills relating to the
state institutions; educational meas.
pres; measures relating to the control
of crime; measures relating to salaries
particularly to the increasing of sala
ries; labor measures; measures in
which the state administration was
particularly interested and other i'm
portant bills of general nature.
No ~,
best but at least an analysis of the
work of the session under these heads
should be interesting and Informative
Educational Measures.
The educational measures and their
status when the sessions opened today
follow:
Five cent levy for higher education
al institutions-signed by governor.
Two-fifths cent separate levy fol-
Purdue agricultural experiment sta
tion-signed by governor.
One half cent levy for vocational
education-has passed both houses.
Appropriation of $125,000 for Muncie
normal school building (part of spe
cific appropriation bilD-has passed
both houses.
Bill to centralize control of higher
educational institutions-has passed
house. pending in senate.
One-half mill township tax for Ii
braries (authorized)- signed by gov
ernor.
Measure providing county superin
tendents must have taught schoo
three years and have had certain nor
NAL training and authorizing township
trustees to increase salaries of su
rintendents-signed by governor.
proyidino that school taach6rS Sh
receive pay for periods when schools
are closed through no fault OF teach
ers--has passed both houses.
Creating position of elementar.
school inspector of the state - ha!
passed both houses.
Senate concurrent resolution for al
educational survey-has been concur
red in by both houses.
School Book Profits.
Providing that county superintend
ent may designate one or more schoo
book dealers in county and fixing prot
1t of dealers at 20 percent-signed b,
governor
Senate concurrent resolution to des
ignate one week in spring OF 1921 a
Indiana College Week" TO bring in
terest to non-state lleges-concurre'
in by both houses.
the teachers pension law-has passe,
both houses.
Measure authorizing school board
in first and second class cities TO pre-
vide school lunches-has passed bot
houses.
Resolution for constitutional anne nc
nent for appointment instead OF elee
ton of state superintendent OF school
has passed senate only.
To require youths between IA an
Is years old to attend part tim
schools-has passed both houses.
Providing that school work at Ind
ana boys schools shall conform wit
that in public schools and providin
for regularly licensed teachers at boy
school-has passed both houses.
Seven-Cent Levy.
Providing seven-cent levy for CON
mon school fund and that greatly II
creased amount shall go to dehcienc