372. Republican Platform of 1884-Endorses Calling a Constitutional Convention (June 19, 1884).

The Republican State Convention of 1884 was held in the city of Indianapolis on June 19. The amendments pending in 1881 and 1882 had been defeated by the General Assembly of 1883 and no additional amendments were adopted. The sentiment for a constitutional convention had been growing rapidly, and the Republicans declared unequivocally in favor of summoning a convention at an early date.

[Indianapolis Journal, June 20, 1884.]

In the lapse of thirty-three years, by the increase of our population, and by the marvelous development of our material resources and the spread of intelligence, our State has outgrown the Constitution of 1851, and we therefore favor the calling of a convention at an early day, for the purpose of framing a new State Constitution, adapted to the present circumstances of a great and growing Commonwealth.

373. Democratic Platform of 1884–Opposes Calling a Constitutional Convention (June 25, 1884).

The Democratic State Convention of 1884 was held in the city of Indianapolis on June 25, only a few days after the Republican Convention. The fight against the liquor traffic was still being waged with vigilance. The Democrats incorporated the following planks in their platform relative to a constitutional convention.

[Indianapolis Sentinel, June 26, 1884.]

Resolved, That we are opposed to calling a convention to alter and amend the constitution of this State. Such a convention would be a great and useless expense, and would result in unsettling laws and systems now well established and understood, and which could not be as well understood under a new constitution for a quarter of a century. It will be wise in this matter to let well enough alone. The country has prospered and grown great under the present Constitution and it needs no tinkering with at the present time, especially in the interest of any party seeking to invade the rights of private property and personal liberty now secured by the Constitution. And any amendments that may become necessary in the future should be made in the cheap, simple and just manner provided in the Constitution itself.

It is provided by the Constitution of this State that the liberty of the people should be protected and that their private property should not be taken without just compensation, and we are op

posed to any change in the constitution tending to weaken these safeguards, or to any legislation which asserts the power to take or destroy the private property of any portion of the people of this State without compensation, or which unjustly interferes with their personal liberty as to what they shall eat or drink, or as to the kind of clothing they shall wear, believing that the government should be administered in that way best calculated to confer the greatest good upon the greatest number, without sacrificing the rights of the person or of property, and leaving the innocent creeds, habits, customs and business of the people unfettered by sumptuary laws, class legislation, or extortionate monopolies. While standing faithfully by the rights of property and personal liberty guaranteed to the people by the Constitution, we distinctly declare that we are in favor of sobriety and temperance, and all proper means for the promotion of these virtues, but we believe that a well regulated license system, and reasonable and just laws upon the subject, faithfully enforced, would be better than extreme measures which being subversive of personal liberty and in conflict with public sentiment, would never be effectively executed, thus bringing law into disrepute and tending to make sneaks and hypocrites of our people; Therefore we are opposed to any Constitutional amendment relating to the subject of the manufacture and sale of intoxicating and malt liquors.

THE FIFTY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 1885 AND THE SPECIAL SESSION OF 1835.

The 54th General Assembly was largely Democratic in both Houses. There were 36 Democrats and 14 Republicans in the Senate, and 63 Democrats and 36 Republicans in the House. There were no amendments pending consideration. The attempt to secure a state-wide prohibition amendment seems to have been generally abandoned, but the people were determined to provide for a campaign of education on the harmful effects of intoxicating liquors or narcotics on the human system, and hundreds of petitions were presented in the House and Senate asking the General Assembly to pass a law requiring the teaching of scientific temperance in the public schools. A rather large number of amendments were proposed including proposals designed to fix the terms of State and county officers at four years, increasing the membership of the Supreme Court, providing for the redistricting of the State for judicial purposes, dividing the Supreme Court into divisions or benches for the consideration of cases, admitting negroes to the militia, extending the right of suffrage to women, state-wide and local prohibition, fixing regular sessions at 100 days and special sessions at 50 days, authorizing the Governor to veto items in appropriation bills, prohibiting the hiring of convicts and delinquents, eliminating the section relative to the qualifications of lawyers, and deleting

the provision relative to code commissioners. Only two amendments were adopted. One of these fixed the terms of county officers at four years and the other provided for the admission of negroes to the militia.

374. Terms of County Officers (March 7, 1885).

The resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution fixing the terms of county officers at four years and rendering persons ineligible for more than one term in any period of eight years, was introduced in the House on January 14 by Mr. Martin T. Krueger, a Democrat. The resolution was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. On January 21, the committee returned a favorable report in which the House concurred. On January 29 the resolution passed the House by a vote of 81-8, and both the resolution and the ayes and noes were again set out in full on the Journals. The resolution passed the Senate with amendments on February 23 by a vote of 32-2, and the resolution with the ayes and noes were entered in full. The amended resolution was reported favorably by the House Judiciary Committee on March 6 and was agreed to by a vote of 80-5. The resolution was approved on March 7, 1885.

