The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-12-20
LEGISLATURE
SPECIAL CALLS
PROVE COSTLY
History UpholdS Leslie In
Giving Deep Thought to
School Plea.
INITIAL ONE IN 1853
Extra Sessions Resulted in
Waste of Money and
SquabbIeS.
BY BEN STERN

Special sessions of the legislature,
such as 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 esion
and then failed to keep a tight rein
on the assembly.
Bills galore have been introduced
and the legislators, to use a pocket
expression, have run hog wild"
The fourteen special sessions Of
the Indiana legislature have proved
expensive, costing the taxpayers
$578,071.11, records disclose.
Leslie Holds Back
Bearing this lesson in mind, Gov
ernor Harry G. Leslie will not be
swayed easily toward calling a spe-
cial session to provide relief for the
bankrupt and impoverished state aid
schools Of southern Indiana.
Records of the past paint warm
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. so, 1853, by Governor
Ashben P. Willard. a Democrat sad
died with Republican legislature.
The opposition legislature had failed
support Of state institutions in order,
to make adequate provisions for the
it is charged, to embarrass the Gov
ernor.
The session lasted thirty-six days,
214 bills and eleven resolutions were
introduced, and twenty-four were
passed. The cost Of the session was
$75,000.76.
Another Special CAN
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 "a, 1861
shortly after war was declared, and
amidst shouts and applause Indi-
ana was precipitated into the con-
f1ict by Governor Oliver P. Morton.
This session lasted forty days; 1913
bills and twenty-five resolutions
were introduced, and f1fty-nine bills
were passed. The session adjourned
June Q and the cost was $4,000.
Morton called another special ses~
sion Nov. IS, 1865, to complete un-
finished business of the regular ses-
sion. 1t also lasted forty days; las
bills and eleven resolutions were
introduced; 104 were passed and the
cost was $4,000.
On April 9, 1869, Governor Conrad
Baker, Republican, called special
session to make appropriations for
state institutions. It also lasted
forty days; 1873 bills and seven reso-
buttons were introduced, siXty-two
passed and the cost was 100000.
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 Is resolutions were intro
duced and At bills were 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 Z, 1875, to pass general APP
preparation and revenue bills. Only
one measure was introduced, but
thirty-three bills on the previous
calendar were reintroduced and
passed in the seven-day session,
which cost $4,000.
Two years later a new Governor.
James D. Williams, called special
session on March 6, 1877. Williams
was Democrat and his legislature
Out Of spite 1t 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
and forty-nine repasSed.
Williams ruled with an iron hand
and the expenses of the session to-
tailed but s13,O7O.35,
williams More Fortunate
Williams was much more fortu-
nate in 1879, for he was supported
by a Democratic legislature, and on
March II he addressed a special ses-
sion called for the purpose Of max
ing provisions for the expense OF
and other important
matters which could not be attended
to in the regularly convened general
This session lasted twenty-one
days, sixty-nine bill were introduced
and 12o, including those standing on
the calendar from the previous seS-
sion. we're passed. The cost was
s35 900.
Two years later, with Albert q.
Porter, Republican, serving as Gov
ernor, it was found necessary to
hold another special session to pass
general and specific appropriation
bills and also settle reconstruction
problems. This session lasted forty
days, and 141 bills and foruteen ioint
resolutions we're introduced and 122
measures were passed at cost o.
STE, 900.
These sessions were marked with
the usual Iog-rolling and demon
STATIONS against Governors who
were disliked.
But all were called for the plr-
pose Of settling reconstruction prob
lens.
More recent special legislative ses-
siops 1gill be dealt with nj . E1Du
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