Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-05-09
THE LEGISLATURE.
THE TWO HOUSES.

POOR HOl SE BILL a ahENbED-h ~ ~ -'i'A -
FIENDs-NEw LICENSE SCHEME
HARRISBURG, Pa, May 3.-The bill
authorizing the Board of Poor Guar
dians of Pittsburgh to sell the present
farm and purchase new site was re-
considered this morning and an amend
ment proposed by Senator Aull was
adopted providing that no act OF the
Board shall be valid without the ap-
| proval of Councils.
Senator Lees bill repeating the old
fence law and requiring the owners OF
cattle to keep them off other peoples
land gave rise to a long debate. 1t
was advocated by Dayies, Greer.
Humes and Laird, who regarded the
fence law as "relic of barbarism"
that ought to be repealed. Nc
Knight. of Jefferson, and Patton, OF
Greene, on the other hand, thought
that the bill was in the interest of the
rich farmers and against the interests
of the laborers, the mechanic and the
"poor widow" who happen to own
cow. 1t might do well enough for the
rich and thickly populated agricultural
counties such as Chester and Della
ware. but it would impose great hard
ships on people living in the wilder
district where there is great deal OF
pasture land. The bill failed to pass,
receiving six votes less than legal
majority.
The bill requiring an acknowledg-
ment of debt to be made in writing;
the bill increasing the term OF notarles
public from three to four years and the
bill prohibiting bridge companies from
contracting with river men for the use
of their piers, passed finally and were
sent to the House for concurrence.
DYNAMITE FIENDs.
The dynamite bill, to prohibit the
manufacture, sale and use OF explosives
commonly called Internal machines,
excited a little talk at the close of the
session. Mr.. Coke, of Luzerne, OBJ
iected to it because it would prevent
the manufacture of dynamite cartridges
and nitro -glycerine torpedoes for blast
ing purposes Mr. Humes, OF Craw-
ford county, protested against it on
general principles, declaring that 1t
was contrary to the spirit of our insti-
tutions and was wholly unnecessary.
Mr.. Hughes, of Philadelphia, sad that
there was man in Philadelphia who
made q business of manufacturing in
fernal machines and meyer asked any
| questions of bis patrons, and Laird, OF
Westmoreland, called attention TO the
threat of certain parties in New 1ork
that they. would blow up the East
river bridge next week unless 1t was
made free. The bill was amended so
| 60 to apply only to apparatus designed
for the injury or destruction OF life and
property and In that shape passed third
reading and was laid over tor printing
The House resumed its discussion Of
the bill for the assessment aad coliec'
ton of mercantile and other State
license taxes and went over twenty
eight of the thirty-One sections, ana
then laid it over. Only few amend.
ments were made and those OF mino'
importance. AS the bill now stands
dealers whose annual sales amount to
al 600 or less are exempt from mercan
tile tax and those whose sales amour
TO So. 900 and less than So, 900 are as
sessed at ST. The lowest retail Liquor
license remains $50, as it was fixed b!
amendment yesterday. 4 aaw provis
was inserted in the section in regard T.
peddlers' licenses, making it's violation
a misdemeanor punishable with lint
| of $3.50 and six months Imprisonment
NEW LICENSE sGHEME
A new scheme OF wholesale llquo
license was proposed by A. II. White
Philadelphia, making the tax hlghe
than it is now, but lower than the pres
ent bill makes it, but it was found to b
imperfect and was withdrawn.
Uncle Jake Ziegler made stron
6pht Tor On amendment requiring th
} county treasusefa, o4tside of Philade
phia, to publish tue meTeaptile an
iiouor license appraisements, bEt
was killed by vote of 10 yeas to ~
nays
When the bill comes up again an q
: tempt will probably be made by tn
r Allegheny delegation to strike out Tn
last Section, which repeals the specia
law under which Allegheny count
: now gets three-fouEths Of the l!cens
receipts and similar law in Eric.
D The Pittsburgh Court House ~
r passed first reading in the Senate tn
i morning.
Fifty-eight members of the Sena
and the House, nearly all Of whom al
3 soldiers, started this morning on an G,
d curslon to tho battle fields around klcl
i. mond They will return at 2 o'clot
on Tuesday morning ard pesVme u
work of legislation. The Senate a
,ourned until Tuesday afternoon. III
motion gag made by Mr.. Greer,
Butler. Mr.. yandagrift objected al
e insisted on call Of the yeas and nay
Il Several Senators who wanted to avo
v the Monday session and yet did n
- desire to 20 on record, urged him
desist. Mr.. vandegrift hesitated al
u Mr.. Cooper, planting himself in froI
t. of him. called out. "Mr. President,
4 withdraw the call" A roar OF iaug
N ter prevented the objector from makil
a himself heard sgain, and the roll W
not called.
70 The House adjourned to meet
ct morrow morning. but the chances
IN there will be no quorum. The Sena
ID works so much faster and is 30 mu
:. further advanced 10 the work that
- can better afford to take things ca
oi than the other branch, which to
Z" along slowly with but little prospect
an getting through before tie fqal adjou