EXTRA COMPENSATION OF CLERKS AND SHERIFFS.
The SPEAKER announced the special order, viz : The consideration of Mr. Jenkinson's bill [H. R. 5] to restrict the taxing power of the Board of County Commissioners (to 50cents on the $100)-the question being, Shall the bill be engrossed?
Mr. JENKINSON moved that it be considered as engrossed, and put upon its final passage.
Mr. WOODHULL was opposed to the bill. There was a limit as to legislation on this question of taxation beyond which it would not be safe to go. If the people desired this change, we should have petitions for it. It was a proposition to take from the people the right to take care of their own affairs. His county people wanted this privilege. They were without railroads, and their land valuations were less than the average of good land, in railroad localities. They tried limiting themselves to fifty cents on the $100, and it run them into debt. They wanted to erect new county buildings, &c., which they could not, if this bill pass. He showed also that it I would work injuriously even in Allen, the gentleman's own county. The effect-of this bill in his county would be to compel them to borrow money.
Mr. JENKINSON. The object of the bill was to economize. He gave examples to show the necessity for it. The county officers are making too much money. The people of Allen county were now paying 75 cents tax on the $100 for county purposes; and he was sent here for the express purpose of restraining the taxing power of the Commissioners to 50 cents on the $100. He would take a contract to carry on the county of Steuben for the proceeds of a tax of 50 cents on the $100. The bill would beget economy. It was a wise rule to furnish no more public money than is necessary. There were not fifty men in Allen county opposed to this bill, and he wanted to extend its benefits to all the people in the State. It would cut off the treasury cormorants.
Mr. BUNDY proposed to amend the Committees amendment, by striking out "fifty cents" and inserting "one dollar," as the limitation of the taxing power. He would go as far as any to accommodate the gentleman from Allen, but it should not be forgotten that we are here, every man not merely for his own county, but for the State at large. Allen was a rich county, with many miles of railroad, and after she had been so enriched, he was surprised to see this proposition corning from their representative. He was not prepared to say to the Commissioners of Allen county, that they could not make the levy necessary to pay debts already contracted for railroads or county improvements. That must be the object, to avoid the payment of county debts It looked too much like repudiation for him to sanction it.
Mr. JENKINSON. His bill would raise $30,000 in Allen. $7,000 would pay the interest on their county debt; and when this $100.000 should become due, years hence, this act could be repealed. The object was to page: 241[View Page 241] check extravagance-for two years at least, if the House refuse this bill, there would not be left a corporal's guard of Republicans in Allen county. He would go home and tell them, you asked the Legislature for a fish, and they gave you a stone.
Mr. WOODHULL had stated that the tax in Allen was 65 cents on the $100. He read a statement from an ex-sheriff and the treasurer of Allen for the source of his information, This bill was an application for repudiation of county debts.
Mr. JENKINSON. It was the county officers who were making opposition to this bill.
Mr. GRESHAM. This was a matter belonging peculiarly to the people of the several counties. Even if they abused themselves in the matter of taxation, it was none of our business here. He moved that the bill and amendment, be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. JENKINSON demanded the yeas and nays, which being ordered and taken, resulted-yeas 33, nays 48 : so the House refused to postpone.
Mr. NEBEKER demanded the previous question ; and there was a second.
The first question being on the amendment of Mr. Bundy, it was rejected: and then the Committee's amendment was adopted, and the bill was ordered to be engrossed.
Mr. JENKINSON moved that the bill be considered and engrossed ; which was agreed to.
Mr. WOODHULL ineffectually demanded a call of the House.
Mr. ROBBINS moved that the bill be read the third time now.
Mr. F RASIER. Was it the province of the Legislature to restrain county improvements ? or was it not the true Democratic principle to allow the people to attend to their own business? He preferred that the bill take the regular course.
The bill was ordered to the third reading.
Mr. FRASIER spoke against the bill. It was exceeding the power of legislation. The matter of couunty improvement was peculiarly the business of the people of the county. He ventilated the reasons which had brought about this demand from Allen county. The remedy was not in legislation here, but in revolutionizing through the ballot box, and turning out the Treasury cormorants. His county had never been in debt, from one year to the other, since he had resided there. They wanted county buildings, and should the Legisture step in and prevent them? He was willing the gentleman should have all the partizan benefit of the defeat of this measure in Allen county.
Mr. PARRETT. Popular sovereignty was all right enough. But when men couldn't govern themselves, they ought to be governed. Allen county had been and still was the "Egypt" of the State. He was for this bill, because it was demanded by the people. Honesty in the county affairs was essential, and restraints were essential where honesty was wanting.
Mr. WOODHULL spoke for the general credit of the people and officers of his county.
Mr. PARRETT disclaimed personal imputations; but insisted that honesty and restraints were both necessary. The gentleman from Allen had confessed that their Democratic county administration had so ruined that, county, that they could not get along without Republican help; and he was going to help them now by voting for this bill.
The bill was then passed the third reading in the House-yeas 55, nays 25-as follows :
AYES-Messrs. Atkisson, Bingham, Brett, Brucker, Burgess, Collins of Adams, Combs, Cooprider, Davis, Edson, Erwin, Ferguson, Fisher, Fleming, Ford, Fraley, Gifford, Hall, Hayes, Heffren, Henricks, Holcomb, Hopkins, Howard, Hudson, Hurd, Jenkinson, Jones of Tippecanoe, Kendrick, Kitchen, Knowlton, Lods, Lightner, McLean, Moody, Moss, Mutz, Nebeker, Parrett, Pitts, Prosser, Kagan, Randall, Bobbins, Roberts, Smith of Miami, Trier, Turner, Underwood, Veatch, Warrum, Wilson, Woods, Mr. Speaker-55.
NAYS-Messrs. Black, Boydston, Branham, Bundy, Campbell, Cason, Grain, Fordyce, Frasier, Gresham, Harvey, Haworth. Horton, Jones of Wayne, Lee, Moorman, Newman, Orr, Sherman, Sloan, Thomas, Thompson, Wells, Williams, Woodhull-25.
