The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-02-04
HARRISBURG LETTER.
Harrisburg, FEB. 7lh, 1881.

Again | baye to record the fact that there |
has been no change in the Senatorial out |
look. The situation is just the same as it |
was a week ago only that the continued ball |
f. oting day after day has become 50 irksome
rs to be almost unbearable to Senators and
Members. In tact a large number have
bean absent from the balloting during The
week so that upon two occasions, Saturday
aud Monday, the vote fell below quorum.
Speculation upon the outcome has almost
entirely ceased and the conclusion has about
been reached that there can be no election
ex-senator this session. This will certainly
be the case unless some sudden change in
the situation now totally unexpected aud
unforeseen, occurs For the information of
your readers give the latest vote cast to-
day which does no, ilfer in any material
respect from those which preceded it
Wallace 7s, Oliver 76, Grow so MacVeagh
3, Curtain /, Agoew l. Hewitt 8, Philips 2,
Snowden |, Baird |,
As a matter OF course the work of Legs
la,ion is much delayed by the pending dead
lock. A number of bills have been intro
duced in both Senate and House, but none
of them has as yet reached very advance
stage of consideration, the Senate having
passed three bills finally aud the House
none.
Among the proposed Legislation that mp
on the liquor traffic is attracting no little
attention. Liquor dealers as we'll as thCse
opposed absolutely to the traffic are already
in the field not only with petitions and
memorials but with carefully drawn bills al
ready upon the calenders. AS a specimen of
these may be mentioned the bill for punish.
ing drunkenness, introduced by Mr. Lands
of Lancaster. This act proposes to punish
persons guilty of drunkenness for the first Of
tense with a fine not less than ten, nor more
than fifty dollars, for the second offeuse with
imprisonment not less than ten or more than
sixty days and defines the third offense to be
a felony to be punished by disfranchsemeut
of from two to six years duration. Those
engaged in the sale of liquors are also sub
jected to like penalties. Mr.. Port of Hunt
ingdon upon the other hand has introduced
a bill which, whatever may be the intention
of its trainers, would result should it become
law, in a large decrease of the revenues of
the State from the sale of liquor and would
have but little tendency toward curailing
abuses in the traffic. The bill proposes to
repeal the present license fees for taverns and
restaurants Lowest license 500 and propos-
cs new classification with the minimum
rate $40 Experience has shown that under
the old law nearly all the taverns and res
taurants in the State are rated in the lowest
class. Reduce that lowest rate aud the licen-
ses will all fall to l. as naturally as n duck
takes to water. Result. The Auditor Gen
erals report shows that the tavern and
restaurant licenses during the past year
amounted to about S3S0,000 Pass Mr.
Ports bill and that amount will immediate
ly be cut down one fifth, and the revenue
from this source during the year instead Of
being $3.50 900 will not exceed $76 ,000
True Mr.. Ports bill provides for additional
revenue by charging cent for every
drink, but TO carry out ais provision would
require an army of state agents to watch the
register, all OF whom would have to be well
paid for their services.
.Ao0ther proposition before the Leg-la-
ture which is commanding general attention
is the proposed consolidation of the districts
of the Supreme Court, 50 that but one sit
ting OF the Court shall be necessary and
that to be in Philadelphia, As a matter Of
course this meets with strenuous opposition
from the counties III the central and western
4. H..
with that on foot to transfer the Capital
from Harrisburg 10 Philadelphia will, and
undoubtedly should meet with the disappro-
val of all right minded citizens who desire
q. that the judiciary aud Legislature should
be as far removed as possible from the cor
arupting influence OF the city of Philadelphia
II would indeed be a sorry day for Pennsyl-
vania when her Capita goes to Philadelphia
is the almost universal opinion here outside
of the particular circle and influence of her
Representatives. Speaking ofPhiladelphia
reminds me OF little episode of last nights
session which was on a par with Monday
night sessions OF the past when Charlie
Wolf used to make things lively for the Dem
ocrats. Under the rules original resolutions
are in order on Monday night. Taking ad-
vantage of this rule the Hon. Edward Law
Representative from the Sth district of Phil
adelpbia got in resolution asking that the
committee on municipal corporations of
8 which the Hon. Christ. Knease of Philadel'
delphia Is chairman should be discharged
from the further consideration OF the bill 10
consolidate the Offices Of the receiver of
Taxes and the Collector OF Delinquent Taxes
in Philsdelphis. This is measure advan'
ced by the Law Association of that city in
the interest Of Reform, and the failure OF
the committee to report it was taken by i's
friends as an intended effort to delay its
consideration. Mr. Laws remarks had
rather personal tendency and reelected some
what on the modern methods of Legislation
as well as the intentions Of the chairman OF
Municipal Corporations who responded in
kind This little spat gave evidence OF the
fun ahead on this bill, which your readers
rnsy look for.
A,