New-York tribune., 1873-12-19


more strictly defined and upon all property Of the
same class the taxation is to be equal. Education s
10 be furnished gratis not only to the children Of the
moor but to all the children OF the State requiring
education and over six years old The support OF
sectarian schools from State moneys is prohibited.
Women may be employed as teachers by the State.
There no change Of note in regard to the militia
or the Article on Public Officers. New counties
must contain at least coco inhabitants and must be
established and county lines changed only under
general and uniform laws. Commissioners of coun-
ties to be elected rienGally principles OF pro-
pOrtioDal representation in largely populated coun-
ties they to be paid by salaries. County, town
ship, and borough officers held to stricter ac-
countablty. All county Offices are fixed at a term
of three years.
Cities of 10000 inhabitants can be incorporated
Every city must provide a sinking fund for extin-
gushing its debts and is protected against the crea-
tion of any debt by any municipal commission ex-
cept upon appropriation first made by the govern
ment of the city.
CORPORATIONS, RAILROADS, AND CANALS.
The article concerning Private Corporations is
mostly new and it constitutes one OF the important
divisions of the new Constitution. Many salutary
regulations against abuse in corporate MANAGEMENT
and securities against monopoly and clique manage
ment are contained in it. Corporations are to be
confined to the business for which they shall be
established, and their charters may be repealed
when the public interest shall demand it, upon con-
diton that injustice shall not be done to the cor
porators. All unused charters existing when the
Constitution shall take effect shall be void.
The article upon Railroads and Canals covers
comparatively new field of constitutional action,
and almost the whole of it is new matter. Any
synopsis of its contents would give an imperfect
view of its importance and of the varied points OF
business and of corporate action and management
with which it deals The regulations which 1t I'M
poses upon railroad and canal companies are De-
ieyed to be judicious and well advised. and were
adopted by the Convention in a spint Of complete
fairness to all interests with which they con-
cerped The eighth section limits the granting of free
passes. The feature of principal value contained ID
this article is the gent limitations imposed upon
the railroad and other transportation companies IN
regard to determinations and favoritism IN the
conduct of their works and business. These limita-
tons which may from time to time be perfected by
statute will il is believed, correct many abuses
The article respecting future amendments is taken
nearly entire from the old Constitution, and pro
yides reasonable means for securing occasional
changes in the fundamental law, as they shall be
found necessary.
PREVENTION OF SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
LETTER FROM The HON WAYNE MVEAGH.
The friends of reform In Pennsylvania are
circulating an admirable letter from the Hon. Wayne
Mcyeagh ON the new Constitution Of the state, ad-
dressed neighbors in Chester County 1t may add
to the of the cogent reasons for the adoption OF
the Constitution that forth TO mention that
Mr.. McVeagh is the sonin-aw OF Simon Cameron Inc
writer makes some historical citations and then pro-
ceeds just what evils the new Constitution Is
proposed TO cure Pennsylvania. or special iegisa-
lion he saws:
The evils Of special legislation have been long known
and universally admitted. If The New Constitution
did nothing but protect penhyas srSn
her and filed her satutebooks for the last 10 years IL
re-ard for ner good name The magnitude of the evil
can be measuraby appreciated by remembering lDat
ticsiiy any right to interfere with the special legs-
ation Of any other member however gross It's aosurd
or however crude its language whoever can sccure an
election to the Legislature entitled 10 clohe his
whm. ignorance, his interest in the solemn % mn form
,nonweath OF Pennsy lvania" That an end sheud be
such 5eecfe % M ns cref@
virtually prohibited all special LEGISLATION 10 the iu.uie'
have become in latter years fruitful of injury
the pubic service Some OF ihe scenes enacted IN one
closing days Of American Legislatures AT Recent
have been calculated 10 add 10 the popular COM c0na
dence III representative bodies Inc passage Oh NUM-
reds OF bills in day, the alterations Of pls by thc
clerks the reading of bills by their ntes the
of laws in manuscript tue i.eqaen, & final
adjournment have all powerfully tended 10 degrade tne
law-maklug power IN the puDllc esllhioh' anu a5 an
inevitable consequence 10 Weasen at rspeu, rVi raw w
which greatly assists IN AnglosAAon coinmu.es 10
hold society together. The Convention therefore re-
quired every bl to be examined by proper committee
printed. read at length ON three different days. anu ap
nroyed by votes recorded on the journals.
The growth OF private corporations In TINS country mas
almost entirely taken place III the last twenty yetr
and for the last half OF that time has been repeatedly
that corporate wealth ana influences were grad
uay assuming 70 govern the country by deoanchine us
officials exposures III the last Congress aud III sew
eIal state Leg satures, also Importance 10 the
warnings students OF politics that unless hmia
he nyypr of
Ia our organic laws American liberty wouid De exposed
10 the danger OF the ownership Dy purchase Vi Tue pa
ance OF power legislative assembies Srcn con-
yicton whether false unless dispeled would
barrier in the pathway OF the puDhc service
over which man VINO prized MS lonor anu sel-
respect could hope to pass The OLD luea OF aptoule
adety TO the State which has always been assumed as
the very basis OF public life, would be supaned by the
idea of fidelity self the lowest and most degrading
foru-a result which would he equally fatal To the char
acer of Legislators and TO the true interests OF the cor
porations themselves. The Convention therefore, aOso-
lutely pIolDlleu leglsia'fe X antS VI 'P''i
10 them.
Nj Mcveagh sums up the case a. follows:
such IN nv Judgment the chief merits OF !" The
New Constitution" Ii saves the SINKING fund 10 tue
axpayers It from the pardonlpg power every
suspicion OF improper motives; IL furnishes ample pro
tectfop the balotbox; 10 does all In Its power 10
destroy the lobby abolishes specai legislation II
10 preserve the dignity OF the ny
orderly PROCEDURE il closes source OF alleged corrup
ton by preventing legislative grants 10 partcar col-
refuses to impair the usefulness or infringe
The rights OF railway companies, pul ~ iSioins 'n1
| sbuses with an unspsTing hand, limits them 10 the
objects creation, and clothes Inc reht OF lne
people to use without unjust discrimination with
| the inyioable sanctions Of the fundamental Ia"
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STATISTICS OF YELLOW FEVER RANAGEs IN
SHREVEPORT
I'm a recent issue OF The Shreveport Ua)