moved to reconsider the vote on his motion, made earlier the same day, to strike out the word "male" and thus confer the right of suffrage on women. The motion was ost by a vote of 20-14. Mr. H. C. Gooding wished to amend the section to read as follows:

Section 13. All elections by the people shall be by ballot but the General Assembly may pass laws for the registration of voters and the numbering of ballots. All elections by the General Assembly, or either branch thereof shall be viva voce.

This motion was laid on the table. The resolution as a whole was then adopted by a vote of 30-7, and concurred in by the House.

[Laws, Forty-eighth Session, 249.]

Joint resolution No. 23. A joint resolution to amend Article 2, Section 14 of the Constitution.

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That Section 14, of Article 2, of the Constitution be, and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows, to-wit:

Section 14. All general elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, until otherwise provided by law.

286.

Woman Suffrage-Governor Baker's Recommendation (January 10, 1873).

With his biennial message of January 10, 1873, Governor Baker transmitted a memorial of The American Woman Suffrage Association asking the General Assembly for a hearing on the propositions therein set forth; and to th's request the Governor added his recommendation.

[House Journal, Forty-eighth Session, 26.]

I submit herewith at the request of sundry good citizens of this State, their petition presenting the accompanying memorial of "The American Woman Suffrage Association," and requesting the General Assembly to fix a time when such persons as may be selected for the purpose by said Association, shall receive from you a patient and respectful hearing on the propositions contained in the memorial. I cordially join in the request of the petitioners, and add that the propositions contained in the memorial are in themselves worthy in my judgment of the most thoughtful consideration of the American statesman.

For my part I am willing to give my vote and influence in favor of conferring the right of suffrage on the women of Indiana whenever they shall with any considerable degree of unanimity

signify a desire to assume the responsibilities which such a change. in their relations to the State would impose.

287.

Memorial of American Woman Suffrage Association (January 17, 1873).

On January 17, a joint meeting of the two Houses was held to consider the memorial, and addresses were made by two of the leaders of this organization.

[House Journal, Forty-eighth Session, 145.]

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Indiana:

The American Woman Suffrage Association respectfully represents:

First. That whereas the first section of the second article. of the Constitution of the United States expressly provides, each State shall appoint as the legislature thereof may direct the electors for President and Vice President, and whereas women are now unjustly excluded from any participation in the election of those highest officers of the nation, we therefore respectfully pray your honorable bodies, that you will exercise the authority thus vested in you by the Federal Constitution and enact a law, conferring suffrage upon women who are citizens of the United States and the State of Indiana, in future presidential elections upon the same terms and conditions as men, and we further respectfully represent:

Second. That whereas, the Constitutions of many of the States contain no restriction upon the exercise of suffrage by women in regard to the election of certain State, county, town and municipal officers, we therefore respectfully pray that you will enact a law abolishing all political distinctions on account of sex, except where the same are expressly contained in the present Constitution of your State, and we further respectfully represent:

Third. That whereas, the Constitution of the State of Indiana restricts suffrage for certain officers to men alone; therefore, we respectfully pray your honorable body to take the necessary steps to amend the State Constitution so as to abolish hereafter all political distinctions on account of sex.

This memorial is presented in accordance with a resolution adopted at the annual meeting of said American Woman Suffrage

Association held in St. Louis on the twenty-second of November, A. D. 1872, composed of delegates from auxiliary State societies. THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON, President. LUCY STONE, Chairman Ex. Committee. HENRY B. BLACKWELL, Cor. Secretary. MARY GREW, Recording Secretary.

288.

Woman Suffrage Constitutional Amendment (March 10, 1873).

On March 10, Mr. John D. Miller, a Republican, introduced the following resolution in the House providing for the subm ssion of the woman suffrage proposition to a referendum vote of the women themselves. Mr. John Gronendyke offered as a substitute a joint resolution to amend Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution by striking out the word "male" after the word "white." The amendment and the substitute were both laid on the table, and not subsequently considered.

[House Journal, Forty-eighth Session, 941.]

Amend Article 15 of the Constitution, by adding thereto the following sections:

Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the General Assembly first convening after the taking effect of this amendment by proper legislation to submit to the female inhabitants of the State, of the age of twenty-one years, and being qualified as to residence as required of other electors, the question: "for female suffrage" and "against female suffrage."

