The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-02-12
From Harrisburg.
HARRISBURG, Feb. 6. 1874.


Mr. EDITOR As your readers want to
know what is going on here | will as briefly
as possible tell them from week to week OF
course, [ cannot 90 into particulars-that
would make my correspondence too lengthy
and tedious. All that can be expected in Il
weekly letter is a brief summary of the most
important items.
We are now closing the fifth week of legis-
latlon and thus far only one bill has been
passed through both Houses and received
the signature Of the Governor-l refer to
the election bill. Up to the same period OF
time, formerly, there were over hundred
put through the Legislative machine 1t
was quite common thing under the old sys-
TEN to introduce a bill in one House, sus-
pend the rules, pass it, take it to the other
House and put it through in like manner
and get the Executives approval-all in
single day and without the semblance of CON
sidcration or delibcration-othc than the
member having it in charge if asked, giving
the assurance that Its all right
Those of your readers who have been
familiar with doings in and about the capitol
during the sessions will remember the gangs
Of Legislative Rooster" who in the capacl-
| ty of the Third House exercised almost
unlimited power over the Legislature. The
best men, or, those supposed to be the best
and staunchcst men coming here as repre-
sentatives, with few exceptions, were carried
along into the corrupt practices Of rings,
! pinchers and corruptionists, and during the
| last five or six years it was almost considered
| Drind fnciC, evidence that man only wants
! to steal if seeking the office OF Senator or
! Representative 1t was unqueStlonaby the
notorious corruptions at Harrisburg every
| year that finally aroused the people to the
necessity Of radical change and induced
them to roll up the stupendous majority for
the new constitution.
And now. let us see how the new system
works To one like your correspondent, who
has had much experience here, 1t seems
rather tedious-the change almost too radl-
cal. Now it is impossible to pass bill IN
| less time than seven days, and IN all ordinary
cases fully two weeks are necessary to put
an act through all its readings, printing,
amending and Executive approval. Surely
this new manner of legislation IS safe IN n
every respect, as it is impossible to snake
ANYTHING through without full and free
public ventilation. And fully nine-tenths OF
the subjects Of legislation heretofore are now
excluded from Legislative Halls and trans
ftrred to the courts. And net satisfied with
all these safeguards, hereafter, fifty instead
of thirtythree Senators are to be chosen
and seated, and two hundred, instead Of one
! hundred able-bodied men are to constitute
the House Of Representatives. This In
crease was certainly entirely unnecessary:
Yet, Notwithstanding the fact that reform
has been carried little too far, it Is for all
/ that decided improvement. 1t is much
/ better to employ $50 men to do but very little
/ or even nothing, than it is to employ l33 to
run such a system of corruption as formerly
| The principal items Of business now before
/ the Legislature is the general appropriation
bill, the pportionmcnts- judiciary and Leg.
! islatiyc-the salary bills and several general
I laws to carry out the provisions Of the con
stitution. The Judiciary apportionment just
reported in the Senate, seems to be decided
| ly unjust in some respects-partlcuiarly
! towards your district, as it puts all the coun-
! ties now constituting district together
/ Wayne, Pike, Monroe and Carbon, with
only one Law Judge, whilst Indiana county,
/ Delaware county, and Beaver county each
constitute an entire district. That the bill
will pass in this shape | do not believe.
| The member from your county, Mr..
/ Kistlcr, appears to be very. attentive tc
( business, always in his seat. He seems Ike
an earnest, honest and practical man, and
means a faithful discharge Of duty to his
constituents and to the State at large. And
/ it affords me pleasure to state that there Is
quite a goodly number Of such men seated
/ In the present House. Were it not for the
/ Philadelphia crowd or set the body OF mem
bers would compare favorably with any
former House since the organization OF the