[House Journal, Fifty-fourth Session, 932.]

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 2 of Article 6 of the Constitution:

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, That the following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana be and the same is hereby proposed and agreed to, to-wit: Amend Section 2 of Article 6 to read:

Sec. 2. There shall be elected in each county, by the voters thereof, at the time of holding general elections, a clerk of the circuit court, auditor, recorder, treasurer, sheriff, coroner, and surveyor, who shall severally hold their offices for a term of four years from the first day of January after their election, and no person shall be eligible to either of said offices, except that of surveyor, more than four years, or one term in any period of eight years: Provided, That in case of the appointment of any one of such offices to fill any vacancy therein, such appointee shall be appointed to hold only to the first of January succeeding the next general election after such vacancy occurs.

Resolved, That in submitting this amendment to the electors of the State to be voted on, it shall be designated as Amendment No. 1.

375.

Admitting Negroes to the State Militia (April 13, 1885).

A proposed amendment admitting negroes to the State militia was embodied in a resolution introduced in the House on January 27, by Mr. Doak

R. Best a Republican. The resolution passed the House on March 20 by a vote of 77-2, and the Senate on April 13 by a vote of 44-0. The resolution was not signed by the Governor but was filed in the office of the Secretary of State on April 13, 1885.

[House Journal, Fifty-fourth Session, 311.]

House Joint Resolution No. 6.

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article 12 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana:

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana be and the same is hereby proposed, and agreed to, to-wit: Amend Section 1 of Article 12, by striking out the word "white" contained in said section.

Resolved, further, That in voting on this amendment it shall be designated and known as Amendment No. 3.

376. Composition of State Militia (January 27, 1885).

A similar amendment admitting negroes to the State militia, was proposed in the House on January 27 by Mr. R. C. J. Pendleton, a Democrat. The resolution was referred to the Committee on Militiary Affairs and was not subsequently considered.

[House Journal, Fifty-fourth Session, 308.]

House Joint Resolution No. 5.

Resolved, by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, That the following amendment be and is hereby proposed to the Constitution of the State of Indiana, to-wit: Amend Section 1 of Article 12, to read as follows:

Section 1. The militia shall consist of all able bodied male persons between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, except such as may be exempted by the laws of the United States or this State, and shall be organized, officered, armed and equipped, and trained in such manner as may be provided by law.

A similar amendment was proposed in the Senate by Mr. William Dudley Foulke on April 13, but not subsequently considered.

[Senate Journal, Fifty-fourth Session, 973.]

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article 12 of the Constitution of the State:

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the following amendment to the constitution of the State

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of Indiana be and the same is hereby proposed, to wit: Amend Section 1 of Article 12 by striking out the word "white" contained in said section.

Resolved, further, That in voting on this amendment it shall be designated and known as Amendment No. 3.

377. Term of State Officers (January 27, 1885).

A resolution embodying an amendment proposing to fix the term of State officers at four years was introduced in the House on January 27 by Mr. Martin T. Kreuger. The Committee on Ways and Means on January 31 made a favorable report. The resolution passed the House on March 31 by a vote of 76-6 and the resolution, together with the ayes and noes, were reentered on the Journal. The Senate took no definite action on this resolution.

[House Journal, Fifty-fourth Session, 1383.]

No. 4. A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 1, Article 6, of the Constitution.

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, That the following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana, be and the same is hereby proposed, to-wit:

Amend Section 1 of Article 6, to read:

Section 1. There shall be elected by the voters of the State, a Secretary, an Auditor and a Treasurer of State, who shall severally hold their offices for four years. They shall perform such duties as may be enjoined by law; and no person shall be eligible to either of said offices more than one term, or four years, in any period of eight years.

Resolved, That in submitting this amendment to the electors of the State to be voted on, it shall be designated as Amendment No. 2.

378.

Woman Suffrage (January 27, 1885).

On January 27 a resolution was adopted by the House providing “that a committee of five members of this House be appointed by the Speaker, which shall be known as the 'Committee on Women's Claims,' to which shall be referred all matters pertaining to any proposed extension of the rights and privileges of women." The committee was appointed at once. On February 19, a resolution was adopted by the House tendering the use of the House chamber to the Woman's State Suffrage Association of Indiana "for the purpose of addressing the members of the General Assembly on the suffrage question." On January 27, Mr. Doak R. Best introduced a resolution in the House proposing an amendment to the Constitution to confer the right of suffrage on women. On April 2, the House refused to agree to the resolution by a vote of 45-43.