Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-06-25
The STATE FINANCES.
A DEFALCATloN OF s2,s88, ,ls4l
Speech of HON. JOHN H. oRv1s
OF Centre County, Delivered in the House Of Repre-
'sntstSss on Tuesday. April Q, 1879.

or Centre County Delivered In tho Houso Of Rspr.
ssntatives on Tuesday. April Q, 1879.
MIR. SPEAKER.--I would have pro
} ierrcd, if time had permitted, going
into committee Of the whole where
amendments could have been offered
and discussed in the ordinary way,
But the gentleman having charge oi
this bill has stated that the same lati.
tiide wanld be aiio " cd In the baasN al
IN the committee, and propose to
say now what | have to say in opposi.
ton to this measure. Had the gentle.
men on this sido Of the house seen ft
TO interpose tho ordinary parliamcn.
tary obstacles in the way, they could
have prevented lis consideration dur
ing this session, for it stood SO low
upon the calendar it could not have
been reached in order, and | assert
they would have been perfectly iusti-
fed in so doing, and that the re-
sponsibiity for not complying with tho
requirements of tho constitutional
amendment ratified at the last gener-
al election would have rested upon the
majority in this house. The minority,
however, have determined not TO pre-.
vent the passage ofsome act to provide
for the election of a state treasurer,
but to hold the majority responsible
before the people for the propriety of
its provisions. Two years ago Joint
resolution to amend the constitution
OF the state, changing the method of
eiecting the state treasurer was passed
by both houses in response TO the un.
doubted opinion of the people that a
radical change was required for the
public good. That resolution was
again passed at the last session of the
legislature, submitted to a vote of the
people, and ratified by the unprece
dentcd vote of 6Sl ,620 for and 4 1893
against il. We may say it was the
unanimous voice of the people that the
change should be made. No change
in the fundamental law of tho state
was ever made by so nearly q unani.
,"'o "' WIS 'nis'
IN ooeo'ence 10 this mandate Of the
sovereign people of Pennsylvania a
gentleman on this side of the chamber,
tne gentleman from Westmoreland
Mr.. Latta), early in the session, on
the I'D of January, read in place q
bill 10 provide for the election of a
state treasurer by the neonle md II
was referred TO the general Judiciary
commlttee. This bill provided for the
G,cc.ioh 70 thke place ON tho third
s,rcIsXX E,rricdIaX oi MaTcans IS73hREpd the tnnT neTIg
duties of bis Office on the frat Mondov
of NAV next when tho ,erm NJ ~
present treasurer exn;res Tho b;lI
contained other provisions made no.
cessary by The change in the conslitu.
tion. The committee, composed Of
large majority of republicans, instead
ofpromptly acting upon the bill which
was of the first Importance to the peo-
pie, and amending II TO suit their ideas
Of right and propriety, If any amend
ments were needed, held il without
action for four full weeks, and then
reported it back to the house with
negative recommendation, which put
it in such position as not TO be reach
cd during the session, as will appear
by reference to its present place upon
the calendar. The majority Of the
committee offered no substitute for ii,
made no amendments IS to it, but simply
negatived it, and from that time until
the present bill was recently introduc.
ed no action has been taken by the ma.
lorty party of this house TO comply
~ ',h the mandate of the people as ex-
nro.se,,, in the recent amendment to
,ho .,itltion. There can be no
o'os,;nn S II 49,, mind of any sensible
I moo hn, ,ha, !, v,s .he intention of
,ha roon,a ~ o,aa, j, .-e.surer who
o o,i', IiJop'U .,s, ~ ,ho ~ =, .he expi-
,a,;an as,ia ."s. W. o'o. - ~ rh. ac.
,;on oe ~ ~ wy S'v s;,.'; !. -"
IN ,,,o sono,a ,Sy,.an,;ns n ~ % 49,, s
os % Tho neonIo in ,h;s s ra',asd NV h,, c,i,;na
~ e.. 49, s
~ ,,,ar Dofoso ~ ,ho Wv ;ro,;o Go;" y' ".as
ent ,erm wos in onon oon,emn, N.Y. of M ,ho
nno n,n,n,s dos;sa ~" "nd 'o doa,ad ~ ~ ~ n.y.
neonlo Of ,ho s,a,o Thoro woro ~ o nv
ruWp rsalona a hle ob;eo,;ons 20 % ,ho nro,;sion. % nv
os ,Ia In ;.,rodaoaJ " T., ~ r. ,an,,a
" nan NJ srom ON o Was,moroioOy u, aSror;d S"
81 a. Co.. ~ = snao;ol | niaa,;"n " ,,or ~ .I,u aar
whan tonr fi,,hs % ~ ,ho conn,;oS % of G ~
state beld their snr;no oIec,ions The
ex,ra exnense an,a;1oJ unon ,bsse
ooan,;as wh;oh haa M a,or,;an nnon
that day would bavo amounted to s2O,-
600. The only excuse have heard
for not passing that bill in The early
part of the session ia that the cost to
the public wonld be so great as not 10
justify it, and yet in four-fifths Of the
counties of the state no additional ex.
pensc would have been entailed. lido
not know the answer tho majority of
this house will make whom they return
10 their constituents and are asked,
why did you not comply with the spir-