AFTERNOON SESSION.
ASSESSMENT FOR TAXATION.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR announced the special order to be the consideration of the bill [H. R. 204] concerning taxation.
Mr. CHAPMAN moved to postpone the special order till 4 o'clock p. m.
Mr. MENZIES stated that over $54,000,000 of taxable property escaped taxation during last year. This bill will remedy this defect and take in $100,000,000 of property heretofore not taxed.
Mr. BELL said the Senator from Posey [Mr. Menzies] has been a member of the Special Committee which has had this bill in hand, and has a had an opportunity to examine it. He saw no need he for hurrying this bill through under a suspension of the constitutional rule. We may, by hasty action, enact a bill that will allow more than of $54,000,000 to escape taxation. There is no emergency, such as is contemplated in the Constitution, that the reading of this bill by sections should be refused. It should take three weeks to consider a bill of this kind as it should be.
Mr. SPANN remembered when a bill was before the Senate, the other day, of over 800 sections it was hurried through, but now when a bill comes in affecting corporations, with only about 5 per he cent. new matter, Senators are making dilatory motions. This bill ought to be proceeded with at once, there being only about twenty-seven days between this and the first day of April--assessment day.
Mr. FOSTER was willig to have this bill considered, though satisfied there are some villainous provisions in it. He was not favorable to it. If it comes up there is not time to consider it, there being but a few hours till the time for passing bills in the regular session expires.
Mr. CHAPMAN demanded the previous queston, which was seconded by the Senate, and under its operations the motion to postpone till 4 o'clock was rejected by yeas, 2; nays, 43.
Mr. BROWN made an ineffectual motion--yeas, 12; nays, 32--to postpone the further consideration of the bill till 10:30 o'clock to-morrow.
After reading eight sections--
On motion by Mr. GARRIGUS, the vote refusing to suspend the constitutional rule was reconsidered, and the Senate again refused, by a yea and nay vote, to suspend the rule that the bill be read by title only.
Mr. BROWN and Mr. VIEHE have had no time to read this bill, but would do so to-night, and join in suspending the constitutional rule to-morrow, that it may be read by title only.
Mr. MENZIES urged the consider of this bill there being only twenty-five new sections out of 286. He did not seek to take any advantage of haste or speed.
On motion by Mr. CHAPMAN, the further consideration of this bill was postponed till 10:30 o'clock to-morrow morning.
JURORS' PAY.
On motion by Mr. CHAPMAN, the constitutional rule was dispensed with, and the bill [H. R. 309]--see page 243 of these Reports--to increase the pay of Jurors from $1.60 to $2 per day, was read the first and second time by title only, the third time by sections, and passed the Senate by yeas, 40; nays, 1.
page: 266[View Page 266]FISH PROTECTION.
Mr. LANGDON introduced a bill [S. 333] to amend Section 2 of the act for the protection of fish by appropriately inserting the word "explosive," which was on his further motion pressed through the three several readings under a suspension of the constitutional restrictions and passee the Senate by yeas, 40; nays, 1.
FREE TURNPIKE ROADS.
On motion by Mr. SHAFFER, his bill [S. 217] to amend Section 2 of the free turnpike road act of March 24, 1879, [by inserting the words "on each $100" in line 4 between the words "one mill" and the words"'for every ten milest" referring to the road fund levy], was read the second time, and, under a dispensation of the constitutional rule, read the third time and passed by--yeas, 32; nays, 8.
GENERAL LEGALIZING.
On motion, by Mr. GRUBBS, the bill [H. R. 280] to legalize the election of all officers and the acts of all officers of all towns since the year 1877, where they held elections at one voting Precinct instead of in the several Wards, was read twice by title only, pressed to a final vote under a dispensation and passed by-yeas, 40; nays, 0.
PUBLICATION OF REVISED STATUTES.
On motion, by Mr. COMSTOCK, the bill [H. R. 437] concerning the publication of the Revised Statutes of 1881, was read the first time and referred to the Committee on Organization of Courts.
THE DANIEL HOUGH LIBRARY.
Mr. GARRIGUS from the Special Committee thereon, submitted the following report:
Mr. PRESIDENT-
The Joint Special Committee appointed to examine and inquire as othe advisability of purchasing the "Daniel Hough Library," as recommended in the message of Governor Gray and the report of the State Librarian, beg leave to report that they have examined the catalogue and collection of books, manuscripts, etc., and that the same contains more than 1,500 titles and many valuable books, many volumes being out of print and therefore not to be obtained elsewhere.
The early history of this State and Territory is treated of in many of the volumes which are necessary for a complete history of the Territory and State of Indiana, and this collection has been made by the late Daniel Hough at a great cost and expense, as well as much search and trouble therefor, during many yearsof his life devoted thereto, and the majority of said Committee, therefore, report the annexed concurrent resolution and recommend its adoption.
HENRY C. MEREDITH,
T. S.
FANCHER,
C. T. AKIN,
MILTON
GARRIGUS,
JASON B. BROWN.
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the State Librarian is hereby authorized, and directed to purchase for the use of the State, the collection of books, etc., known as the "Daniel Hough Library," provided the same can be had at a cost not to exceed $1,000.
The report was concurred in and so the resolution was adopted.
Then the Senate adjourned till to-morrow.
