The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-01-14

: lature is no more than sufficient 10
amply supplying the State charitie:
private institutions should not b
permitted, by dividing the publ
fund, to cripple the resources due I,
those which have the paramount le
g!timate claim upon the Common
wealth.
1t has been suggested in a repor
submitted by the health officer O
Philadelphia that the Lazaretto b,
removed from its present position I,
either Fort Delaware tif proper ar
rangements can be made with tn,
United States Government or Reedj
Island. The present position is en-
} tirely unsuitable, as it brings infect
ed vessels into almost direct contac
with the city and surroundings
There is an apprehension among
many medical authorities that WI
may be visited with cholera during
the coming summer. While these
fears may not be realized, there Is
vet well grounded reason for the ex.
efcise of unusual eareto prevent such
calamity. A strict and proper
quarantine. in connection with 9th.
er sanitary precautions. may prevent
the epidemic finding a lodgment
among US. 1t is further suggested
that ali pilots and masters of vessels
( be required to report to the health
officer the names of any persons
boarding or leaving vessels after en-
tering 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 great evil, and rem
ders quarantine almost useless.
/ In this connection the establish
ment of State Board of Health is
recommended.
The laws governing the Lszaretto
station should be revised. Most OF
them are unnecessary, as well AZ une
4 Just. having been enacted at a time
when the conditions and cireumstan-
ees of our commerce were entirely
different from what they are at
present.
SCHOOL FUND DISTRIBUTION.
Your attention is called to the ba-
sis upon which the distribution Of
the furd for our common schools
should be made. The distribution
Is now made on the base of taxables,
the department receiving the lists ev-
cry three years. 1t would be better
to put it on the base of average num-
Der OF school children in attendance.
This can be done very easily. All
teachers are now required to report
the average number in attendance
They can still further berequired by
law to hand a certified list of the
same to their respective boards and
the officers Of The Department of
Public Instruction annually and
thus the necessary data viii be al
ways at hand. This weuld make
the distribution more equitable,
adopt it more directly to the chang
ing needs of the schools and at the
same time greatly encourage efforts
to secure a larger average attendance
throughout the Commonwealth.
REVISION OF MINING LAWS.
It Is recommended that commits
sion be created to revise tie present
bituninous mining laws, such COM
mission to be similar in ali respects
to the one appointed at the last ses-
sion of the Legislature to revise the
anthracite mining laws.
The mining of bituminous coal
has become a business of enormous
proportions. and the safety and
rights of those employed in this IN
dustry demand legislative consid
Grafton A standard should be fix
ed whereby the fitness of men desir-
ing the positions of the superinten-
dent, mining boss and fire boss can
be determined, and the duties of
persons employed in those respec-
tive positions can be clearly and
specifically defined, so as to fix the
responsibility in case of accident.
AGRICULTURAL LAWS.
There ought to be some modiica-
tions made in tie existing laws re-
iating to that branch of Government
having in charge agricultural mat
ters The law recognizing the State
Agricultural Society as in some way
connected WITH the public admins
tration Of this subject, by appropri-
ating TO it annually 50 $50, should
he repealed Hereafter there should
be but one head of the agricultural
interest. to-wit: The State Board of
agriculture. to which all appropri-
aiions for this interest should lie
made, and which should have the
entire charge of al matters pertain
ing 10 this branch of the public az
fairs. Notably the Agricultural
Board have the exclusive control Of
the publication OF the agricultural
reports, These changes should be
made for the Obvious reason that the
Agricultural Society is a private cor
poration.
ABoLIsHING MERCANTILE APPRAISERS.
/ can see no reason for the contin-
uance of the office of mercantile APP
praiser.a recommend its abolition !
The mercantile licenses can be as
sessed, and appeals taken in the
same manner and by the same off |
cials that assesses the tax on watches
horses, carriages, and money at in
terest- The various county assessors
could and should at the same time
that they perform their other duties
discharge the duties now transacted
by the mercantile appraisers. Par
ticularly ought this to be done if the
Legislature should adopt the sugges-
ton that these licenses be paid into
the treasures ofthe various counties.
By this means large number of
officeholders would be dispensed
with, their salaries saved to the State
or counties, and uniformity, simplie-
ity and convenience be promoted by
having all taxes levied by one set of