The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-05-23
OUR HARRISBURG LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
HARRISBURG, Pa, May 10, 1886.


The interesting, the much petitioned
and the long delayed nti-discrimination
bill was killed on Wednesday forenoon.
1t is hard to say just who was the fault
of its defeat. Those who were against
the bill and who felt in duty to their
constituents they should have voted for
it, now say it is the fault Of Mr.. Hulings
There is no doubt but that the bill was
too sweeping i'll its character and the
penal clause was especially Objectionable
These objections Mr.. Hulings was asked
to remove, but he refused and declared
that sooner than he would change the
bill he would see it defeated, which he
did. There is sentiment that this bill
should have been passed no matter what
condition it was in or in what manner
it was drawn up. The people look at
one phase of it which they generally ex-
press in this way: 1t is not right for II
man to pay more, or as much, to ship
from Harrisburg to Philad elphia, as
from Pittsburg to the same point. On
close examination OF the bill it is appar-
ent that to obviate this difficulty was the
motive of the parties who drew up the
bill, and if this one point alone would
have been elaborated and so framed into
bill us to meet the appreciation of the
members it would have passed into law.
But the parties who had it in charge did
not contine themselves closely to this one
point and hence brought in bill that
was not agreeable to the majority. This
bill would have destroyed competition
in freight, it would destroy the desire to
build competing lines between the same
points, the very element which is the
life OF trade. Will not my readers agree
with me that when freight is carried
only thirty miles more should be charged
in proportion for that distance than
when it is carried two hundred? Should
not man pay more when he ships from
Harrisburg to Philadelphia than when
he ships from Chicago to Philadelphia?
1t is reasonable to increase the rate as
the distance decreases and vice versa
All remuneration is regulated according
To the size of the contract. A farmer
will ask less per day for Il job that will
require twenty days hauling than one
that requires only two days. This is
true in all classes OF business and GER
tainly il should not be denied the rail
road companies, for if we cripple them
we paralyze the industries ol our State.
In making statute, the first rule t0 be
observed is the old law, the mischief ard
then the remedy. In this act neither
the old law nor the mischief have been
set forth, therefore, how can they con-
sistently provide remedy? The first |
section OF this act is the same as the first
section of Article II in the Constitution. |
81
already provided for in the organic law |
OF the State. So viewing the. matter ON
all sides, examining the act and the ar
gument, il is fair to say that the best |
way to dispose of the bill was to defeat
it and await another and more compre-
hensive one to take its place.
In connection with the veto message |
regarding the burial of old veterans OF
which | spoke last week, | would say
that all the mean, contemplate express
sions used against the Governor by those !
who tried and succeeded in passing it
over his veto were unkind and unjust.
. A resolution was introduced in the |
House IN Monday evening by Mr.-Hul-
ings fixing the hours ior the remainder
of the session at 10 in the morning, in
the afternoon and in the evening, the
hours for adjournment were not provided
for. The object of this was to prevent
the minority from sflibustering until the
time for adjournment when they would
call the orders of the day, which meant
the time for adjournment had arrived,
and the members picked up their hats
and left, A great deal OF time was vast
ed in this way which is now stopped.
This hot weather makes the atmos-
phere in the House very bad. The
members are very noisy. The Speaker
gets cross sometimes at Crawford and
Mackin. Harry HUM ought TO have his
jaw CREASED the way he makes it go in
reading long bills. The page boys fire.
quently carry notes from members to
ladies in the galleries and strange to say
the ladies invariably leave soon after re-
ceiying them. Wives and daughters of
the members and senators are here visit
ing the legislature and taking in the
Capital in general. On the 9th the
members and senators are going to Selins
Grove 10 witness the unveiling of ex-
Governor Snyder's monument. The
members are beginning TO throw paper
balls at one another, an evidence that
the session is drawing to close. The
flowers in the park are being set out in
the most unique designs,