Sec. 5. Should the greater number of votes mentioned in the last preceding section be for "female suffrage," then and in that case the right of suffrage and election shall be extended to female inhabitants of the State of the age of twenty-one years and upwards having the same qualifications as to residence as required of other electors.

289. Railroad Rates and Discrimination (January 27, 1873).

On January 27, Mr. Theophilus Crumpacker introduced a resolution in the House instructing the Judiciary Committee to inquire into the constitutionality of a law fixing the rates for the transportation of freight and passengers. This resolution was adopted.

[House Journal, Forty-eighth Session, 227.]

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary is hereby instructed to inquire into the constitutional power of the legislature to fix by law the rates of fare which shall be collected by the

railroads now being operated in this State, or passing into or through the same, and in their report to discriminate between. those companies organized under the general statute for the incorporation of railroad companies, and the acts supplemental and amendatory thereof, and those organized under special acts and report by bill or otherwise, and at an early day, and to enable said committee to fully inquire into said matters, the Secretary of State is requested to furnish the said committee a statement showing the name of each railroad corporation organized in this State, and the date of its organization, also showing the consolidation of all railroad companies and the date of such consolidation, and other information connected with the subject matter of this resolution that said committee may desire for their information.

290. Railroad Rates and Discrimination (March 10, 1873).

On March 10, Mr. Jethro A. Hatch, a Republican, introduced a resolution in the House proposing an amendment to the Constitution authorizing the General Assembly to pass laws fixing maximum transportation rates. The resolution failed to secure a constitutional majority, the vote being 41-9, twenty members being present but not voting.

[House Journal, Forty-eighth Session, 944.]

Sec., Article - Railways heretofore constructed or that may be constructed in this State, are hereby declared public highways, and shall be free to all persons, for the transportation of their person or their property thereon under such regulations as may be prescribed by law, and the General Assembly shall from time to time pass laws, establishing reasonable maximum rates of charges for the transportation of passengers and freights on the different railroads in this State. The General Assembly shall pass laws to correct abuses and prevent unjust discrimination and extortions in the rate of freights and passengers' tariff on the different roads in the State and enforce such laws by adequate penalties to the extent, if necessary for that purpose, of forfeiture of their property and franchises.

291.

Titles of Bills-Governor Baker's Recommendation (January 10, 1873).

In his biennial message of January 10, 1873, Governor Baker called attention to a matter of legislative practice in the wording of the titles of bills to conform with the constitutional requirement which has an indirect

significance in the treatment of the constitutional development of the State.

[House Journal, Forty-eighth Session, 29.]

The kindness with which you receive, and the promptness with which you adopted a few suggestions I made in my last message in relation to the journals of the two houses, encourages me to call your attention to another matter of legislative practice, in which there is great need of improvement. I allude to the titles of many of the bills that are passed from time to time. The impression seems to prevail that because the Constitution has declared "that every act shall embrace but one subject and matters properly connected therewith, which subject shall be expressed in the title", it therefore follows that the title of bills must be longer than was necessary before such a provision existed. Such an impression is altogether incorrect. The principal subject, or one of the principal subjects of the act, should be briefly expressed in the title, and this being done, every matter properly connected with the one so expressed, can be provided for without being alluded to in the title. Such phrases as the following are always unnecessary, and therefore inelegant and improper in the titles of bills, viz.: "And to declare an emergency," "and to repeal all laws inconsistent therewith," "and matters properly connected therewith," etc., etc. A very cursory examination of our legislation for years past, not excluding that of the late special session, will satisfy you how sadly our legislative literature is marred by the singularly grotesque, inelegant and almost interminable titles that are too often prefixed to bills. Not a few of these bills were signed by me as approved, but I want it distinctly understood that I reserve the right to protest against such titles. The title of one of them passed at the late special session, contains one hundred and sixty words, when a perfect title could have been framed in fifteen words. It is almost impossible to amend an act with such a title, so as to make the amendatory act and its title intelligible. I suggest the propriety of having a joint committee, whose duty it shall be to supervise the titles of bills, so that our statute books in the future may not be deformed by such titles as those to which allusion is made.

292. Proportional Representation-Governor Hendricks' Recommendation (January 13, 1873).

A subject of more than ordinary importance, intimately connected with a possible constitutional change, is contained in a recommendation which Governor Hendricks made to the forty-eighth General Assembly in his