Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-01-20
FROM HARRISBURG.
Of the Bradford Reporter ]

60. GooDRIcH:-" Political extravaganza"
-" Prodgal waste of the peoples money" &c,
are words that have been played upon 50 much,
that it may seem presumptuous in me to at
tempt to grind ont anything of a tune upon
them During the recess Of the Legislature
the halls have been renovated and quite ex-
travagantly fitted up for the present session
among the fixtures | notice an elaborate anc
somewhat 1ashy display of window curtains
and fxtures they consist Of very heavy gild-
ed arch, with fsh-hawk perched thereon,
holding the lead line" in his carnivorous
beak +; the drapery in the House is blue and
yelow-colorS which harmonic with the keen
sense of color about as A sharp and fat
would to the delicate sensibilites of musician
they were sn6c0ntracted for $3.50 per win
dow What the original contract was which
the State must foot, has not yet transpired.
There are twelve such windows in each Hall,
making twentyfour in all aud at $3.50 each,
make the sung little sum of six thousand dol
lars for window fixtures alone
Aside from this species of extIavagance, |
discover that the Legislature is inclined to
pay off political hounds and tools, by giving
them places of profit abont the House The
Door keepers, Sergeants-at-ArmS, Postmasters,
Messengers and Pages are so numerous that
they are stumbled over at every turn and cor
ner, and | understand that as numerous as
they now are, they are less in number than last
winter under Democratic rule 1t certainly
would seem to an outsider that half the num-
Der would do all the work and still not earn
more than their money. And still some of
the members, who have debts at home to pay,
are asking for mere Offices to fll.
The veto messages of Gov. Packer so far as
they have been acted upon, have been almost
unanimously sustained There was a vast
amount of "food-wood" locked through the
last Legislature at the close of the session.
Those bills were mostly of local character
aud of little interest to your readers
The question of publishing reliable Legis-
lative Record has been again before the House.
The House appointed committee some days
ago to negotiate for the publication of such a
record. The Senate, democratic as it is, re-
fuses to appoint a similar committee, aItho' it
is stated in the House by authority, that a
Record equal in all respects to the present one
can be had for one third its present cost the
present one therefore is entaed upon the Leg
islature by virtue of the contract of last ses-
sion at 81 per page.
The standing committees of the House were
announced on Tuesday last. Mr. CHASE, of
SuSquehanna, is at the head of Ways and
Means, Mr. MCCLURE at the head of the Ju-
dietary. These are the most important com
mttees, and able men are at the head of them
Mr.. KINNEY of your county is second on the
Educational committee, which is regarded as
complimentary to new member This has
become one of the very important committees,
and it is hoped that the prudent zeal he has
heretofore manifested on the subject Of COM
mon school education will not desert him at
the present time. lie is also one of the three
which constitute the committee on Public
Buildings. This committee in conjunction with
q similar committee from the Senate, appoints
the Superintendent of Public Buildings and
Grounds. This Superintendent has the sole
management of the property and the disburSe-
ment of all moneys appropriated for repairs 1t
is hoped the committee will make no mistake
in the selection Of that officer
Mr.. SMEAD of your county succeeded in get
ting a committee on Mines aud Minerals add
ed to the usual standing committees, and was
entitled to the Craftsmanship of it, yet he is
not on it at all, which is manifest error on
the part of the Speaker he is placed on the
committee on Estates and Divorces
Three seats in the House are contested-two
from Philadelphia and one from Cambria. The
committees are drawn from the one hundred
members in manner similar to empanneng
juries, and consist of nine members: Mr. KIN
NEY, from your county, is on two of those COM
mittees. The trials are likely to occupy con-
siderable time. One of the Philadelphia cases
NohCo ltoh IHdI holOIlOuS SiHh hole, tue louTln
Ward, which no doubt fraudulently defeated
LAPoRTE in 1856, and helped materially to
swell that tremendous city majority against
WILNoT in 1851. If the half that is alleged
by the petitioner be sustained it will present a
sorry case indeed
A bill has been read in place by Mr.. Barns
LEY, of Bucks, repeating so much OF the school
law as fixes the tax on trades, professions and
occupations at not less than one dollar. There
is much complaint coming from all parts of the
State at singing the laborerS and mechanics