The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-09
LEGISLATURE
TO COST MORE
THIS SESSION
Pay Boost to Members Is
Reason for Increased
Expense in 1929.
GAvEL FALLS THURSDAY
$50 Lawmakers to Start
61-Day Grind; Monday
Inaugural Day.

Indianas $2,000-a-day legislative
department reopens for business
Thursday, when at 10 a. m. gavels
will rap to order the seventy sixth
general assembly.
One hundred fifty lawmakers and
almost as many assistants will be
started once more on their sixty
one-day grind. Estimates of the
bare expenses of the legislative ses-
sion this time approximates $132,-
600, while appropriations and SAL
airy increases may entail the rails
ing of hundreds of thousands of
dollars by increased taxes.
Practical certainty that the 1929
legislature, as one Of the first acts,
will have to break precedent by
appropriating more than the usual
100000 for legislative expenses is
due to. the salary increase senators
and representatives voted them
selves two years ago.
Boost Own Pay
Holding Sc day small pay, they
promptly voted to increase the
amount to $40 a day; but did not
so promptly receive it. When the
supreme court upheld the constitu-
tionality of their pay boost, the leg
islators received belated checks rep
resenting the added 81 a day.
On the Sc basis, senator's salaries
and mileage amounted to $19,874 in
1927, while doorkeepers, stenogra-
pliers, clerks. janitors and other help
boosted the total senate cost to $34,-
1872.
With 100 representatives in the
HOUSEWIFE the number of senators
the lower house paid it's members
for their services and mileage the
sum of $40,525. Total house ex-
penses amounted to $61,e14.
The $40 rate of pay will increase
these figures by approximately $685.
800, so that the legislature will be
costing $4,000 day, in round fig
ures.
Get Better Salaries
The Lieutenant Governor and
Speaker of the house have the best
paying jobs in the lawmaking body.
Each receives the municif1cent sum
of $12 day, the Lieutenant Gov
ernor receiving, in addition, a SAL
airy of $1,000 a year.
The secretary, assistant secretary,
and principal doorkeeper of the
senate and the principal clerk, as
sistant clerk, and principal door
keeper of the house are paid at the
rate of Sc day.
Although clerical forces are re-
cruited from all parts of the state,
only the legislators receive mileage,
at the rate of SIS for every twenty
five miles they must travel from
their homes to Indianapolis. Once
here, they are supposed to stick,
theoretically, for they get this al
loWance for only one round trip.
The fiat rate of SIS is paid all
other legislative employees, be they
clerks, Stenographers,. assistant
doorkeepers, janitors, or what-not.
Only the pages who scamper down
the aisles with bills and motions
draw a lesser amount. They get
So g. day and vie for the honor of
holding their jobs a week or two.
FifieId to Sound Call
Secretary of State Fifeld will
call the house of representatives to
order, while Lieutenant-G Governor
F. Harold Van Orman, or, in his
absence, Senator James j. Nejdl, of
Whiting, president pro tenn. in 1927,
will have this distinction in the SEN
ate.
Following roll call, new members
will be sworn in. Then the senate,
by formal vote, will elect its presi-
dent pro tenn. amounting to the ma
jority floor leadership.
Meanwhile, the house will pro-
coed with election of Speaker, who
will take the gavel Immediately
upon election. After organization of
both houses is perfected by cleo
ton Of secretary, assistant secre-
tary, and principal doorkeeper in
the senate, and principal clerk, as
sistant clerk, and principal door
keeper In the house, both branches
will go into joint session to hear
Governor Ed Jackson's parting adj
dress.
Adjournment will follow until
Monday, when the speaker will
name house committees and an
other joint session will be called to
hear the address of the incoming
Governor, Harry c. Leslie. Leslie
and Lieutenant Governor Elect Ed
gar D. Bush will be inaugurated
Monday at 1890 a. m.
Bush then will take the gavel as
the permanent presiding officer of
the senate. Senate committees will