New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-22
HARRISBURG LAW-MAKrNo
WORK OF THE PENNSYLVANIA Lgnro
LATURR

r..
THE LACK or GENERAL LAws--gyus oy s,,u-
ENACrMENTs-THE INFAMOUS PHIr ,nptAL
ELECTION LAw-SENATOR M'cIuPvis LILA
ITS DEFEAT IN THE HOUSE PROBABLE
fpsOs A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ov TBk Tsr.nx
HARRISBURG, March 15.-They reouir.
great deal OF law-making here In Pennsyvani. "a,
believe there l. another State Legislature IN tbs
that passes many bills every year a. the bodv
sits in the ugly old red-briek State House on m.
knoll overlooking this quiet, quaint oldfasbioned NJ
American little city The rapidly with which -
PenDsylyania lawmakers turn out bills il astor,.,
More than 1000 have been introduced thus "a, ,h,~
sion. How many have been passed, onIy the ovez,
clerks know, and probably they have not found 49,
count them up yet Not much time "a wasted in tn
and it is thing. told for a twenty,oIas,.
speech TO be made In either House. There IA 40 NM
be done that oratory is discouraged for n IA pot,
mere love OF legislating that many new ,,st,,s -.
made every year. vast amount ~ special leo..,,
II made necessary by the want OF general lava m
is no general incorporation law no general ,,nro.o1
general law relating TO the borrowing of tnone 49,
cities and towns, or regulating the ooVtruetlan a,
bridges, the establishment Of ferries or s LAYING o.
Of State roads, After looking over the titles Of hail.
pending one begus 10 doubt whether they have ,pv
cra laws at all in Pennsylvania Every Joint tock co.,
p6ny must come TO the Il gsatme for q SPECIAL A.,
granting IL charter and in great manufactnring s,,
like this the number OF such acts that must be passs6
AZ
special legislation for counties and borOughs ei,fh,
TO the leyyng OF taxes the mourning OF debts tie mum
Der and Of officials &c. Every county some eT
tent petty principally win code OF laws Of ia oSn
the growth OF years OF special legisationa ne hins
for lawyers. should say but system which Il h ns
wonder the people seek 10 be rid OF by means Of nes
SPECIAL OSCILLATION
The titles Of few bills the senate Calendar which
have before me- will show 10 what extent this system
OF special enactment goes. Here Il IAN act 70 vacas
portion of street in the borough Of g. Clair tn schuy
kill County" thing that certainly ought be- within
the Jurisdiction Of the municipal authorities OF thai
borough one would say. Next follows IAN act 10 reg1
late the manufacture and sale OF fertilizers Cbeses
County" and little further An act 20 authorize th,
authorities OF the borough OF shckshnny collect their
road tax In money" There Is An act 10 tax sheep IN
Clearied County" but why that domestic animal
should be taxed in one county and pre-
cannot explain Passing along, hhd An act % ,u'
thorize the appointment Of two oonstabe IN Pike town
ship, the County Of Bradford aud next W Il AN act
10 rpeol an act for the appointment OF an anrOneer ,
the County Of WestmOreand' Have the people Of Piks
township grown so lawless as 70 need more cOnsabes
aud are there 20 be no auctions IN Wesmorelandi
There a number OF acts aDnulliDg marriage
tracts 10y which it appears that in where the
courts cannot will grant divorce the Legsaturs
solicited annul the marriage contract by special
act. A multitude OF acts appear in tLe calendsr-
making special provision against cattle running AZ args
counties towns, opening or EacatDg
in cities, regulating the salary Of Judge ia ths county
the building Of bridge here aud lookup
States attended to by courts, County COMMISSIONER,
Boards of SUPERVISOR 5eectmen, or similar local
tboritie II is said that the certainty that the rev Con
stuton, in process OF framing By the Convention
in session Philadelphia viii take from the Legsla
tnre most OF III power 10 pas. special acts has Increased
the pressure for the passage OF such acts this Winter
particularly from banking, manufacturing and othr
companies, seeking favorable franchises. Gov Hart
rdnfI has vetoed a number Of bills Of the kind. tho
ground that they granted dangerous powers; and by
Legislature to recall them and modify them TO SUIT hs
views lie exhibits stubbOrnness IN tins respect thst
Is not al all gratifying to cas Of jobbers who pursas
fnp trade
thing in any mace Pefhaps the Governor is trying 70
remove the cloud under winch he went into Office.
