The state journal., 1885-01-10


made upon you for the eXten5iou of over
asylums, and other much needed
additional relief. The business and
Industrial outlook is such as to occasion
that our resources will be
still further taxed TO meet the want and
suffering in the community. v IS more
than ever necessary therefor L you
rigidly keep il view the Coz utional
provision as to appropriation Co charita
BILE institutions not under the c1ntrol OF
the Commonwealth. Prov. q ought
first to be fully made for the STATE insti-
tutions before other charities are at all
considered The bills for the former
purpose should all be early considered
and passed, and the amount devoted to
that object computed, SO that these meas
ures will not be left to hurried and incon
siderate action in the last days of the ses
sion.
1t has been suggested in report sub
mitted by the health officer Of Philadel-
phia that the laZaTettO be removed from
its present position to either Fort Della
ware (if proper arrangements can be
made with the United States Govern
ment) or Reeds Island. The present Pc.
stion is entirely unsuitable, as it brings
infected vessels into almost direct contact
with the city and surroundings. There
is an apprehension among many medical
authorities that we may be visited with
cholera during the coming summer
While these fears may not be real
lied, there is yet well grounded reason
for the exercise of unusual care,
to prevent such calamity. A strict and
proper quarantine, in connection with
other sanitary precautions, may prevent
the epidemic finding Judgment among
us. 1t Is further suggested that all pilots
and masters of vessals be required to re.
port TO the health officer the names of
any persons boarding or leaving vessels
after entering the Capes of the Delaware,
and, upon failure to report such names in
writing, such pilots and masters to be
subject to indictment. The boarding OF
vessels before passing quarantine is q
great evil, and renders quarantine al
most useless.
A State Board of Health Recommended
In this connection the establishment Of
a State Board of Health is recommended.
Such Board is believed to be desirable
institution, and a public need. 1t would
put US in the line of advance with many
of our sister Commonwealth, where such
institutions have been found TO be OF great
practical benefit. AS our population be-
comes more dense, the necessity for some
systematic regulation of affairs pertaining
to the public health of the State becomes
every day more apparent.
The laws governing the LazarettO
Station should be revised. Many OF
them are unnecessary, as well as unjust,
having been enacted at time when the
conditions and circumstances of our com.
merce were entirely different from what
they are at present. There is one unjust
law to which your attention is called,
viz: In reference to visits of the LazarettC
physician made to vessels in the inside
or outside channel For visit made in
the outside channel to vessel of a 15(
tons burthen and upwards an
additional fee of s. is charged
The act imposing this charge
was passed years ago, when the
physician made his visits in row boat
and received perquisites for his cOmpen
sation. Two dollars of the fee were paiC
to him, and one dollar to the Quarantine
Master, for their extra trouble in being
rowed the further distance, and the re
naming two dollars went into the city
treasury. Now steam is used as motor
and both officers are paid a fixed salary
These two considerations call for tht
repeal of the law.
The Public School Fund
cd 60 hn IoO
upon which the distribution of the funC
for our common schools should be made
The Superintendent of Public instruction
in his annual report says, From care
full survey of the whole field and from
comparison of views with others our con
viction is, that the law which tXes thu
base upon which the State appropriation
is distributed should be changed.
The appropriation itself is GER
tainly made in the interest o
the children who are to receive its benefi
and hence the very spirit of the law i'm
plies that the distribution should be made
in the same interest. The distribution i!
not made on the base of taxables, the de
partment receiving the list every three
years. In our judgment it would be bet
ter to put it on the basis OF average mum
Der of school children in attendance
This can be done very easily. AL
teachers are now required to report thu
average number in attendance. They
can still further be required by law tt
hand a certified list of the same to thei
respective boards, and the officers of thu
boards can forward affidavits of the same
to the Department of Public instruction
annually, and thus the necessary data will
be always at hand. This would make thu
distribution more equitable, adapt it NOR
directly to the changing needs of thu
schools and at the same time greatly en-
courage efforts to secure larger aver2g,
attendance throughout the Common
wealth.
The Soldier Boys.
The command Of the Constitution, tina
''the freemen of this Commonwealth
shall be armed, organized and disciplined
for its defence" has been faithfully
obeyed. The appropriations from the
treasury for the maintenance of the mill
tia have been we'll applied and the
strength of the National Guard has beer
fully maintained.
Its last encampment was upon the bat
tle-geld of Gettysburg, at which there
were 3, 164 tents pitched and 7,543 mer
present for duty.
The troops were there reviewed. by the
Lieutenant General commanding the
army of the United States, in the pres
cnce of the Secretary of War, the Gem
missary General of Subsistence, United
States army, and Colonel H. NJ. Black, o.
the Twenty third United States Infantry
the latter being present under a specia
order from headquarters, Department o.
the East.
In his official report Col. Black says
"The men marched in review with affirm
ness and precision that have never seer
excelled."
AS the general result of my observa.
tons, l can say that in appearance, in
their discipline and general efficiency, the
troops comprising the annual encamp
ment of the Pennsylvania National
for tho Ivaor GQ1 n rrortbu of oil