Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-27
A BLOW AT SYNDICATE SCHOOLS,
But it IL Made in such a Manner That 1t
Can't Harm Them.

But it Is Made in such Manner That 1t
Can't Harm Them.
rFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
HARRISBURG, April 26.-The bill ap-
pointing commission to take charge OF the
soldiers orphans came up again in the Sen
ate to-day, and on motion of Senator Alex
ander, of Fulton, the proyiso to section .,
'that no contract shall be made for the
care and maintenance Of such soldiers chill
dren with any institution or home con-
trolled by the Soldiers Orphan Syndicate, "
was stricken out. Instead of it Senator
Alexander offered another proviso. which
was adopted. 1t is to the effect that the
commission shall not contract with the pro-
prietor, principal, superintendent or man,
ager of any institution who is interested
financially in another institution for the
care of soldiers orphans.
While this is in words blow at the
syndicate, it does not prevent the members
dividing the schools among themselves and
contracting individually with the commits
sion, if the latter is so minded. Senator
Alexander wanted the bill further amended
to-day, to provide for two Senators on the
commission, but Senator Goblin opposed 1t.
He said one of the principal objects of those
having the matter in charge was to have no
one on the commission who had been in any
manner connected with the schools.
HE HAD A LITTLE PLAN.
No other amendments were adopted, but
Senator Bates wanted to amend section to
take away from the commission the power to
contract with managers of schools and to give
them, instead, the right to rent schools and
appoint managers, teachers, ETC., the rental
of the schools not to exceed 6 per cent Of
their value.
Senator Sloan offered substitute for Sec
ton 8, providing for the removal OF soldiers
orphans from the school at Chester Springs,
McAllisterville, Mount Joy and Mercer,
aud the placing of them in other soldiers
orphan schools, homes, normal schools and
other institutions. 1t provided that chill
dren of II years and upward should be re-
moved to the State Normal Schools of their
respective districts; children under the age
IL shall be transferred from the schools
mentioned to other normal schools until
they reach the age of II, when they shall be
placed in the normal schools and the State
college. Children under the age of II
years might, under the substitute, be placed
in the care of their parents until they
reached the age of Il years, when they
might be disposed of as previously provided.
The parents in such cases were given by the
substitute the same compensation, ETC., and
subjected to the provisions of the act.
TWO COMMITTEES COLLIDE.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations
has amended the bill appropriating $780,
900 for the maintenance of the soldiers or
phans' schools. the next two years, at va
rance with the action of the Senate on the
commission bill. The appropriation act
had a clause in it prohibiting any portion
of the amount indicated from being used in
taking care of children at McAllisterville,
Mount Joy, Mercer and Chester Springs.
The committee was opposed to naming the
schools, but provided that no moneys of
the State should 60 to soldiers orphan
schools controlled by any syndicate or So
called syndicate or under any contract sys-
tem."
The committee is opposed to the further
extension of the system which has enabled
the syndicate to make exorbitant profits at
the expense of the proper treatment of the
children in its schools. The committee
wants the children TO receive the full bene-
fit of the appropriation. after necessary ex-
penses shall have been deducted for con-
Quoting the schools of which they are in
mates. The bill, as it passed the second
reading in the Senate to-day, does not har-
monize with the action of the appropriation
committee, and one or the other will have to
be changed to insure legislative consistency.
Senator Bates believes that his amendment,
which contemplates the abolition of the con-
tract system, will finally be incorporated in
the commission bill.