SUPREME COURT REPORTS.
Mr. WILLIAMS, of Knox, offered a joint resolution [H. R. 17] proposing an amendment to Section 6, Article 7, of the Constitution of the State.
Also, a joint resolution [H. R.] to amend Section 5 of Article 7 of the Constitution of the State.
Mr. JEWETT thought these resolutions were out of order. A provision of the Constitution declaring that when an amendment has been acted upon by a preceding General Assembly, and is awaiting the action of a succeeding one, no other amendment to the Constitution can be proposed for the ratification or rejection of the voters of the State. He, therefore, moved to reject them.
Mr SMITH, of Tippecanoe, moved to refer the resolution to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. WRIGHT insisted the House should decide this question without any trouble. Every member who believes the Constitutional amendments pending should vote for the rejection of the resolutions.
Mr. HEFFREN explained that if there are no amendments pending before the House at the present time passed by the last General Assembly and referred to this General Assembly, then the gentleman's resolutions are in order. If, however, the amendments passed by the last General Assembly are now pending before this General Assembly, then the gentleman's resolutions are not in order [Mr. Heffren here read the sections of the Constitution which provide for its own amendment] He asked that the gentleman from Knox (Mr. Williams) would withdraw his resolutions for the present, as he did not want the members of this House to be caught in a trap.
Mr. WILLIAMS, of Knox, said: My purpose is to secure if I can such amendment to the Constitution as will result in keeping out of the Indiana Reports all cases that have no public or general interest. As the law now stand's the reporter prints each and every case decided by the Supreme Court, and as a result, in the last two years ten Indiana Reports have been published. The Reports sell at S3 50 each, a good thing for the official reporter, but a heavy and unnecessary draft upon the people. I have given considerable time to an investigation of this matter, and I am satisfied that the Bench and Bar of this State are a unit in demanding relief. Each lawyer in the State who keeps up the Reports Is doing so at an expense of $1750 per year, and the State for Reports for the use of its officers pays $9,625 per year 'Thu is too much. Bills are pending here to reduce the price per volume, but the best way to get relief is to reduce the number. The Judiciary Committee is now investigating the question, and I hoped that these resolutions would go to that Committe. I have no fears about the Constitutional objection sought to be raised.
Mr. SMITH stated that so far as he knew and so far as the House knew there are amendments pending before this House at the present time, but if this House decides that there are no amendments now pending then any amendment or amendments may be proposed.
Mr. JEWETT said: My object in moving to reject, I very candidly confess, is to take the sense of this House whether or not these amendments are before this House. I am as well satisfied as to the condition of these amendments as if I had heard every member express themselves. Those who believe that the amendments are now pending are compelled to vote against these resolutions- I
Mr. GORDON moved to postpone further consideration of this subject until Friday 2 o'clock.
Pending which came the recess for dinner.
