The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-12-21
LEGISLATURE
SPECIAL CALLS
PROVE COSTLY
History UphoIds Leslie in
Giving Deep Thought to
School Plea.
BY BEN STERN


such sas now proposed for the re,
lief of state aid schools. have played
no small part in shaping the des-
TIMES Of political parties in Indiana
In many instances they have
brought down defeat upon the party
whose Governor called the session
and then failed to keep a tight reir
on the assembly.
Bills galore have been introduced
and the legislators, to use pocket
expression. have run hog wild"
The fourteen special sessions OF
the Indiana legislature have proved
expensive. costing the taxpayers
$57807111, records disclose.
Leslie Holds Back
Bearing this lesson in mind, Gov
ernor Harry G. Leslie will not be
swayed easily toward calling q Spe-
cial session to provide relief for the
bankrupt and impoverished state aid
schools of southern Indiana.
Records Of the past paint warn
Ing signal that has not escaped the
Governors eye.
This was true of the first special
session in state history. 1t was
called on Nov 30, 1853, by Governor
Ashbell P Willard, a Democrat sad
died with Republican legislature.
The opposition legislature had failed
c1ty,yNov+ IF c4oto installations -, o,coY
to make adequate provisions for the
1t is charged, to embarrass the Gov
ernor
The session lasted thirty-six days,
2l4 bills and eleven resolutions were
introduced, and twenty-four were
passed. The cost of the session was
$75,00076
Another Special Call
Then came the Civil war and a
need for all manner of special legis-
lat!on. A Republican Governor
called a Republican legislature into
special session on April d, 1861,
shortly after war was declared, and
amidst shouts and applause Indi
ana was precipitated into the con-
11ict by Governor Oliver P. Morton
This session lasted forty days; 1913
bills and twenty-five resolutions
were introduced, and fifty-nine bills
we're passed. The session adjourned
June 2 and the cost was $4,000.
Morton called another special ses-
sion Nov Is, 1865, to complete I'M
finished business of the regular ses-
sion. 1t also lasted forty days; las
bills and eleven resolutions were
introduced; 104 we're passed and the
cost was S50,C00
On April g. 1862 Governor Conrad
Baker, Republican, called a special
session to make appropriations for
state institutions. 1t also lasted
forty days; 1873 bills and seven reso-
lutionS were introduced Sixty-two
passed and the cost was $4,000.
Second Session Called
Baker emulated Morton and called
a special session Nov. Is, 1872, which
proved to be another forty-day af-
fair. The purpose was to complete
unfinished business and there must
have been plenty of it because 434
bills and 10 resolutions were intro
duced and AZ bills we're passed. The
cost for a forty-day session steadily
mounts, now it is $4,000.
Special sessions by this time
had become a pernicious habit, for
we find Governor Thomas D. Hen
drick, Democrat. calling one on
March 7, 1875, to pass general ap-
preparation and revenue bills. Only
one measure was introduced, but
thirty-three bills on the previous
calendar were reintroduced and
passed in the seyen-day session,
which cost $4,000.
Two years later a new Governor,
James D. Williams. called special
session on March 6, 1877. Williams
was a Democrat and his legislature
Republican. Out of spite it failed
to make adequate provisions for
the expenses of the state govern
ment and to pass important bills.
The special session lasted ten days,
in which thirteen new bills were
introduced and forty-nine repaSsed
Williams ruled with an iron hand
and the expenses of the session to-
tailed but $13,070.35.
Williams More Fortunate
Williams was much more fortu-
nate in 1879, for he was supported
by a Democratic legislature, and on
March IL he addressed a special Ses-
sion called for the purpose of max
ing provisions for the expense OF
government and other important
matters which could not be attended
to in the regularly convened genera,
assembly.
This session lasted twenty-ont
DAYS. Sixty-nine bill were introduced
and 120. including those standing on
the calendar from the previous SEES
sion. were passed. The cost was
$35 600.
Two years later, with Albert G
Porter, Republican. serving as Gov
ernor. it was found necessary Il
hold another special session to pas:
general and specific appropriation
bills and also settle reconstruction
problems. This session lasted forty
days. and 141 bills and foruteen joint
resolutions were introduced and II.
measures were passed at a cost o.
$75, 900.
These sessions we're marked with
the usual log-rolling and demon
STATIONS against Governors WHIT
were diSliked