Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-05
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENCE

rFRoM A STAFF CoRREsPoNDEST.1
HARRISBURG, May 4.-Mr. Upperman,
of Allegheny, is one of the quietest men-
bers of the Senate, but it is not because he
cannot talk rig hit out from the shoulder, as
he demonstrated to the satisfaction Of every
body in the Senate this forenoon. The sub
ject of his talk was largely Senator Della
mater, and that gentleman adopted dis
creetly conciliatory course and thereby
brought the discussion to q close. After
ward, however, in conversation, Senator
Upperman talked just as plainly as he did
when the stenographer of the legislative
record was taking it all down.
The trouble grew out of the bill to abolish
the Office of gauger of liquid merchandise in
Allegheny county. The merits or dement's
of the bill were not under discussion at any
time during the interchange Of Senatorial
corrtesies, but the measure is one which
some people say is simply designed to rob
Magee man of a fat ofice, while others say
it is in the interest of the Standard Oil Com
pany.
OBJECT OF THE BILL.
The fact is that the bill was introduced
by Representative Robson, of Allegheny,
VINO was JSQueSleu W 10 80 w OOsSpu OIhAR,
the PitSSburg refner, who is partner OF
William Elkins and P. A B. Widener in
opposition to the Standard Oil Company,
and whose refinery is one of the largest in
dependent institutions in the country.
They do business in Allegheny, Butler and
Washington counties, and will soon have a
very large refinery in operation in Phila-
delphia The fact that they do business in
Washington county is an explanation of the
"a L. n, VI
reading in the House, when he had it
quietly passed and messaged to the Senate
one evening before the Pittsburg delegation
knew what was being voted on.
Last evening the Senate Committee on
Municipal Affairs agreed to make favor
able reporton the bill and gave 1t to Senator
Z Upperman to present to the Senate. OF
course the information as to who had the
bill was not public property, and when
Senator Dachrodt, of Northampton, late in
the session reported it to the Senate no one
particularly noted the fact. Soon after
Senator Upperman entered the chamber and
took lis seat.
''I thought you had that gauger bill to
report, said Senator Newmyer.
$50 1 have" replied Senator Upperman.
THE TROUBLE COMMENCES.
Senator Newmyer explained to him what
had occurred, and Senator Upperman was
on his feet in an instant, with fame in his
cheek and fire flashing from his ewes. He
asked Senator Thompson, who was in the
chair, ii the bill had been reported, and
Senator Thompson. after consulting the
clerks, said it had been.
Senator Delamster then arose to say he
could possibly explain, but Senator Upper
man quickly interrupted him and said, with
q great deal of emphasis: 81 think this is
one of those things that cannot be ex-
planned. This bill was given to me to re-
port and cannot understand how it could
have been placed in the hands of another
You attack the rights of Senator from AL
legbeny. 1t appears to me that Allegheny
Senators here have no rights. They are not !
recognized even in the reporting of bill,
This bill was handed to me by the Chair |
man of the committee, and the gentl man
who reported it never asked for it. and / |
cannot understand how he could report it |
when the bill was in nv possession"
DELAMATER'S REPLY.
Mr.. Delamater at this point got the atten- |
ton of the chair and said: "Mr. President, |
knowing this morning that the bill had |
been considered, / went from one member to |
another of the committee of those who were /,
in the Senate, inquiring who had the bill. |
None of them knew. The chairman, Mr.. |
Mylin, was absent, and / sent messengers |
everywhere to find him, only to learn that |
be had gone home. So had the secretary of |
the committee, Mr.. Cooper. coulI not find
Senator Upperman either. 1 thought per-
haps the Senator who had the bill had left
town and taken it with him by an oversight.
will not say that thought the Senator had
taken away the bill by design, nor that any
Senator proposed to smother the bill, though |
the committee had ordered an affirmative re-
port I asked the Clerk of the Senate what
course to pursue. did not intend that a
bill passed BY the House should be lost by
trick or a mistake. The clerk advised that
q duplicate bill be made out and reported.
The Senator who had the original bill could
then have it substituted for the duplicate on
his return. Several members of the commit
tee offered to report it if a copy was made or
the bill found. did not then know Sena-
tor Upperman had the bill. I supposed it
was in the hands of Senator Mylin. Assis-
tant Librarian Miller will bear me out that
I tried to find him."
RATHER INsINUATING.
'tMy position is just this: The House duly
passed bill and caused it to be sent to this
BODY 10 proper form. 1t had then been
acted on by one of our committee, and did
not propose to sit idly by and permit it to
be lost by mistake. Therefore, this BILL or
a duplicate of it, has now been reported by
the gentleman from Northumberland,
mem Der Oh Inc COluullbNCSs huN Dtll6N6 is
nronerlv before this body. If not. let the
gentleman from Allegheny report his bill,
as he acknowledges the committee ordered
him to do. If he does this no one will press
the other one.
s'Mr. President, " responded Senator Up
pernan, "the gentleman from Crawford is
little too suspicious as to tricks. have
been here since 1881, and this is the first
time have been charged with trying to de-
feat bill by trick. 1 have been honest
in an NV actions here, and my word has
always been as good as my bond. 1 have +
cast nv vote to please myself and nobody
else, and 1 have never been tricky.
never had report OF a conference commit
tee printed and placed on the desk of the
members before the COMMITTEES had been ap-
pointed. now raise the point OF order that
the bill has been irregulary reported, and
ask that the record of it be stricken from
the miuufes Then Twill renorf IL regularly" |