The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-28
few new LAWS
WILL Be FRUIT
OF 81 SESSION
Governor Has Signed Only
81, With Legislature Six
Days From Close.

general assembly is destined to
achieve one economy in govern
mental expenditures-the printers
bill for the Acts Of 1881"
With adjournment sine die six
working days and nights away, there
IS every indication taxpayers cries
Tor relief from the burdensome
property levy will go unanswered.
But the meager product Of the
ebbing legislature promises salts
faction for a considerable part Of
Indiana's population, not so audible,
but who feel. rightly or wrongly,
that the fewer new laws, the bet
teri"
Upon Governor Harry @. Leslie
and his. adviser, Attorney General
James M. Ogden, will fall the last
minute burden Of scores of bills
certain to be passed in the one re-
naming week. Two years ago. DAB
laws found their way into the
statute books. This morning. only
thirty-four bills had been accorded
the Governors signature.
Income Tax to Fore
Proposals for q IL per cent tax
on corporate incomes and a / to 4
per cent levy on personal incomes
held the center of the stage as the
curtain went down on this weeks
episode Their passage has become
increasingly doubtful although
their proponents still INSIST they will
be enacted.
The bill urged by the state tax
survey commission as the pairs in
separable companion, to list intang-
lbles at Is per cent of their value
for taxation, has been chased from
the picture by Lieutenant Governor
Edgar D. Bush.
Congressional reapportionment
hangs In midair Without it, twelve
Indiana representatives will be
elected at large in 1882. The senate
has been unable to dispose of its
own bill throwing nominations for
al state, district, county and mu-
1icipal offices into convention.
Killed was the state bars proposal
for election of judges on non-par-
tisan ballots.
Although an old age pension bill
probably will go to the Governor, its
provisions are optional with county
commissioners instead of manda-
tory The recurrent blind pension
bill has been killed in both houses.
General sales tax proposals never
have emerged from the house ways
and means committee; the tax was
pushed onto the floor only to be ex-
terminated, and the malt tax bill
awaits third reading in the house,
where it originated.
Various Levies Fail
Bills to tax admissions to ath-
letic events, movies and theatrical
events have gotten nowhere. Pro-
posals to tax billboards, utility
poles, electric current and condi-
tional sales contracts have Jared no
better. Steps to extend the poll tax
to women have been fruitless al
though there remains the possibility
poll tax receipts may have to be dis
played before automobile drivers
and other licenses, other than fish
ing and hunting, will be issued.
Prospect Of so per cent increase
in auto license fees hinges upon
corporate and personal income tax
considerations. In the new license
scale, passed by the senate and sent
to the house, pleasure vehicles rates
would be IS cents on each 100
pounds, regardless Of weight, while
trucks, buses and tractors would
suffer steep increases. The 100000
so raised annually would be diverted
from highway building to the gen.
eral fund for property tax reduction
under the favorable senate plan, yet
to win house approval.
Long debated, but still unsettled
IN the upper house, is the Hartzell
bill to bring Iraternal properties
under taxation. The house has killed
the Weiss bills providing for the
consolidation of townships and
counties to effect government econ
oinies, but similar measures await
action in the senate.
Free textbook possibilities have
gone ghmmering although the
house has sent to the senate bills
proposing text adoption 9visions
intended to save parents th> usands
Of dollars.
House approved plans for financ-
ing school aid indebtedness in
southern Indianas bankrupt school
units have not yet engaged the SEN
ate's attention, much less passed.
The house bill reducing the legal
rate of interest on petty loans from
3i5 per cent month to 215 per
cent has failed twice by the margin
of a hair to muster the required
votes for passage in the house.
Pledged to end abuses of the fee
system for county officials, the
Democratic house is wrestling with
the problem, preparatory to sending
it across the hall to a Republican
senate.
Dry Law Stands
The Wright bone-dry law hasn't
been changed one iota. Modification
to permit medicinal whisky met de-
feat in the house, as did the pro-
poSal to reduce prosecutors fees in
liquor convictions from $25 to $40
and require prosecutors approval of
affldavits before Issuance of search
warrants. But a second bill to re-
duce the fees to So is accorded
chance of house favor and a risky
trip to the senate.
Bone dry law repeal measures re-
pose in the house morals committee
with no possible chance OF enact
ment. The house Friday defeated
an attempt to require a report from
the committee. Effort Of senate vets
to provide for prohibition referen-
dums have come to naught, al
though the 1881 session has brought
startling evidence of rebellion
against Anti Saloon League donin-
snce. and new recruits for the wet
cause.
Proposed state censorship OF
movies and theaters never got be-
yond The bill form. The house went