Mr. Sherman offered the following amendment, and moved its adoption:

Amend House Bill No. 258 as now amended by adding after line 6 of seetion 1 the following: "Any school officer or officers who shall neglect or fail to comply with the provisions of this act shall forfeit and pay for each offense the sum of not less than $5.00 nor more than $25.00."

Mr. Suttle moved to lay the amendment offered by Mr. Sherman upon the table, and

The motion was lost.

The question now recurring on the amendment offered by Mr. Sherman.

The ayes and nays being demanded by five members present a call of the roll was ordered, resulting as follows: Ayes, 60; nays, 42. Those voting in the affirmative are, Messrs.:

Mr. Wilson offered the following amendment and moved its adoption:

"The local school authorities, shall provide definite time and place for this branch in the regular course of study.'

Mr. Needles moved to lay the amendment offered by Mr. Wilson upon the table,

And the motion prevailed.

Mr. Selby moved the previous question.

The question being, "Shall the main question be now put?" it was decided in the affirmative.

The question now recurring, "Shall the bill, as amended, be ordered engrossed for a third reading?" it was decided in the affirmative.

The foregoing amendments were therefore ordered printed and the bill engrossed for a third reading.

The House proceeding upon the order of reports of standing committees,

Mr. Cavanagh, from the Committee on Enrolled and Engrossed Bills, reports that a bill of the following title has been correctly engrossed and returned herewith:

HOUSE BILL No. 498.

A bill for "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act providing for the payment, by the county of Cook, of further compensation to the judges of the Circuit and Superior Courts and the State's attorney of said county, respectively," approved April 13, 1871, in force July 1, 1871.

Whereupon the bill was placed in the order of House bills on third reading.

Mr. Cavanagh, from the Committee on Enrolled and Engrossed Bills, reports that a bill of the following title has been correctly engrossed and returned herewith:

HOUSE BILL No. 688.

A bill for "An act to increase the number of Commissioners of Lincoln Park."

Whereupon the bill was placed in the order of House bills on third reading.

Mr. Cavanagh, from the Committee on Enrolled and Engrossed Bills, reports that a bill of the following title has been correctly engrossed and returned herewith:

HOUSE BILL No. 65.

A bill for "An act to punish persons for removing waste, lubricated packing or other material from the journal boxes of engines, tenders or cars without authority."

Whereupon the bill was placed in the order of House bills on third reading.

A message from the Senate by Mr. Paddock, Secretary:

Mr. Speaker:-I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has concurred with the House in the passage of a bill of the following title, to-wit:

HOUSE BILL No. 676.

A bill for "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to regulate the civil service in cities,'" approved March 20, 1895.

Passed the Senate May 4, 1897.

J. H. PADDOCK,

Secretary of the Senate.

A message from the Senate by Mr. Paddock, Secretary:

Mr. Speaker:-I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has passed bills of the following titles in the passage of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the House of Representatives, to-wit:

SENATE BILL NO. 145.

A bill for An act to amend sections 58, 66, 72, 73, 74, 76, 78, 86, 90, 91, 92, 93, 97 and 98 of an act entitled 'An act for the assessment of property and for the levy and collection of taxes,' and to repeal an act entitled 'An act to correct irregularities in assessment of property for taxation and in the equalization of assessments for such purposes,' approved and in force May 29, 1877.

SENATE BILL NO. 256.

A bill for "An act to amend 'An act in relation to the sentence of prisoners convicted of crime, and providing for a system of parole,'" approved June 15, 1895.

Passed the Senate May 4, 1897.

J. H. PADDOCK,

Secretary of the Senate.

The foregoing Senate Bills, numbered, respectively, 145 and 256, were ordered printed and to a first reading.

Mr. Morris moved that House Bill No. 367 be postponed and made a special order for Thursday morning, May 16, 1897, immediately after the reading of the journal.

The motion prevailed.

The hour having arrived, the time heretofore fixed for the special consideration of Senate Bill No. 91, a bill for "An act to legalize certain elections held under 'An act to provide for the incorporation of cities and villages."" approved April 10, 1872, in force July 1, 1872, Was taken up, and all amendments thereto having been engrossed and printed, it was read at large a third time. And the question being, "Shall this the affirmative by the following vote:

bill pass?" it was decided in Yeas, 115; nays, 0.