THE PHILADELPHIA ELECTION LAW.
Apart from this OF special legislation. the chief
feature OF the session has been the effort 70 reform the
elections in Philadelphia, foot by Col. Mcclure
There a special election law for that city. passed IN
1862 which has proved convenient instrument fOr
fraud that IL pretty clear thstt devised for that er
press purpose Under Us provisions the entire election
chiney Is in the hands OF the dominant party aud there
the courts for redress Of the wrongs they
commit. A ring OF corrupt politicians Systematically
make false rcgstraton5 ana ralduent returns Al eyey
election keep themselves and their fayOres IN power
The people are absolutely without remedy " IN
G M the FES SSSd a. G the BY @sS sSn
frauds. He exposed these 30 completely that he gos
his seat on a contest, AT tue October election
last Fall the most gigantic and Outra gcOus scheme OF
fraud ever known was devised by the Ring. and
cessuly carried out, beginning with the Registrations
With a population 10000 less than the City OF
NewYOrK registry wss made OF 10000 more voters.
TSisiration ON various pr,texts The Democrats vers
denied representation on the Boards OF Canvasefs and
dsrepuTable politicians who cultivate fraud ls pro
fessiOn appointed as nominal Democrats The 0dt
RACES practiced by the return judges were IA bad
tanned beyond any question that they made change VI
at least 400 votes. This Is Admitted by everybody
How further they went viii never be known, for
there motive for a thorough investigation
COL. M'CLUREs SPEECH on THE sUJEcT.
few days ago Col. Mcclure made a speech on this
subject in which he exposed the manner IN which thes
frauds were committed and advocated a remedy fer
their recurrence bill prepared by him am tempted
to quote paragraph from this speech 1t IL Is good
reading in NewYork as IN Philadelphia Speaking Of
the causes of the corruption OF the ballot no referred
the large class OF cultured gentlemen OF wealth aud
leisure who belong to the Republican party, bur dsdsn
to have anything to do with the work Of political Organ
cation. or these he said
They are not bameless, for they have actively %
passvey submitted when they should have barred theit
to strike deathbOw against fraud IN the name OF
their once hOnOred organization, An overwhelming
majority of them desire preierment and discard poll
tics pernciOs trade. They have very largely COZ
ri0uted TO degrade our political system by wthdawng
from participation In political AFFAIRS AMI OY teaching
the fatal theory that reputable men cannot be polu
clans; They are an immense loose aGGreSa'e On
excellent men, who are faithful 70 VERY
be most faithful TO that. They without organ-
cation and without the taste the skill or the experience
to make and maintain organization. They have p0lioA
convictions and prtudces as have Otner men sd shsn
the battle Is at their doors they ind their banners
streaming their candidates selected Hood OF defama-
ton, as they readily believe, against their party while
reform emDlaZOned IN their party platforms ana prom
lSed In every speech, tuty tdll INTO
ndiferentg 10 the rear, aud systematic fraud gives
them returns which called the verdict Of the people
In vain do they protest and demonstrate with those ia
power when no elections are at hand FutY thousSa
may thus protest and complain individually, 10 Their
places OF business in their boards OF trade TheJ arc
but playthings for thousands OF Ocehoders who pave
framed laws TO perpetqae Their own powei ana waS
cannot be assaed In their humblest supporters ~thou'
electrifying the whole body for defense"
THE PROPOSED REMEDY
The remedy proposed by COL Mcclure. expressed 10
single Give each party equal restraintupon
the other and give the responsible Judicial tribunals
ample restraint upon all" His bill. applicable 20 Phls
delphia alone provides FOR board OF four election com
mssiOncrs two OF each party, who 20 divide the CITY