APPROPRIATION BILL.
On motion of Mr. WILLIAMS, the House resolved itself into committee of the whole, Mr. Adams in the chair, and resumed consideration of the bill [H. R. 427] making appropriations for the State government.
Mr. DEEM moved to amend so that the sum of $3,000, instead of $2,500, be allowed the Feeble Mind Institution for allowance to the Superintendent and Trustees
Mr. LOYD said the amendment should pass by all means.
Mr. BROWNING: This bill does not propose to help the institution nor the inmates - only to increase the salaries of the officers. These officers get not only their salaries, but have their families boarded, and that makes a handsome pay. There are men in Indiana now running after us, pulling the buttons from our coats, to get the position at the old salary.
Mr. DEEM: The law allows the three Trustees each $500 per year, making $1,500, and the Superintendent $1,500, and your appropriation must be $3,000 to be good for it.
The amendment was adopted.
Mr. SAYRE offered an amendment providing that the Governor should have the power to remove, with or without cause, any officer or employe of the institution. He said: the recent investigation has disclosed a most outrageous scandal at that institution, yet no legislator has had courage to introduce a bill to remove some of the officials who have badly abused their positions.
Mr. GOODING moved to amend the striking out the word "without."
Mr. HARRELL: It would look strange to have such an amendment put in an appropriation bill.
Mr. JEWETT: I am so heartily in favor of this amendment that I can not remain silent. I go further, and say that the Governor should have the power to remove from our public institution any man, for cause. The amendment and the amendment to the amendment should carry.
Mr. WILLIAMS: I think this is the wrong place to make the law which these amendments propose. We should, in justice to ourselves, first hear a report from this investigating committee.
On motion of Mr. SEARS, the committee rose, reported progress and asked leave to sit again at 10 o'clock to-morrow morning.
