Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-04-08
Letter from Harrisburg.
HARRISBURG, APRIL 7th, Is

toh w Souhty p"Poij " Sohuo
man Of somo experience in State af-
fairs, who had visited Harrisburg, un-
der both the old and tho new Consti-
tuition, is MS good evidence Of the salu-
tary behsht tho new Constitution has
conferred upon the work Of legislation
here, when it prohibits tho assistance
Of n lobby, and the introduction Of
special legislation for the benefit Of
the few and tho injury Of tho many,
as has over met my eye. After de-
scribing our city, speaking Of our now
water works, the valuable and per.
feet machinery turned out by our
largo manufacturing establishments,
&C., tho writer says: "Although our
business was not ION the Hill or in
the hotels, where legislative wisdom
and lobby impudence were wont to
congregate, we could not fail TO bo i'm
pressed with the marked contrast be.
tween Harrisburg under tho new and
the old Constitution. Tho faces so
familiar around the 'Locbiel' in the
prosperous days of the lobby were
not to be seen at the dinner hour
They were also invisible on the floor
and in the lobbies of tho Senate and
House. In the former we were one
Of tho only two outsiders present, and
prominent Senator assured US that
what we saw was fair average of the
present session. The consequence is
that the Senate is rising to the dig.
nifty of a deliberativo body, and we
have no doubt that by the time the
machinery of the new Constitution is
fully in operation the improvement in
the House will be no less marked. 1t
certainly will be if the people at the
next election of Representatives take
as much interest in clccting good men
as they did in changing their funda-
mental law. The old rng-mpsters
still show their hands and their power
in shaping legislation to suit their high
pressure party purposes, regardless in
many instances of the wishes and in
terests OF the masses, and this evil
will not be cured until the people elect
new men of more patriotic and con-
sequcntly less selfish nature-men who
aspire TO be statesmen rather than
politicians"
Following is the text of the bill be-
fore the Legislature to secure the AT
tendance of children at school,
SECTION /. Every parent, guardian
or other person having control of any
child between the ages Of eight and
fourteen years residing in any school
district in which school Is taught for
three months or more, annually, with
in one mile by the nearest Travelled
road of the residence of such child,
shall instruct or cause such child to
be instructed in reading, writing, &c.
ography, and arithmetic, and every
person having control Of such child
shall cause such child to attend some
school at least twelve weeks in each
year, eight weeks of which shall be
consecutive, or shall cause such child
to be instructed at home or elsewhere
AT least twelve weeks in each year in
the branches above named, unless the
physical or mental condition Of the
child is such as TO render such attend:
ance unfit or impracticable, or unless
the child shall be reasonably proficient
in said branches
SEC. 2. II shall be the duty Of the
school directors or controllers hav-
ing control of any school to prose
cute for all violations of section one of
this act in their district, and any one
who shall violate said section one
shall be punished by fine of not less
than fifty cents and not moro than five
dollars, payable into the school treas
ury of the district in which he resides,
for every week, not exceeding twelve
weeks, in any one year during which
he shall have failed to comply with the
provision OF said section said fine,
when recovered, to be paid into tho
school treasury of the district where
the penalty or fine was first incurred
SEc. 3. The school directors or con-
trollers having control of any school
where q written notice has been served
by any taxpayer upon any two or more
of them stating by whom, where and
how any such penalty has boon in
CURED, who shall neglect for ten
days after the service of such notice
upon them to institute suit for the
recovery thereof unless such penalty
shall sooner be paid without suit, or
unless upon investigation during that
time they shall be satisfied that no
penalty has actually been incurred,
shall forfeit and pay the sum not less
than five dollars nor moro than fifteen
dollars for each neglect, to be recov-
cred rs may hereafter bo provided in
any court of competent jurisdiction /;
such penalty when recovered TO be
paid TO the school treasurer for the
use of the district in which the penalty
was incurred.
SEo. t. 1t shall be the duty of the col
lectors or directors having the charge
of any school, upon application, to
furnish any child between the ages of
eight and fourteen years Of age resid-
ing in their district with the necessary
books when it shall appear that the
parent or other person having control
of said child is in INDECENT circumstan.
ces and is dcsirous Of sending such
child TO school, and such books shall
be paid for from the treasury of the
school district by orders drawn there.
upon by the proper officers.
SEC. 5. The directors or controllers
having charge of any public school
shall render annually report TO tho
county superintendent, showing the
number and result of prosecutions un-
der this act, the number of children,
if any, between the ages of eight and
fourteen years of age who have not
attended any school or who have not
been instructed in accordance with
section one.
SEC. 6. All suits under this act shall
be an action Of debt in the name Of the
people Of the State of Pennsylvania
and for the use of the district where