INDIANA. 



387 



county. They will eventually be chosen at gen- 

 eral elections, but at first appointed by the judges 

 of the various judicial circuits. Each county is 

 to be divided into four districts, and there will 

 be one councilman for each district and three at 

 large. They must be divided in politics, and 

 must be resident freeholders and taxpayers. The 

 council is to fix the tax levy and make all ap- 

 propriations. County officers and clerks of courts 

 are required to submit estimates of the amounts 

 that will be needed during the year for expenses 

 of the offices, courts, county institutions, etc. 

 These estimates must be itemized, published, and 

 kept on file in the county auditor's office, subject 

 to inspection by taxpayers. The council has ex- 

 clusive power to buy and sell real estate for the 

 county. 



It is believed that this law will do away with 

 many abuses and extravagances, and greatly re- 

 duce the cost of local government. It is made 

 unlawful for county commissioners at a special 

 meeting to transact any business that is not men- 

 tioned in the call. Commissioners may not build 

 courthouses in counties of more than 25,000 in- 

 habitants except on petition of 500 resident free- 

 holders. 



The law prohibiting councils in cities of 50,000 

 to 100,000 from altering or extending franchises 

 of street-railway, gas, steam-heating, or electric- 

 lighting companies was repealed. Within thirty 

 days after an ordinance is passed to grant a fran- 

 chise or buy a water or light plant 40 per cent, 

 of the voters may demand that the question be 

 submitted to vote, and if it is defeated no similar 

 ordinance may be passed within three years. 



An important law concerns mortgaged proper- 

 ty, providing that it may be exempt from taxation 

 up to $700 mortgage indebtedness, with the con- 

 dition that no one is entitled to exemption greater 

 than half the appraised value of the land. By 

 the operation of this law the State will lose a 

 large amount of income, as the school fund (about 

 $6,000,000) is loaned and secured by mortgages. 

 Assignments of mortgages must be properly re- 

 corded, in order that the owner may be taxed. 



Several measures affecting insurance were 

 passed. Certain life insurance was exempted from 

 all claims of creditors. Suits against Masonic, 

 Odd Fellow, and other charitable societies must 

 be brought in the county where the principal 

 office is or a subordinate branch to which the 

 insured belonged at the time of his death, and 

 may be served only on the subordinate branch. 

 It is provided that stock life insurance companies 

 must have at least $100,000 subscribed, 50 per 

 cent, of which must be paid up and invested in 

 safe securities, $25,000 of which securities are to 

 be deposited with the Auditor of State, and evi- 

 dence furnished that $100,000 is all subscribed in 

 good faith. The remainder must be paid in eight- 

 een months. No part of the 50 per cent, required 

 to be invested can be loaned to any officer or 

 stockholder. To incorporate on the mutual plan, 

 companies must have at least 250 applications 

 for policies of not less than $1,000, and a list of 

 such applicants has to be filed with the Auditor 

 of State, with a deposit equal to three fifths of 

 the first annual premiums on such list. Insur- 

 ance companies or trust and deposit companies 

 are forbidden to loan funds to directors or offi- 

 cers. Insurance companies organized under spe- 

 cial charters must file statements with the Audi- 

 tor. Fraternal beneficiary organizations must 

 make reports. 



^ Building and loan associations may go into 

 liquidation at any regular meeting of the di- 

 rectors. 



The election law was so amended that any 

 political party may have one challenger and one 

 poll-book holder at each voting place. Any man 

 who sells or ofl'ers to sell his vote may be dis- 

 franchised for ten to twenty years. The use of 

 voting machines was authorized. 



In the interest of labor several measures were 

 enacted. Unskilled labor employed on public 

 work is to receive not less than 15 cents an hour. 

 Wages must be paid weekly, to within six days 

 of pay day, and an agreement to the contrary 

 is not binding. Assignment of future wages is 

 prohibited. Written notice of a change in wages 

 must be given twenty-four hours in advance. 

 The office of factory inspector was abolished, and 

 a State department of inspection created, with 

 greater scope to insure safety of employees, regu- 

 late the hours of labor of women and children, 

 etc. The term of a labor commissioner is ad- 

 vanced from two to four years, and his salary is 

 v placed at $1,800. Mediation is to be offered in 

 all strikes, instead of only those affecting as many 

 as 50 persons. Acts were passed regulating blast- 

 ing in mines and establishing tests for miners' oil. 



Any firm or corporation doing the business of 

 bankers, brokers, savings institutions, etc., is pro- 

 hibited from using the word " trust " as part of 

 the name of the business unless it is organized 

 under the law of March 4, 1893, which authorizes 

 the incorporation of loan, trust, and safe-deposit 

 companies. 



Aliens may foreclose mortgages and acquire 

 property in the State on condition that they dis- 

 pose of it within five years. 



Several acts were passed in the interest of edu- 

 cation.' Traveling and township libraries are pro- 

 vided for, and $3,000 was appropriated for col- 

 lecting books. Five or more citizens may organ- 

 ize a library association and be entitled to the 

 use of the traveling libraries without other pay- 

 ment than the cost of transportation. A major- 

 ity of voters in a township may authorize a tax 

 of one fifth mill for a township library. An ap- 

 propriation of $1,000 was made for the State 

 Schoolbook Commissioners to advertise for books 

 for use in public schools. Township trustees are 

 required to furnish high-school education to pupils 

 desiring it, either by building high schools, join- 

 ing with other townships to build, or paying 

 tuition for the pupils in high schools of neigh- 

 boring towns. Incorporated towns of fewer than 

 1,500 inhabitants may turn over the control of 

 their public schools to the township trustees. 

 The State Superintendent may make life certifi- 

 cates issued by other States to teachers good in 

 Indiana. Three additional members of the State 

 Board of Education are to be chosen from among 

 the county superintendents. Cities and towns 

 are to be liable for debts on school property in 

 annexed territory. Directors of colleges elected 

 by stockholders may, prior to 1902, prescribe re- 

 ligious or denominational qualifications for mem- 

 bership in the board. 



Regarding the employment of convicts in the 

 State Prison, the Board of Control is required to 

 institute instructions of an educational and tech- 

 nical nature, and is authorized to contract for the 

 labor of 400 convicts and 50 per cent, of the 

 number of convicts in excess of 800. The prison- 

 ers are to be employed at such trades as the 

 board may direct, not more than 100 at any one 

 trade. The piece-price system is authorized, and 

 the board is to have full control of convicts' labor. 

 The board may lease lands for farm products to 

 be used in the prison, the surplus raised to be 

 sold in open market. All prisoners not engaged 

 in the prison may be employed on the farms. 





