TAXING POWER OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Mr. Jenkinson's bill [5] To restrict the Commissioner's taxing power to 50 cents the $100-passed and recalled from the Senate, coming up-
The SPEAKER (Mr. Heffren in the Chair.) There had been words interpolated which were not in it when the bill passed. The proper course to reach the case would be reconsideration.
Mr. FRASIER said the effect of this bill would be to reduce the price of county orders. This was alleged in the Fort Wayne newspapers. He moved that the bill be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. JENKINSON. He knew that this bill was wanted in Allen county. This opposition came from the Court House Clique. And John Dawson was their organ, who could be hired to abuse any body.
Mr. WOODHULL supported the motion to postpone; and opposed the bill at length in reply. No man had a right to change a bill any more than he has to change the matter of an indictment.
Mr. HORTON representing, in part, two of the smallest counties in the State, the passage of this bill would devolve upon them both a county debt. In all the small counties it would be sometimes necessary to levy a tax of from 65 to 70 cents on the $100.
Mr. JENKINSON gave some words of general and special denunciation of John Dawson, editor of the Fort Wayne Times. Dawson's paper was rejected wherever it was carried into respectable families. His opposition was better than his friendship.
Mr. CRAIN. There was, it seems, one county in the State desiring the passage of this bill. It was not generally desired. He knew there were counties that ought to levy more than 50 cents on the $100 for county purposes, and in all such cases they could not desire it. Therefore he was opposed to the bill.
Mr. CAMERON demanded the previous question, and there being a second, the bill was indefinitely postponed-yeas 51, nays 30.
Mr. FRASIER moved to reconsider this vote, and to lay the motion on the table. The latter motion was agreed to.
Mr. Collins of Adams's bill [47] to amend the 29th section of the Supervisors' act of March 5, 1856. coming up-
Mr. COLLINS, of Adams, explained that the object of the bill was to extend the time from the 15th of September to the 1st of November, to farmers and others to do their work on the roads.
Mr. CASON, Mr. FRASIER and others considered that since the time for returns was to be prolonged from March till June, that would obviate the principal difficulty in the case. Roads worked late in the Ml were not made better for it.
page: 285[View Page 285]On motion of Mr. COLLINS, the bill was laid on the table.
Mr. Jones of Vermillion's Circuit Court bill [51], coming up-
On motion by Mr. CRAIN, at the request of its author, it was laid on the table.
Mr. Frasier's bill [173] supplemental to the acts of March 2, '55, and December 28, '58, for (the relocation of county seats, so as to provide for the relocation of county seats where no court house has been erected, coming up-
Mr. MOODY made a brief statement of its effect.
The bill was passed the final reading-yeas 57, nays 26.
Mr. Prosser's concealed weapon's bill [63] was passed over.
Mr. Black's bill, to amend the statute, so as to authorize county recorders and county surveyors to issue fee bills for their predecessors, coming up-it was passed to the final reading-yeas 81, nays 0.
On motion by Mr. VEATCH, Mr. Anderson's Dog bill [176] [50 cents tax and $1 on the second dog,] was then taken up.
Mr. POLK proposed to recommit with instructions to amend by striking out "50 cents," where it occurs, and insert " 10 cents."
Mr. BUNDY proposed to add : " Provided that each head of a family may keep one dog which shall be exempt from license."
On motion by Mr. TURNER, the motion to recommit, with amendments, was laid on the table-yeas 52, nays 27.
Mr. ROBBINS, Mr. JENKINSON, Mr. KITCHEN and others considered that the bill would operate as a poll tax on nearly every family in the country.
Mr. CAMERON. The amendment would destroy the object of the bill, &c.
Mr. PARRETT demanded the previous question, and there was a second.
Mr. GRESHAM asked, but failed to obtain unanimous consent, to recommit the bill, with instructions to amend, by a clause turning the revenue derived from this tax into the military fund.
Mr. VEATCH (by way of reason for his vote) doubted whether this would meet the approbation of the people in every part of the State. He knew something was demanded on the subject. He had proposed a bill, not to tax dogs, but simply to turn loose the arm of society upon them to kill them-to allow every man to kill them whenever he finds them in his way. It also provides to pay three-fourths of the value of every sheep killed by dogs out of the County Treasury. He believed that a bill of that sort, without taxation, would cure this evil. The committee had thought proper to report another measure, which, whilst it did not meet his views, he should certainly vote for it.
Mr. KITCHEN gave for the reason of his vote, that the bill was not demanded, and would operate offensively in his region.
The yeas and nays were reported-yeas 43, nays 31: so the bill failed for want of a constitutional majority-51.
The House then adjourned.
