Table Of ContentNORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
Manuscript Theses
Unpublished theses submitted for the Master's and Doctor's
degrees and deposited jn the Northwestern University Library are open
for inspection, but are to be used only with due regard to the rights
of the authors. Bibliographical references m y be noted, but passages
may be copied only with the permission of the authors, and proper
credit must be given in subsequent written or published work. Exten»
sive copying or publication of the thesis in whole or in part requires
also the consent of the Dean of the Graduate School of Northwestern
University.
TheseB may be reproduced on microfilm for use in place of
the manuscript itself provided the rules listed above are strictly
adhered to and the rights of the author are in no way Jeopardized,,
This thesis by . . . . « .........
has been used by the following persons, whose signatures attest their
acceptance of the above restrictions.
A Library which borrows this thesis for use by its patrons is
expected to secure the signature of each user.
NAME AND ADDRESS DATE
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
THE MAKING OF PUBLIC POLICY
IN THE
1949 INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
A DISSERTATION
Submitted to the Graduate School
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
BY
FRANKLIN M. BRIDGE
Evanston, Illinois
August, 1951
ProQuest Number: 10101196
All rights reserved
INFORMATION TO ALL USERS
The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted.
In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript
and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed,
a note will indicate the deletion.
uest
ProQuest 10101196
Published by ProQuest LLC (2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author.
All rights reserved.
This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code
Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC.
ProQuest LLC.
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 - 1346
PREFACE
For essential help in the completion of this study,
the writer is more than indebted to a great many people*
It was made possible in the first place by a Re
search Training Fellowship from the Social Science Research
Council. Without this financial aid, the writer could not
have undertaken the work which is the basis for the fol
lowing chapters*
Among the many people to whom the writer is deeply
grateful for help, the following are only a few: Mr*
Herbert Kenny, director of the Indiana Legislative Bureau
and his entire staff; all of the leaders of the 1949
Indiana legislature, whose forbearance with what must
often have seemed to be silly questions appeared to be
limitless; Dr. Henry M* Alexander, Dr* Ralph Jones, and
Dr. Marvin Becker of the University of Arkansas faculty,
who took time they could ill-spare to assist in many
ways; former Governor Ralph F. Gates of Indiana; a large
number of Indianapolis newspapermen and others familiar
with Indiana state government who did their best to il
luminate the writer1 s TTblind spots.n
Above all, the writer is indebted for kind and
sympathetic help and encouragement to the graduate faculty
ii
e«5388
of the Department of Political Science, Northwestern Uni
versity, particularly to Dr# Charles S* Hyneman, under
whose guidance this study was conceived and completed#
Finally, a tribute of gratitude is due to Mrs#
Grace Polk and Mrs# Pat Brandli, whose typing labors in
cluded much that was far beyond requirements, and to the
writer’s wife, Mrs# Marjory Bridge, whose sympathy, en
couragement and help succeeded in pushing this study over
many obstacles#
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PREFACE........................... ii
LIST OF TABLES.................................... vii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ..................... viii
Chapter
I. INTRODUCTION..................... 1
PART I
THE LAW MAKING INSTITUTION
II. THE LEGISLATIVE MECHANICS................. 9
A. Constitutional Requirements
B. Formal Legislative Organization
C. Party Legislative Organization
D. The Governor and Law Making
III. THE LEGISLATORS............................ 6S
A. Criticism of Legislators
B. Apportionment and Composition of
the Legislature
C. Occupations of the Legislators
D. Education
E. Military Service
F. Some Miscellaneous Characteristics
G. Leadership
PART II
THE LEGISLATIVE JOB
IV. THE BUSINESS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY . . . 113
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued
Chapter Page
A. Problems of Analysis
B. The Sources of Legislation
C. The Form of the Work
D. Resolutions and Bills
E. The Subjects of Legislative Attention
F. The Legislative Issues
G. Summary
V. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK................. 159
A. The Important Issues
B. Some Spectacular Issues
C. What the Public Deplores
D. Public "Business" Questions
PART III
LEGISLATIVE DECISION MAKING
VI. THE LAW MAKING PROCESS..................... 202
VII. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VOTES............. 224
A. Are Votes Decisions?
B. Adopting Committee Reports
C, The Votes at Second Reading
D. Votes on Third Reading and Final
Passage
E. The Votes on Conference Committee
Reports
F. Summary
VIII. INTERNAL FACTORS OF INFLUENCE............. 257
A. The Committee Chairmen
B. The Standing Committees
C. The Impact of Debate
D. The Impact of Leadership
E. The Significance of the Rules
F. The Role of Strategy and Tactics
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued
Chapter Page
IX, PERIPHERAL INFLUENCES..................... 325
A* The Political Parties
B, The Lobbies
C, Personal Relationships
D, Government Agencies
E, Public Contacts During the Session
X. FACILITATIVE AIDS TO LAW MAKING........... 362
A, The Physical Facilities
B, Personnel Aids and Record Keeping
C, The Legislative Bureau
D, Interim Study Commissions
PART IV
THE LEGISLATURET S WORK
XI, THE LEGISLATIVE ATMOSPHERE . . , 396
A, Settling Down to Work
B* The "Public Eye”
C, Politics
D, Fun and Frolic
E, Hail and Farewell
XII, THE LEGISLATURE’S RECORD • , . • 431
A, The Tally Sheet
B, When Was the Work Done?
C, Was the Real Work Done?
D, What Was Not Done?
E, Some Careless Work
F, Summary
PART V
CONCLUSIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY 507
vi
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Distribution of Seats by Districts........... 79
2. Occupational Distribution of the 1949
Legislature.................................. 35
3. Relative Numbers and Percentages of Farmers
and Lawyers in the 1949 Indiana Legislature
Compared With a Six-Session Average,
1925-1935 .................................... 37
4* Educational Distribution of the 1949
Legislature.................................. 39
5* Comparison of the 1949 Volume of Work With
that of 10 Prior Sessions and the 10-Session
Average • « • • • • « . . . . . . . 136
6# Subject Matter Distribution of the Work Load
of the 1949 Indiana General Assembly. . . . . 139
7* Degree of Confirmation of Committee Action. * 267
3. Action Record of Both Houses During the
First 33 Calendar Days of the Session • • • • 279
9* Distribution of Bills Among Committees. . . . 234
10. Other Committee Assignments of the Chairman
of the Eight Busiest Committees in Each
House........................................ 233
11. Action Record of the 1949 General Assembly
Compared with Averages for 10 Prior Sessions,
and with that of 1931 .......... 433
12. Disposition of Bills Which Did not Become
Law in 1949 Compared with 10-Session Average
and with 1931 .............. 434
13. Comparative Effect of Early and Late Intro
duction on Prospects of Clearing Committees,
Being Amended and Becoming Law * 450
vii