This bill expressing an emergency in the body of the act, and having received the votes of two-thirds of the members elected was declared passed.

Ordered that the title be as aforesaid, and that the Clerk inform the Senate thereof and ask their concurrence in the House amendments thereto.

The hour having arrived, the time heretofore fixed, for the special consideration of House Bill No. 700, a bill for "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to divide the State of Illinois, exclusive of the County of Cook, into Judicial Circuits,"" passed April 22, 1897, approved April 23, 1897,

Having been engrossed. and the amendments adopted thereto, having been printed was taken up and read at large a third time.

Whereupon Mr. Kincheloe moved to postpone further consideration of House Bill No. 700, until to-morrow immediately after other special orders,

And the motion prevailed.

Mr. Selby moved that the special orders for to-day, which remain undisposed of, be allowed to retain their place on the calendar and remain as special orders for to-morrow after the reading of the journal,

And the motion prevailed.

Mr. Anderson, from the Committee to Investigate the Deficit in the treasury, begs leave to introduce the following resolution and recommend that the same be adopted:

WHEREAS, The House of Representatives did on the 7th day of April, A. D. 1897, adopt the following preamble and resolutions, to-wit:

WHEREAS, The treasury of the State of Illinois is without funds to pay the expenses of the various departments of the State Government, and

WHEREAS, Many of the State institutions have no money with which to pay their necessary running expenses, and have contracted debts amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, on a large part of which debt the State is paying an excessive rate of interest, and

WHEREAS, The great State of Illinois is now without funds to meet its current obligations, and the credit of the State is greatly impaired by reason of the inability to meet the just demands on the State treasury, therefore be it Resolved, That a committee consisting of seven members of the House, be appointed by the Speaker, which shall thoroughly investigate the cause of the present depleted condition of the State treasury, and ascertain the present financial condition of the various departments of the State Government, and of the various State institutions, and State boards, and if any funds have been diverted from the purposes for which they were appropriated by the General Assembly or have been misspent, wasted or used for purposes unnecessary for the proper management of such departments, institutions or boards; also to ascertain whether any property of the State has been appropriated or disposed of by persons having the care and custody of the same, without properly accounting to the State for the same, or whether any fees received have been illegally disposed of by any department, State institution or State board, and whether the bills paid by the State have been just and reasonable; and be it further

Resolved, That said committee be authorized to send for persons and papers, to examine the books and records of the various departments of State Government, and of the different State institutions and State boards. and may if they deem it necessary employ an expert accountant and stenographer and they may also employ a clerk at the per diem allowed by law. Said committee may sit during the recess of the House, and are authorized to administer oaths to witnesses who appear before them.

WHEREAS, The Speaker of the House, did on the 16th day of April, A. D. 1897, appoint the said committee as provided in said resolutions, and

WHEREAS, The said committee did, on the first day of May, A. D. 1897. proceed to examine witnesses as required by the above resolution, and

WHEREAS, Felix Senff was duly subpoenaed to appear before the House Committee for the investigation of the deficit of the treasury, and

WHEREAS, He then and there, while being examined by said committee, refused to make answer to certain questions, to-wit:

Question. "Were you at any time, employed in the State Grain Inspection Department?"

Answer. "I would like to make a statement before I answer any question. I have answered your subpoena, but I have been advised by legal counsel not to recognize your committee. That your committee was voted into existence in an illegal manner, no quorum being present at the time the vote was taken. I shall decline to answer any other questions." Therefore be it further

Resolved. That the Speaker be and is herby directed to issue a warrant directed to the Doorkeeper of the House, directing him to bring before the bar of the House, the said Felix Senff, then and there to be dealt with by the House for contempt in refusing to answer lawful questions propounded to him by the said committee.

And the resolution was adopted.

At the hour of 4:25 o'clock p. m., Mr. Selby moved that the House do now adjourn.

And the motion prevailed,

And the House stood adjourned.