The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-03-17
"MOllie" Relief Bill,

The following is the debate on final
passage of the bill appropriating $50, 900
for the " relief of those counties who
have suffered onerous expenses in pro.
scouting the "MOllie's," and successful.
ly carried through the House of Repre-.
sentatlves by our talented fellow towns
man, Hon. W. NJ. Rapsher:
The Speaker-Wnen we adjourned the House
had under consideration bill No. 80 entit cd
An act to appropriate Tor the relief of certain
C,unties of tlls Commonwealth who have Eus
tanned unusual aud enormous expenses ln sup
pressing and bringing TO Justice certain mem.
OrIs OF secret organization knOwn as The An.
cient order OF HlDernlanS or Molly Magulres
Mr.. Burgess-I move that the House 20 Info
committee OF the whole for the purpose OF spe.
ciHl amendment
The speaker The gentleman Will Indicate
his amendment.
Mr.. Rapsher-I had the floor when we nd.
JOurned, ana the motion Is not IN order
Inc ~peaker-When thus house adjourned the
gentlemen from CARBON Mt hapsherl had the
floor; that will cut OF Ihe amendment OF the
gentleman.
MT. kapsher-Mr. Speaker Yesterday. yyben
the House adjourned was discussing the con.
su utiOnai objection raised by tne gentleman
from Philadelphia Mr. CrawfOrdl and since
that adjOul nment have taken the opportunity
10 examine the point which he has raised, ana
50 far as my opinion Is concerned 1 have no
hesitation Ia saying that the point is not well
taken. In TACT nav o not met IA lawyer or an,
other member who eOncurs with the position of
The gentleman from Philadelphia DR. Craw.
tOrdl But, Mf. speaker, lnasmuch az the con.
stltuuOnal point has been Iaseu bV 50 eminent
and distinguished lawyer anu jurlst and stu.
dent Of PHILOSOPHY and pollClcIl economy us the
gentleman from Phliadelpnla Mir. Crawford
Is, think lt Is worth while tOr me never theles IS
70 reply 10 him. IL makes some difference Mr.
Speaker. VINO Raises constitutional questions
and we must always pay more regard ana con
sideratlOn TO unconstitutional que 'tiOns when Uaey
are from great constitutional lawyers than when
they come from meu that know nothing about
II. Therefore MIR, Speaker--(GreaU laiightsrl
MIR. CrawiOrd-Mr. Speaker, would like the
gentleman 10 repeat that did not get the GlsT
Mr. Rapsher-I SAIL Mr. Speaker, It is no
more than proper 1T Is a matter OF court w
which / think owe to the gentleman from
Philadelphia Mt. CrawiOrul ul-Ihat because he
Is constitutional lawyer and u staI aIesman of
great repute thal should Recognize this point.
MI. CfdWtOid-l would like 10 lnterrOgAte
the gentleman.
Mi, RapsheT-Not at this time, Mr Speaker.
Mr. CrawtOrd-i wOdld like TO KnOW whether
tie gentleman was not counsel for the llOIhs
Magulres, aud wants % get PAID out Of tais bi,ll
Mt Rapsher-seotOn eighteen OF article
friend from Philadelphia MIR CrawfoTdl calls
our attention. even II Il establishes anV puint al
. ~. t estaolishss me d0ctilne or The point that
that the Legislature Of PennsyiVania has the
rlght 10 appropriate money Tor any purpose
whatever unless lt Is prohibited Ia ihe COnati.
iuilon and section eighteen, 70 winch our al
tentlOn is called, does not maze a prob bltlou
which covers this case. TIE gentleman frOm
Phlade phin Mr. Clawf nj cannot say with
any SHOW OF A. sOu or truth tiat thls apprOpTla-
u1n is 1 ther charitable educational OF DeneVO.
lettt. Ott On ms contra " n tnere Is anything
Ia 1ne bucuOI ~ all, IL comes unuer tue WorJ OF
gfaIultv. his ciaim which these counties pTe-
sent against tue commonwealth Is not a s,iIeI-
- ie-a clam under forms OF Jaw, II Is quos.
uoh endreli IN the discretion OF the Leg sa-
ture, and Tie most tnaU could Os SAID against
the bll wound Do tuat it might DO a bad %. eCed
ent lhat Is as far as the argument can 40.
Dul, hold anu IN 4lnlain, SIR, tOAt TINS i3 an eX
lIaOIdluary oase-an extraordinary y IuertOriuus
q nn-aliu that tho legislature an ITS wisdom
snOuid ut an times be able and comp tent % ex.
eIcise sound and reasonable dlsetut ON IN
the mat ers a. they come up. We cannot We'll
makt unbenumg ana mheXiUle rules Tor any
particular pul pose.
NJ. wiss-wOud tie gent emau allow him-